Her journey of working for brands like Tom Ford, Moda Operandi to now building her own community & platform w/ Haylee Barsky, Curator @visionary Projects Nyc
Haylee Barsky is an independent curator and designer based in New York City.
In this podcast,
• Haylee shares her process of finding her identity as an independent curator to the inception of visionary projects
• How she got evolved in the creative departments of companies Like Tom Ford, Nylon Magazine and Moda Operandi.
• How she comes up with the idea of her curatorial platform “Visionary Project”
• In the episode she also offers advice for those interested in pursuing museum or curatorial work.
• She also shared tips on how to build a community and how to deal with the negativity in social media.
• How she has built her connection with hundreds of artists, organizations, and art industry professionals from around the world.
Follow Haylee:
https://www.instagram.com/hayleebarsky/
https://visionaryprojects.org/about
Charuka Arora, Founder of Arts To Hearts Project
Arts To Hearts Project
https://artstoheartsproject.com/
www.instagram.com/artstoheartsproject/
AUTOMATED TRANSCRIP
00:00.00
charukaarora
Hello Hilly welcome to the Arts two Hearts podcast. Thank you so much for coming.
00:00.14
Haylee
Um.
00:08.43
Haylee
I’m so grateful and happy to be here I’m I have been waiting for this for.
00:13.77
charukaarora
I’m so excited. Thank you so much for that. Okay, before we get into this hilly can you tell us who you are and what you do for people who are listening to this episode. Can you introduce yourself.
00:23.67
Haylee
Totally um, okay so I feel like I could go on about this forever. So just ah, just to sum everything up. Um I’m a curator designer. Basically the founder of visionary projects. Um I live in New York city right now I’m from here the tristate area. But.
00:27.65
charukaarora
Um.
00:42.26
Haylee
Kind of grew up in random places moved around quite a bit before coming back to New York I was in Miami and then um rome italy for a few years I prepare right after I graduated with a bachelor’s in art history from fashion institute of technology here in New York
00:49.58
charukaarora
Oh wow.
00:59.87
Haylee
And um I would say in like the early stages of my career and life I’ve always been interested in like the creative direction side of fashion. Um and always wanted to find a balance between the fashion world and the art world.
01:01.31
charukaarora
Me.
01:15.82
Haylee
And very like similar to you and in my early twenty s I got my start working in the creative departments at places such as like Tom Ford and nylon magazine and I grew up reading nylon so it was like a dream being able to just shoot photography for them and their website and their monthly print issues and at the time they had this little in-house.
01:16.80
charukaarora
Yeah.
01:24.10
charukaarora
Oh wow.
01:35.19
Haylee
Studio and their corporate office space and I was just like I felt like this young kid and I was a young kid I was 20 at the time and with like big eyes in a world that was very overwhelming, especially here in New York um because everybody’s always so much older than you and you just have to put yourself aside for a None
01:38.48
charukaarora
Yeah.
01:48.87
charukaarora
A.
01:53.44
Haylee
But I also did many other side jobs and had many opportunities to shoot things like backstage during fashion weeks and various various other things and then upon I guess moving to Italy. It was so hard as an American to find your place there and I have so much respect for Anybody. Who moves to a foreign country and doesn’t speak the language and is willing to learn I did so many things to find my way there and survive and but I was just so inspired being there in general despite any drawbacks that I experienced and I still think most.
02:23.15
charukaarora
Oh ah.
02:26.81
Haylee
Rome is probably 1 of the most beautiful cities in the world I think to this day. Um, even though I left a few years ago and I’m back in New York but it’s just one of those places where you can spend a lifetime living there and still not feel like you’ve seen everything if you know what I mean it’s it’s just like there’s not many places like that in the world and this was one of those places that.
02:38.57
charukaarora
Ah, absolutely.
02:46.79
Haylee
I could spend the rest of my life there happily It’s just I’m not from there I’m not Italian so.
02:49.83
charukaarora
Yes I can get that I I spent a couple of months in italy I had like we had all the plans to go to Rome and surprisingly I stayed a couple of months and I couldn’t I just couldn’t visit Rome but I I spent a few months like in milan from Florence. Traveled ways here and there but I didn’t I can definitely um I can definitely relate to the idea of like especially when language is a very big barrier. Um, and you don’t and I think I think age also really matters in this context I think the.
03:23.61
Haylee
Absolutely.
03:26.68
charukaarora
The early you go, You’re still nascent and like you you’re still malleable and you can you know blend in I think it gets I don’t know if that’s just me but I just think the more we old grow like go grow Old. It gets harder to. You know, just um, blending and like you know things like that I don’t know.
03:46.12
Haylee
Definitely I Mean there’s a community for everybody no matter where you live in the world I found um like as an American you could probably be in any country and you’ll find your people Um, the interesting part is that would you actually be friends with those people back home or you kind of just.
