We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Arrushi Chakraborty. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Arrushi below.
Arrushi , we are so deeply grateful to you for opening up about your journey with mental health in the hops that it can help someone who might be going through something similar. Can you talk to us about your mental health journey and how you overcame or persisted despite any issues? For readers, please note this is not medical advice, we are not doctors, you should always consult professionals for advice and that this is merely one person sharing their story and experience.
One of the great joys of human life is the ability to fight obstacles instead of being crushed by them.
Right before I moved to New York for art school at the age of 18, I had been diagnosed with depression. I never overlooked my parents’ support, initiative, and encouragement, but somehow I glossed over the fact that they seemed to be more excited about my move to New York to study art than I was. I migrated to the United States from India at the age of 18 to pursue BFA Design at the School of Visual Arts, not knowing exactly how clueless I was. Imposter syndrome was, at the time, the least of my concerns. I had never lived by myself before, never taken a flight alone (let alone to a whole different continent), never cooked an edible meal all by myself. All I knew was how to make art, and that was not enough to survive. I had no friends here, my parents live back home in India, and my sister lives in Australia with her husband. I was vastly unfamiliar with the American education system, and hence did not know the concept of ‘homework assignments’. In high school back in India, I had only studied my textbooks and showed up for written examinations, somehow retaining every single word in my memory. In hindsight, it was quite hilarious that I showed up to class for a couple of weeks not knowing I had to do homework.
My struggles were rooted in learning how to begin a new life while grappling with depression. And I chose the hardest city to grow up in. This wasn’t going to go away easily, and I wanted a better life for myself. I wanted to see my art in books, on covers, on the walls of a gallery. So I did the only thing I could do to overcome the growing hole in my life. I chose to embrace it.
I had something to say, and I took the baton and ran. In school, I created a lot of art informed by healing from past trauma and my disease. I was—and still am— afraid of how I would be perceived by fellow artists, professors, friends—and most importantly, my family. But not only did my work speak to other human beings, it also grew a unique voice. I was a writer in middle through high school, so I wrote short poems on my feelings, and integrated them with images—mini comics, one might say. Eventually, I created ‘Kari’s Colors’, a children’s book that follows the journey of a child who was ‘pink’ yesterday but wakes up ‘blue’ today. “Yesterday, I was pink, but today I am blue. I asked the sun, “how can I be as brilliant as you?” ” She asks elements of nature how to be pretty, cool, refreshing like them—but they show her how awesome she is in her own way. It’s a book about self-love. It was selected to be showcased in the acclaimed Senior Thesis Show by SVA’s Illustration Department.
My style has changed a lot over the last few years—as I feel it will continue to do so. But what I have to say remains the same. To anyone going through a difficult time: you are not alone. Seeking help only makes you stronger.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
I proudly come from the city of Kolkata, India. As a young, hopeless literary romantic, I found endless inspiration in the sensory beauty of Kolkata—the mustard-yellow taxis, the symphony of street vendors, my mother’s vibrant sarees, my father’s early morning worship rituals, and the warmth of home-cooked meals. Today, I am inspired by my adopted home in New York: its tree-lined Brooklyn streets, bustling subways, intimate and quirky cafés, and the booming pulse of Manhattan’s galleries and museums. Kolkata was a character of its own, and if any other city could match its peculiar beauty, it would be New York.
Unlike many artists who discovered drawing early, I consider myself a late bloomer. As a child, I was not one to scribble on walls or sketch in the margins of notebooks. My early artistic training in early to middle school, though disciplined, felt restrictive, emphasizing imitation over imagination. So, I found expression in words. People seemed to like my writing—and I wanted to be a writer. During the global boom of slam poetry and visual expression on social media (yes, I had social media in 9th grade), I began merging my love of writing with visual imagery, and that would later define my approach to illustration. Writing eventually found its way into my art—across canvases, papers, wood, and screens.
My first artistic love was graphic design—not for its technical rules or typographic precision, but for its power to communicate stories with bold simplicity. My early design portfolio was mostly filled with fine art. During my freshman year in college, I began merging design with storytelling. I wanted to create work that was both expressive and visually disciplined.
