1. Could you elaborate on your career background?
I have a masters in public health. I worked for 2 years in different NGOs. My work largely involved research, proposal drafting, and community outreaches. While I did enjoy it, I wanted to take a break and find something else that would allow me to be a master of my own time and dreams.
Conceptualized and Illustrated by Hema | Artpreneur Program Alumni 2020 - 2021 | Hymns of Cosmos Batch
2. What inspired you to embark on a creative journey despite lacking prior experience in the art field?
I thoroughly enjoy learning in general, to the extent that I even did a short course in data science, a field not commonly pursued by someone with my educational background. It was around this time that I found the Artpreneur program through an Instagram ad. Although I had always loved the idea of art and creativity, my own engagement with art had only been occasional. I even hated my art classes in school. Yet, something about the Artpreneur ad spoke to me.
I intuitively knew that it was definitely something that I should do. The extensive curriculum was very fascinating. I found their website to be very authentic and transparent which was confirmed when I spoke to them as well.
Conceptualized and Illustrated by Hema | Artpreneur Program Alumni 2020 - 2021 | Hymns of Cosmos Batch
3. What challenges did you face after transitioning to the creative field?
I did not have any clearly defined career aspirations in art when I joined the course. I simply wanted to learn and experience everything the program promised to teach. I did have doubts about myself initially, but I did not allow them to take over, thanks to my mentor who constantly reminded us to trust the process. That belief became a source of motivation for me.
Time was my biggest challenge. I took a lot of time to finish my sadhanas to my satisfaction. This put me in a slightly awkward place with my new family. But over time, seeing my passion, which was a borderline obsession, they naturally supported it.
Conceptualized and Illustrated by Hema | Artpreneur Program Alumni 2020 - 2021 | Hymns of Cosmos Batch
4. What has the process of creating a children’s book, after the program been like for you, and could you share some insights from your experience?
It has been very rewarding. Initially, I tried to rush through the process. It was only after Balaji Anna told me the work was below my calibre, that I paused and reflected on what I truly wanted to create. His advice to me was to not be in a hurry to finish things but to rather create work that I’d always be proud of. Post which, I buckled down and took time to enjoy the whole thing without any expectations in mind. It became even more fun because when children are your audience, the work is either a hit or a miss. There is no in-between. Children also tend to observe more, so I wanted to give them more things to look at. Apart from the main story, I enjoyed adding fun little things hoping it would catch their eye.
After completing the book, I initially published it on Kindle. Almost 2.5 years later, a Tamil publishing house saw the illustrations on Instagram and wanted to re-release it in Tamil. It was a very pleasant surprise!
Seeing my book in print at the Chennai book fair along with so many other books, was thrilling and a lifelong memory that I completely owe to Balaji Anna and the Artpreneur program. The icing on the cake has been the publisher’s positive reviews about how much children loved the book.
Conceptualized and Illustrated by Hema | Artpreneur Program Alumni 2020 - 2021 | Hymns of Cosmos Batch
5. How did your everyday routine change during the program?
Getting married during the first wave of COVID changed all my plans. Navigating a new family, a new culture, a new life, and a completely new field was pretty intense.
There was no time to waste; I was either learning or bonding with my family.
Conceptualized and Illustrated by Hema | Artpreneur Program Alumni 2020 - 2021 | Hymns of Cosmos Batch
6. How did you balance your work life and personal life while adapting to changes in your environment?
I tend to get hyper-focused on my tasks, and doing justice to all my new roles felt daunting. Looking back, I realize that I was able to develop different aspects of myself simultaneously. Along with Balaji Anna’s guidance and support, his tool on filters helped me greatly. It allowed me to stay present and focus on what was most important in each moment. It also made a big difference that my family supported me throughout.
Conceptualized and Illustrated by Hema | Artpreneur Program Alumni 2020 - 2021 | Hymns of Cosmos Batch
7. What was one tool or technique that you learned in the program that you believe will stay with you for the long term?
Gazing and re-engineering! I believe it’s a gift that keeps on giving. It took some time for me to properly grasp them. I’ll be honest, when we were asked to look at different art forms with love, I don’t think I understood it as well as I thought I did. But the same art forms when I look at them today with no expectations and from a place of pure awe and admiration, I find it so natural to recreate the style. Even styles that I struggled with in the past have come to become my favourite because of this tool!
Conceptualized and Illustrated by Hema | Artpreneur Program Alumni 2020 - 2021 | Hymns of Cosmos Batch
How did the guidance from the educator / mentor influence the course of your artistic progress?
My educator, Eesha was very passionate and a perfectionist. Gentle but firm, she strongly believed that anyone who followed the process could create first-class art. Her power of observation of the minutest of details has stuck with me. Her outlook and feedback influenced the way I look at my artwork today. I can even hear her in my head sometimes hahaha! I owe her for driving the technique of PLP into me!
You meet some people in life who feel so light and like a breath of fresh air that you soak up everything they say. My mentor Balaji Anna, is that being for me. It feels like he is in the background but is aware of everything! Always ready to help and guide, he is one of the biggest influences in my life. I always hold one thing that he said close to my heart the gist of which is, that not everything has to have an immediate output or result. Some ideas and plans can be slow-boiling. It’s okay to have an incubation period. This removed the restlessness and anxiety that is created sometimes when you see the rat race of the world. It allowed me to turn inward and accept myself for what I am and for the stage of life I currently am in. So every time I create art, it's not from a place of pressure or anxiety but because of an inner push to be better than my previous version.
He creates a safe space for anyone interested in learning and creating. I’m always in awe of the kind of atmosphere he has created batch after batch, of tight-knit, like-minded individuals from all parts of the world. I believe you need to have so much clarity to be able to align and steer so many people. Beyond his skill as an artist and a change-maker, it is this clarity and his ability to hold space for learning souls that inspires me the most.
Conceptualized and Illustrated by Hema | Artpreneur Program Alumni 2020 - 2021 | Hymns of Cosmos Batch
9. What are your aspirations in this art field, and where do you see yourself five years from now?
I love creating conceptual artwork! I dream of creating art that stops people in their tracks because it calls out to them for whatever reason - the emotions it invokes in them, the details in the artwork, or anything else. For my future self, I’d like to have tried my hand at anything that’s art. I would like to not be tied down to one particular style or area. I hope to try my hand at animation or even jewellery design someday!
Conceptualized and Illustrated by Hema | Artpreneur Program Alumni 2020 - 2021 | Hymns of Cosmos Batch
10. For individuals considering a career switch to pursue their creative passions, what advice would you offer them?
I would say follow your heart! 3 things are in your hands - time, commitment, and trust. I believe investing yourself truly and giving time to any new skill while trusting the teacher will give you beautiful results. Artpreneur has a very strong support system that you may not find anywhere else. The mentor, the educators, fellow peers, and even the alumni are always looking to encourage anyone on the path. Just trust the process and apply yourself from day one. It will be SO worth it!
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