03:59.27
charukaarora
Yeah, right? that.
04:02.57
Haylee
Latching onto them because you’re alone and you’re isolated and I was so young I lived there from 21 to 20 almost 25 and it was almost four years more or less.
04:10.88
charukaarora
Wow.
04:16.00
Haylee
Um, you know with like visas and all of that I had to spend some time back here and I had to finish up school and I had some jobs so I was really back and forth but all of my stuff was in Italy and I really moved my life out there at such a young age and I really tried to embrace everything that I. It was like it was an adventure to me and I still think to this day life should be an adventure and I wouldn’t be who I am without these crazy experiences and I recommend Them. You know I recommend them to everybody but at the same time I don’t because like.
04:37.19
charukaarora
I Love that.
04:45.52
charukaarora
Yes, oh boy I get that. Absolutely.
04:50.82
Haylee
It’s not for everybody. It’s definitely if you find yourself like very adaptable and open and willing to change and just learn new experiences and cultures and the dynamics of like people do not live the same way you do around the world and you accept that and you embrace it. It’s a really beautiful way to experience life and. Um, try to take advantage of it while you have the finances and the health and your youth and I don’t know I wouldn’t want to do it when I’m older I’m happy that I kind of got a little bit of that out of my system but anyways like in that process when I lived in Italy for those years I co-owned.
05:20.29
charukaarora
Um, yeah.
05:29.55
charukaarora
Yeah I read that here. Let’s yes, talk tell me more about that.
05:30.43
Haylee
A little gallery space there in the center. Yeah, it was it was under a different name of course and a lot of the artists that I worked with there. It was it was a really cool space. It was right in the center of rome it was a 5 to 10 minute walk to the coliseum in the most beautiful neighborhood I’ve ever.
05:48.51
charukaarora
But how it like you in your early 20 s move away into an entirely different country then you don’t know the language you’re having a hard time figuring yourself out and I’m I mean I am assuming you’re a student so I’m I’m sure like.
05:49.23
Haylee
Been in and lived in and experienced.
06:06.70
Haylee
It was after my student years. It was literally I graduated I almost got a job here in the city I was interviewing I was going to work in fashion or editorial publishing. Yeah, it was a.
06:07.65
charukaarora
You may not be like oh.
06:17.10
charukaarora
And yes you were in fashion. Not even arts.
06:22.83
Haylee
Girl I I loved fashion I loved art anything in the creative art direction industry I knew I wanted to be in because I’m not a fine artist even though I have a background in art history. It’s like you appreciate it. But and I wish I could do it. It’s just maybe eventually.
06:31.81
charukaarora
Can But yeah, my no we need both. We definitely need both.
06:42.58
Haylee
We need both and and I think artists need people to help represent them and to like push their work out there. Not everybody can be an artist.
06:46.68
charukaarora
Yeah, a pre I think art makers are important but art appreciators and people who embrace patrons like they are like you I think we owe and we can be a maker and be a patron and you can not be a maker and still be a patron and like work in the arts and I think and also.
06:54.56
Haylee
Um, yeah, um.
07:06.37
charukaarora
Think like I’ve always said this also on the podcast and I respectively wherever we do these sessions I feel like creativity in making like making creative work I think with the work that you do at visionary projects. Especially I feel like I always say that my work at Rs to heartts project that I do as an artist is. Very important. It’s an extension of my own work as an artist because I create like we create in several forms some create in form of a painting some create in form a collage some people create business some people curate better. You know, but it’s all of this is a creative. Um.
07:42.78
Haylee
Um, absolutely and like trying to find your place in a very chaotic world such as the art world. It’s like there’s just so many things to do um it was kind of.
07:42.96
charukaarora
Expression none the less.
07:50.44
charukaarora
But why why? a gallery how did a 20 something after a graduation in a completely new country working in fashion and then end up like then you started a gallery.
08:02.72
Haylee
Um, well like like I said I graduated with the bachelor’s in art history. Even though I started out in fashion I ended sorry that’s my doorbell I somebody’s delivering a package. Um I know don’t worry about it. It’s yes or whatever. Um.
08:10.58
charukaarora
No prop go go if you want to take it. That’s okay.
08:21.83
Haylee
Can’t control them but you know starting out in fashion and then ending in art is just such a I think it brings you a very culturally dynamic background because these 2 are so relatable and they they need to be blended and they are in in many ways.
08:30.16
charukaarora
Step back.
08:40.34
Haylee
Um, so sorry I’m going to ignore that. Um, but anyways in this process after graduating in art history when I lived in Italy for those years. It’s like what I co-homed a gallery space in Center City. How did I do that a ton of risk. Um, it was.
08:41.57
charukaarora
Stupid.
08:52.56
charukaarora
Is.
