Meet Elaf Hussein

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Elaf Hussein. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Elaf below.

Elaf, we’re thrilled to have you on our platform and we think there is so much folks can learn from you and your story. Something that matters deeply to us is living a life and leading a career filled with purpose and so let’s start by chatting about how you found your purpose.

It is one thing to know that you can make art, but it is another thing to find a direction to create around. I’ve enjoyed making art for a very long time, but at a certain point my art needed to do more than please the eye. Finding a motif and direction when making my work didn’t come easy. It was a lot of trial and error. I remind myself from time to time that it is important to take a step back when needed. If I’m not making art I need to be looking at art, reading about artists, or visiting galleries and museums. Sketching out quick ideas for my next pieces really helps tremendously. I don’t think I would ever want to do anything other than be an artist.

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 a multidisciplinary artist with a Bachelors degree and Associates degree in Fine Arts. I am a first generation Iraqi American. My art explores multiple themes such as war, humanitarian issues, personal identity, and political climates.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

Confidence is one of the most important and impactful things to have as an artist. It is very hard to build confidence, and it is something I struggled with for a long time. You need to build confidence in order to make great work too. Your confidence in yourself is reflected into your art. Having patience is very crucial. Don’t rush in your work, and do not rush in life. Sometimes we are eager to get to the finish line. You forget that when making art it is about the quality of work and not the quantity. In a world where overconsumption is a huge problem you start to want to make a lot or work in such a short amount of time. Quality gets lost in the process of quantity. Networking is extremely important in the art world. Even in the world where social media has a huge presence it is very crucial to have an artistic presence on every platform that you can. Knowing artists even on other social media platforms is still a great way to network. Adapting to environments you aren’t used to; More often than not you’ll be in large crowds you aren’t used to or rooms with people who will make you feel different. Start getting comfortable with being uncomfortable.
To those who are still navigating the art world; always have the willingness to learn; you are never done learning new crafts and skills. Whether you are learning from colleagues, friends, family. There is always a skill or craft that will help shape you as an artist as well as a person. I believe that educating oneself is important, especially now.

Who has been most helpful in helping you overcome challenges or build and develop the essential skills, qualities or knowledge you needed to be successful?

My professors, friends and colleagues. During my time in undergrad I loved chatting with all my professors and asking all the questions I could. I learned so much from them and they always helped me when I asked. My professors taught me and inspired me even when I felt like quitting. They shaped me into the artist I am today. Everyone during my time in undergrad taught me something. My friends and collegues made my challenges look so small and easy to defeat. I spent hours in the studio perfecting my work; While they always worked alongside me and asked me questions about my work which helped me a lot. I truly am thankful for all of them, they helped me in more ways than they could ever know.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://elafhussein.work
• Instagram: Ella.xxr
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elaf-hussein-1954532a6

Image Credits

Headshot Photographed by: Isha Ann