For the first year and a half at SVA, I was trained as a designer, but eventually found myself drawn back to the organic fluidity of illustration. I graduated this May with a BFA in Illustration from the School of Visual Arts in New York, and then I got an email to join the Summer Internship Program at Macmillan Audio as a Design Intern. A lot of changes were happening. It was quite surreal.
I am now an illustrator and designer with an emphasis on picture books. Tell me to fit myself in a metaphorical box—and I won’t! No regrets. My design training informs my approach to visual hierarchy, clarity, and composition—these qualities lend my work its color, rhythm, and boldness. I focus on creating colorful, quirky, emotionally resonant illustrations while trying to engage my audience in a dialogue between humor and introspection. Whether in the pages of my picture books or the slides of my carousel comics, I believe every story is worth telling—if told in the right way. Which is why I admire the editorial expertise of Bold Journey so much! I also believe in the X-factor that makes or breaks any artwork—sure, design principles are essential to constructing a strong image, but my magic ingredient will always be my own voice.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
I’ve been thinking about my spiritual beliefs and their part in my emerging career. Regardless of my background, I find it extremely helpful to my mental health to believe in a bigger purpose and universal connectivity. It doesn’t have to be an entity of any sort or even religious—for me, it’s being of help to other people where I can be and having empathy and kindness. I have gained so much clarity since I’ve opened my heart to positivity and possibility. I’ve gained the ability to organize, and it has changed my life. My mind was like an overgrown garden, and it was like I grew peonies and potatoes in the same bed—and for a long time, I let it be that way. Because I’m an artist, it’s only right that I be messy and all over the place! Or so I thought. Get a notebook that you think you will actually write in (I got mine from Muji), a calendar diary, and a sketchbook. Check in with yourself regularly. Go to social and professional networking events of interest to you. Talk to your friends. If you are early in art school, surprise: it’s possible to sleep! I highly recommend it. Pro tip: carry some business cards with you wherever you go and talk to people with kindness. You never know when an opportunity comes your way.
Reliability. It’s extremely important to be reliable. There is a lot of instability in today’s world. In professional and personal circles, people need to know they can depend on you. Sometimes, even just being consistent and punctual takes you a step further. Don’t make promises you can’t keep. It might sound tempting to be able to take on more than you can fit on your plate, but it doesn’t necessarily deliver good results. In addition to building a solid portfolio, professional collaborators want to see that you can talk the talk and walk the walk. If you can only do so much in so-and-so time, focus on doing that with all your sincerity!
That brings me to action. Your next project, your next essay, next application: these all can seem intimidating at times, but remind yourself why you’re doing it. Put on your favorite TV show or music, or rerun a comfort show that you are already familiar with, and watch your work flow effortlessly. The Pomodoro study technique was all the rage a few years ago—I say we bring it back. Make your environment comfortable, one where you feel you can put your best foot forward. This can manifest in both physical and emotional ways, so do what you need to do to get it done! Goal-oriented organization also helps you check things off your list, which is not only productive but also extremely therapeutic. My fellow procrastinators, we will feel better after we start.
To anyone beginning their journey—congratulations! You’ve taken the first step. You can take several more.
How can folks who want to work with you connect?
Yes! I’m actively looking for work and collaborations in the illustration world. Even within art, I have a pretty diverse background, so I have worked with a diversity of client needs. I think my dream collaboration right now would be a mural—my style uses bold shapes and colors, so I wonder how it would look on a bigger scale and what challenges I would face while making a mural. Anything hands-on is really exciting to me. I am also building my portfolio to be a picture book designer and illustrator. The idea of bringing a story to life with pictures is what got me here in the first place. So if you are looking for a versatile illustrator who knows their way around color and composition, I would love to collaborate! I’ve also been told I am humorous and empathetic while being professional, so if personal fit is important to you, that’s sort of me in a nutshell. You can reach out to me via my professional email: [email protected]. Alternatively, feel free to DM me on Instagram: @_poetato_
I look forward to working with you wonderful humans!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.arrushi.work/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_poetato_/?hl=en
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/arrushichakraborty
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