08:55.98
Haylee
You know I just I really went for it and I had a partner at the time that was supportive in a way because they were doing something very similar and they were an artist so that really helped is like we kind of fed off of each other’s energy at the time and um I think.
09:03.43
charukaarora
So text.
09:12.30
Haylee
Without that person I you know it obviously it did not work out with that person and respectfully and I’m back here in the city. So it really doesn’t matter. But at the time I’m very grateful for the experiences that I was kind of I wouldn’t say forced upon out there. But. I really forced them upon myself because I was young I was hungry I had no choice because I really wanted to live there and make it work and um and like I said a lot of the artists that I worked with there at the gallery that they were american canadian from the Uk. They weren’t necessarily italian which was interesting.
09:37.15
charukaarora
Yeah, like I said.
09:47.78
charukaarora
Yeah, yeah.
09:50.58
Haylee
It was like kind of me putting my little imprint on Rome with my americanness I don’t know but the artist that I worked with there sort of came to me with these ideas that were new to me at the time because this was probably.
09:54.27
charukaarora
Yeah, you know sorry.
10:06.75
Haylee
172018 and that was when I started it all and I was very young like looking back I’m like how did I do that? Um I I just had so much audacity in me. Um, yeah, it’s like that’s.
10:19.20
charukaarora
That’s so good. But I think these I’d also is like your tipping point of what you’re doing today like I think it began venually.
10:24.66
Haylee
Yeah, absolutely like you will get anywhere in life if you have enough audacity and that is something that I learned um because like I said I grew up very in a very creative mindset and I did fashion photography and that’s that’s an art form that’s being an artist even more with.
10:28.76
charukaarora
Yeah, um.
10:38.24
charukaarora
Okay, absolutely doesn’t matter.
10:43.45
Haylee
Digital artist. Um, you know you’ve like put yourself out there. Your connections your network you can’t be afraid um of the body of work that you’re creating and how you represent yourself how you brand yourself and market yourself. It’s like it’s ah being an artist is probably one of the most insane overwhelming jobs. Ever and I have so much respect for them but like I was saying like the the little gallery that I had the artists they were coming to me with all these ideas with these international types of events or workshops or things that just weren’t really common to find in Rome at the time.
11:03.44
charukaarora
Every.
11:20.30
Haylee
Um, nobody else was doing them. It was very the art world in Rome or in italy in general is very traditional. Um and it’s sort of I took these ideas and I just ran with them and I was like why not I have nothing to lose. They have nothing to lose let’s wing it and that’s sort of how I’ve always been um but you know.
11:23.74
charukaarora
Oh so. Yes.
11:37.56
Haylee
Over time, especially post 2020 covid era specifically this project that was born in italy and kind of evolved since then it evolved into more of a platform and a community with an international audience and you know when you started out doing only in-person events.
11:46.62
charukaarora
Yeah.
11:53.93
Haylee
And selling art and having like an established storefront space and then switching to online things. It was such a change that we were all forced into and.
11:58.20
charukaarora
To did yes hold hold None None None None tell me something so when you moved I have to connect my dots back again while you were there in rome you started as this gallery.
12:16.28
Haylee
Um, I think this was probably the end of None beginning of 2018 oh god I was only I moved back to the us um, the very end of 2019 into 2020 so
12:16.40
charukaarora
What here was this.
12:22.28
charukaarora
And then how long did you do that.
12:31.13
charukaarora
So that was just the beginning of the pandemic.
12:34.85
Haylee
Yeah I had about a year in Miami that I lived there before the pandemic began the following year and it was just ah, it was a crazy year really all and growing from Rome to Miami was such a change.
12:39.76
charukaarora
Hi again. But yeah, oh yeah, absolutely I think that was like a like 2 who 2 different and now just from None different dimensions I feel. Okay so you shut down the gallery at that point because of course you had to come back.
12:53.31
Haylee
Totally different energies.
12:59.89
Haylee
Um, yeah I will.
13:01.90
charukaarora
But did you have any plans or like did you transitioned it online or by that time did visionary projects like did it had it come to life What what was happening.
13:10.20
Haylee
Yeah, it was relatively the same without the gallery aspect I had a live workspace that was just my studio and it was a Loftstyle Miami industrial really spacious contemporary art type of. Space in windwood which is a very art-centered community if not the biggest art community in all of Miami. Um, it’s where they have art bosl events and all of that so we were having events you know so many things happening during art basel and the partnerships and the collaborations it really flourished during that time. And it was a it was a really successful year and I think I could have never in 1000000 years imagined what would have followed that and it wasn’t something on my mind at all I mean nobody’s mind it was on so it it was a great year while it lasted. Um. And then I think you know none happened that March it was.
14:03.43
charukaarora
But for you doing but were you doing these with the visionary project’s name or were you doing this with something else.
