We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Adila Baolati. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Adila below.
Hi Adila, really happy you were able to join us today and we’re looking forward to sharing your story and insights with our readers. Let’s start with the heart of it all – purpose. How did you find your purpose?
I am very grateful to my parents for this. When I was very young, my mother noticed that I would diligently engage in one activity every day, and that was drawing. She said I was quite mischievous as a child, but when I was drawing, I would be very quiet and immersed in it for a long time. I could draw several pictures in a day, regardless of their quality, and I would treasure them by hanging them on the wall. Therefore, my parents decided to enroll me in art classes. However, looking back now, I realize that I didn’t have good Enlightenment teacher at that time. The teachers solely focused on teaching techniques, while I preferred to unleash my imagination in my creations. Despite that, I continued learning art until the age of 12.
After I entered junior high school, my parents suddenly decided to withdraw me from all my extracurricular classes. This reason cannot be separated from the Chinese education system, which people who have attended Chinese schools should understand. Chinese junior high and high school students face immense academic pressure and intense competition. In order not to hinder my studies, my parents resolutely stopped me from drawing and urged me to concentrate all my energy on academics. The academic pressure at that time left me with hardly any breathing space. Since then, I have rarely had time to draw.
Many years passed until one day, my husband suddenly asked me why I didn’t pick it up again while I had the chance. That period happened to be a relatively leisurely phase for me, without work pressure, financial stress, or children. Each day was lived in a relaxed manner. It was during that time that I began to seriously contemplate what I wanted to do. My husband’s words ignited a small flame in my heart. After all, I had once regretted my parents’ decision when I asked them why they didn’t let me choose the path of art when I was in college. Their reason was simple: in their era, pursuing a career in art was challenging and not necessarily financially viable. Although I felt regretful, I understood that it is never too late to start at any time. Therefore, I picked up the paintbrush once again and gradually explored my own artistic style. Since then, I have never put down the paintbrush, and I firmly believe that I will continue to paint until old age.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
I was born in Xinjiang China, a place filled with rich ethnic characteristics and diverse cultures, and is a world-renowned tourist destination. As an Uyghur person, I grew up in such an environment and deeply experienced the unique charm and diversity of my ethnic culture. This has provided me with a constant source of inspiration and creativity for my artistic creations. I incorporate the familiar ethnic features into my artwork and integrate our ethnic ikat weaving craft into my art. In my hometown of Xinjiang, ikat is a very important weaving craft and cultural heritage, as well as a part of Uyghur culture. This craft involves applying dyes to fine threads and then wrapping these threads around a loom to create fabric with vibrant colors and rich patterns. These patterns often exude a mysterious oriental charm and a strong ethnic style.
In my paintings, I merge the elements of ikat with the traditional culture of the Uyghur people, creating a unique and captivating art form. It is of great significance to me as it allows me to inherit and promote the traditional culture and art forms of the Uyghur ethnic group while also creating new artistic styles and forms of expression. At the same time, I strive to infuse a sense of modernity and artistic aesthetics into my works, ensuring they both preserve and promote traditional culture while aligning with contemporary aesthetics and ideas.
The creation of artworks requires not only the talents and creativity of an artist but also arduous efforts and relentless pursuit. As an enthusiast and creator of art, I will continue to pursue my dreams and explore the unique charm of ethnic culture and art, creating more works with personal style and artistic value, and contributing to the preservation and promotion of ethnic culture.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
1. Following your own heart is an essential quality. It means deeply understanding yourself, knowing what you want, and what you want to express. Using these as guidance to make decisions and pursue your dreams. One thing I often do is having conversations with myself. It helps me better understand my needs and desires, enabling me to move towards success with clear goals.
2 Persistence and perseverance are undoubtedly crucial. In order to succeed in anything, persistence is indispensable. Everyone encounters various challenges and difficulties on their journey, but persistently pursuing goals and maintaining determination and motivation are the keys to overcoming obstacles. Cultivate patience and perseverance, believe in your abilities, and don’t let anyone influence you. If you can achieve this, you are already halfway to success.
3. Take time to reflect on and clarify your goals. Concrete and specific goals provide direction and focus, enabling us to better plan and execute action steps. Once goals are set, it is essential to develop a plan. The plan should include specific action steps, a timetable, and milestones.
Who is your ideal client or what sort of characteristics would make someone an ideal client for you?
My ideal client consists of people who have a passion for ethnic style, pursue uniqueness, and appreciate art. They are enthusiastic about traditional culture and ethnic elements, eager to discover and experience the unique charm brought by different cultural backgrounds. They are not interested in ordinary or mediocre things but instead seek products and art pieces that are distinctive, personalized, and creative. They enjoy using artworks to express their individuality and taste, considering them as embellishments and unique features in their lives.
I enjoy combining ethnic styles with modern aesthetics to create unique and artistic works. I strive for exquisite details and excellent quality, aiming to meet customers’ pursuit of uniqueness and artistic value.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: adela.artwork
Image Credits
Adila Baolati
