We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Devika Chandrababu Mahajan. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Devika below.
Devika, so great to have you with us and we want to jump right into a really important question. In recent years, it’s become so clear that we’re living through a time where so many folks are lacking self-confidence and self-esteem. So, we’d love to hear about your journey and how you developed your self-confidence and self-esteem.
I’m glad I’m getting a chance to talk about this because confidence is something I’ve struggled with a lot for the most part of my life. For years I believed that I was mediocre at a lot of things I was actually pretty good at, including art!
But as I grew older I realized that it is important to have more faith in myself. Because if I myself didn’t believe in what I had to offer to the world, how would anybody else?
A key factor that has helped me build my confidence is setting and achieving goals. By pushing myself out of my comfort zone and successfully accomplishing tasks, I have been able to prove to myself that I am capable of achieving a lot.
I dedicated countless hours to honing my craft and challenging myself. Through this process, I saw my skills improve and my confidence grow.
And as my confidence grew I started uploading my art on Instagram. I had to work up a lot of courage to put it out there for the whole world to see but I took it up as a challenge. This was the first big step out of my comfort zone. And I am so glad I did it because people really started loving and appreciating my work! Knowing that others value and appreciate my work helped me believe in my abilities and embrace my unique artistic voice.
Additionally, surrounding myself with supportive and uplifting individuals played a significant role in boosting my self-esteem. Having a strong support system allowed me to see my worth and value through the eyes of others, which in turn helped me see it in myself.
Overall, I believe that my confidence and self-esteem as an artist developed through a combination of practice, perseverance, and positive feedback. Through these I learned to trust in my own creativity and vision, and to embrace the challenges and uncertainties that come with being an artist. This mindset shift has been invaluable in building my confidence and self-esteem as an artist, and has allowed me to continue to grow and evolve in my creative journey.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
I am an architect, freelance illustrator, surface pattern designer and more recently, a small business owner.
I have been painting since childhood and even as a working adult practicing architecture, art is what made me truly happy.
So in late 2018 I took a huge leap of faith, put a stop to my architecture career and started making art, hoping to make it a full time job. Thus, The Artsychoke was born in a little corner of my room. Today my little ‘studio’ still remains the same but The Artsychoke has grown into a small brand creating artwork and patterns for a wide range of products like tech accessories, clothing, home décor, stationery etc.
In addition to selling original paintings and commissioned work, I license my art through print on demand websites like Society6 and Redbubble.
My art is often inspired by architecture and nature. I love making botanical art. I’m a great admirer of classical textile prints and draw inspiration from them to create my own unique style of floral patterns. My love for bold and bright colour palettes is obvious from my art, be it a pattern design or an architectural illustration.
I also teach art and illustration through online classes that are hosted on both Skillshare and Udemy. I’m an introvert and hence avoided in-person classes for a long time. But as part of nudging myself towards growth, I stepped out of my comfort zone again and held an in-person workshop last year. And to my surprise I absolutely enjoyed it! So now I hold workshops whenever I get an opportunity. It’s a really special and satisfying feeling when I get to see my students create art and enjoy themselves in the process.
I must say my art and The Artsychoke started thriving on Instagram. Instagram has been instrumental in my art career taking off and I have an amazing community of supporters and other artists there. But I’m also focusing on building a creative community that I can connect with outside of Instagram, through an email newsletter. The aim is to share a lot of BTS, tips, processes, mistakes and lessons learned, and a lot more of my creative journey which aren’t restricted to just pretty pictures.
A recent career milestone – I launched my online store, The Artsychoke Store through which I sell my original artwork, handmade and hand-painted products like coasters, gift tags and envelopes. And I am currently working on launching more products like my own stationery collection, colouring books and painting kits so there’s a lot of exciting stuff to look out for if you’re keen to follow my art journey.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
One of the most impactful qualities in my art career has been patience. Art of any kind takes time to develop and grow, and I have learned the importance of being patient with myself and my process. I gave myself the time and space to experiment, make mistakes, and learn from them.
Consistency is another one. By consistently showing up and putting in the work, I have been able to improve my skills and build a body of work that reflects my growth and dedication. Consistency has helped me stay motivated and focused on my goals, even when faced with challenges and setbacks.
Lastly, a willingness to keep learning new things has been crucial to my creative development. Art is a constantly evolving field, and I have found that the more I embrace new tools, techniques, styles, and ideas, the more I am able to expand my creative horizons and push myself to new heights.
As for anyone just starting out in their journey, I would advise them to be patient with themselves and trust in their own journey. It’s important to be kind to yourself and remember that growth takes time. I would also recommend collaborating with other artists and creatives, rather than competing with them. Collaboration can bring fresh perspectives, new ideas, and opportunities for growth that you may not have considered on your own.
Additionally, I encourage them to recognise and effectively take advantage of this digital age. It is such a wonderful time to be a creative individual right now! Thanks to the internet, the boundaries that once restricted artists and creators are now blurred, allowing for a more diverse and inclusive creative community. With just a few clicks, you can share your work with a global audience, connect with like-minded individuals, and collaborate on projects like never before. The possibilities are endless, and the opportunities for success are greater than ever. It’s important for us to take advantage of these tools and platforms to showcase our talents and build our personal brand.
Ultimately, it’s about embracing the process, staying open to new experiences, seizing available opportunities and continuing to learn and grow as an artist.
Is there a particular challenge you are currently facing?
The biggest challenge I’m currently facing is the struggle to balance being an artist and solopreneur. I am also mom to a two year old which makes it even harder to find time to do everything I want to and need to do!
As both the owner and workforce of the small business I’m trying to build I have to constantly wear many hats. So my biggest obstacle is the lack of time and resources. In addition to creating art, I have to divert my time and resources to everything between the production and sale of my products, including everything that comes before and after.
Another challenge is the need to constantly promote and market my work. In today’s digital age, having a strong online presence is crucial for reaching a wider audience and growing your business. This again requires investing time and effort into creating engaging content, managing social media accounts, and reaching out to potential customers.
To tackle these issues and make my life a little easier I’m actively trying to work on a strategic business plan. I started setting clearer goals to help me prioritise my tasks and focus on what needs urgent attention and execution. This has helped me streamline my work flow and utilise my time more efficiently and effectively.
I taught myself to delegate or outsource certain tasks whenever possible. This was especially hard for me since I’m a perfectionist and prefer to do everything myself! But overtime I learned the hard way that it is crucial to do this to free up time and even resources.
I also recently recognised the value in collaborating with other artists and businesses to share resources and workload. Building a community of fellow artists and creatives can create a positive and nurturing environment where we can openly share our struggles, successes, and feedback. Moreover, collaborating with others can open up opportunities for networking and exposure. I realised that by working with a diverse group of individuals, I can expand my reach and connect with potential collaborators, clients, and audiences.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.theartsychoke.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_artsychoke/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theartsychoke?mibextid=PtKPJ9
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCT9_YGtARGJG0FX5feOYXUA
- Other: Pinterest: https://pin.it/6vXfkHian
