Hello everyone and welcome to another collaboration post.
This month’s blog post star guest is India, who is a dear friend of mine who has a brilliant passion for art and creativity who now offers paintings and I cannot wait to delve deeper with it through my Q&A style blog. We hope this gives you a some more insight how to use your creative flare.
Please feel free to share with all your friends and family! Here we go…
So India, what got you initially into artwork and painting?
It’s very strange however my sister, when I was around 8 or 7 years old, went to live in Japan and brought back a lot of anime and manga. This was an amazing push to start to learn how to draw and from there I spent a lot of my late hours in experimenting with drawing the human form. I actually went to University to study Architecture for a year and ended up dropping out, but whilst I was applying to go back I realised I needed to change degrees and pursue my stronger interest which was art.
How easy is it for someone to become an artist? Do you find there are challenges
I must admit as much as I want to say it’s easy. It is really hard. I had a very long and intense 3 years at Loughborough University after a foundation degree in art and design. There is a constant battle in your head about whether you are good enough or not. You also have to endure constant criticism as part of the processand development but it can really get to your head sometimes.
What made you decide to crate your social media page and sell your artwork?
I started my social media page more as a sort of reference for myself to keep of pieces that I particularly liked or wanted to remember. Kindly, people started to get in touch for me to work on design projects together and slowly I started to get business in pet portraiture.
Do you feel that being creative sparks other parts of happiness in your life?
Honestly when I am painting it is the only time I get peace and quiet in my mind. I don’t think about anything other than the colour and composition.
Finishing pieces of artwork can be very beneficial to mental health. It can make you feel very productive and accomplished.
How can we find the time to be creative? Are you strict with your time or free flow?
I am very strict with my free time, I only watch tv when I’m painting or working alongside. However, it’s important to take breaks as it can be very frustrating to try and be creative when you’re too stressed. I find that when I’m not particularly wanting to be creative, my work comes out worse.
I still make the effort to make at least 2 pieces per week as I find it really benefits my mental health.
Finally, what would be your 3 top tips for those wanting to use artwork as a form of meditation/ self care?
1. If it doesn’t look good, it’s just development. Try again.
2. Paint/draw what you SEE and not what you see in your mind’s eye when starting off.
3. You don’t always need to focus purely on the artwork, put some music on or a film!
Thank you so much India! What ah insightful read. I love those top tips. We don’t always have to get it perfect it’s about trying and seeing what we can create with our own flare.
Want to know more about India and her artwork
Check our her Instagram @indiasteggallartist
Latest exhibition online catalogue : https://sdcashow2021.lboro.ac.uk/students/india-steggall/
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