Ismat Shahid shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Ismat, so good to connect and we’re excited to share your story and insights with our audience. There’s a ton to learn from your story, but let’s start with a warm up before we get into the heart of the interview. What’s more important to you—intelligence, energy, or integrity?
Out of intelligence , energy and integrity , the most important to me is integrity. Living with integrity ,where I am able to align my professional and personal choices in fact requires a large amount of intelligence and positive energy. So in a way all these three traits are intertwined but for me the other two have to work in tandem to follow my driving force which is integrity. Living with integrity brings inner peace and contentment in my life and also helps build trust in my personal and professional relationships. My integrity shapes how I connect with others because people tend to sense when someone is genuine and honest and it makes them feel comfortable and make their decision to work with you much easier. It is also something that I strive to model for my children because when life throws tough choices , their integrity is what is going to guide them to the path that is right for them.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I am an artist living in San Diego with my husband and two children. I am an artist painting primarily in acrylics , oils and watercolors. I love to paint nature be it landscapes, seascapes or florals. Recently I have also started to learn ceramics as I believe it is good to keep learning and exploring all kinds of creative media and I am currently trying to explore ways to merge my love of painting in pottery. Besides making my own paintings I am always open to custom art work because I take it as a challenge to bring someone else’s vision liv eon canvas and it is heartwarming to hear they say that this is what they were looking for.
Okay, so here’s a deep one: What part of you has served its purpose and must now be released?
The part of me that has served it’s purpose is the need to cater to other people’s needs and whims. Having crossed 50 recently I have realized that I do not need to be connected to everyone but rather to only a few who are genuine and whose values align with mine. Recently I had a few health scares and while trying to get over those I had cut all noise around me – both positive and negative to that I could focus inwardly and prioritize what was really meaningful and precious. The world is a noisy place and more so with the invasion of social media and many times it is important to cut that noise down to preserve your own mental and creative clarity.
If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
Never lose your kindness and empathy no matter how difficult things get.
Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. What’s a cultural value you protect at all costs?
Being true to my faith !
Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: What will you regret not doing?
I have always regretted not going to art school when I was in college.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.ismatshahidart.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ismatshahidart/?hl=en
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