14:09.34
Haylee
No I was doing it under visionary projects. It was just it was a name that sort of I didn’t come up with it. Actually my sister did it was yeah we we were kind of doing things a little together at the time and we were helping each other and.
14:16.49
charukaarora
Oh wow.
14:25.93
Haylee
Um, yeah, she like helped me come back to Miami and resettle my life in the us because I wasn’t here for so many years and I had it was like reverse culture shock I just was not used to it and I was really trying to find my way back home.
14:30.65
charukaarora
Yeah, um, yeah.
14:40.62
Haylee
And also I grew up mostly near Miami. So for me that was a little bit of a home from when I was young and it was definitely a very interesting time. It was like a self-discovery time I was only.
14:41.56
charukaarora
Yeah, easy. Yeah um.
14:56.92
Haylee
I was only 25 at the time to be totally honest and you’re in such an in-between stage of life where you’re like having your quarter life crisis trying to have this business be really successful and like you know things were really happening and people you know we were having so many events and workshops.
14:56.96
charukaarora
Okay, yes, yes, yeah, yeah.
15:16.76
Haylee
And it was growing and I was working with amazing talented artists that were flying in from all people were flying in from all over the country in general or all over the world Actually um, especially in Italy because a lot of Italians did not attend those events. It was surprisingly mostly Americans that. Flew to wherever we were having an event and they would just be part of it for the days that it um and it was I was very grateful for those experiences they were very inspiring I really wanted to keep up with them. But then again, it’s like you just you also really want to evolve with.
15:38.27
charukaarora
Val.
15:54.40
Haylee
How things are naturally going and not push too hard on your idea put yourself in a box of I Only want to do this and that’s sort of what the ah pandemic created. It’s like Nope you’re not only going to do that. You are so many other things right now and this is how you’re going to pivot and we were all about pivoting at the time and.
15:54.24
charukaarora
Yeah, too high.
16:04.41
charukaarora
Um, so.
16:12.92
Haylee
I Think at the end it’s just evolving and just yeah.
16:13.17
charukaarora
So What watch that happen then with what I think with Pandemic What hit you the heart most and what did you like was there like this moment where you felt like there’s a huge transition or evolution that you could feel. But not only in business. But for yourself I think for me I’ll explain how for me like I think like you were saying with community I think the pandemic I when we were speaking I I told you like you know I think the biggest hurdle for me in the beginning of my careers and before we’ve been starting Ourtrahas project was to find. Like-minded people like creative people that I really could hit it off and with the same I think Wave length mental wave length and before the pandemic for some reason I always thought that I had to find it in my own geography like I had to make it like.. It had to come from that and I forced it so much but I couldn’t I just couldn’t fit in myself in there and with the Pandemic. What really changed was that it was such a natural transition and I realized I found my people.. The only difference is this time they are not just living in my own geography immediate geography and they’re just living some. Different parts of the world and believe me didn’t matter to me. It really didn’t but that was such a game changer for me because I realized I can have a community I can have support and I can work with people from all around the world I don’t have to time myself down. But I am because like. That’s what I thought and since then it changed everything for me. So like I’m trying to understand if you had any kind of learning or something that really changed something for you.
17:52.58
Haylee
Absolutely I think it’s funny because we were just talking about this before this whole thing about how we’re both young women in the art world just really trying to find our space and making it work and finding community and at the end of the day that’s kind of what the pandemic really taught us. Um. Like the darker sides of it. Um, the first year of it when we were all super isolated and alone and you know there was a comfort in it because we all really weren’t doing anything. We were just feeling at home. Not much was going on. There was a comfort in that and it was a reset and um I really appreciated that. Um, and.
18:19.32
charukaarora
Yeah.
18:31.79
Haylee
You know I think what was born out of that that were one of the few maybe good things that could possibly come out of that situation was just trying to you know we were all trying to find redirection and since we also isolated simultaneously find that sense of community that we were all just so desperate.
18:35.28
charukaarora
Yeah, yeah.
18:43.20
charukaarora
Yes.
18:51.73
Haylee
To figure out to just make us feel better in our everyday and yeah I mean it’s the none time a pandemic has ever happened in an era of ah the internet and just we we were so lucky because a hundred years ago we didn’t have. We we probably were very isolated I can’t even imagine doing it a hundred years ago without being able to call somebody on the phone or Facetime or Zoom we were having Zoom parties. It was none with a wild time I will never forget it but it just
19:18.33
charukaarora
Yeah.
19:24.46
Haylee
You know I think the project that I started originally in italy as I saw it evolve obviously the most heavy time of involvement was the last two years and I still think it’s in the midst of it right now because I’m sort of like you but we were talking about. We have this insane like. We’ll wake up randomly in the morning be like oh my god I have this great idea I need to write it down my notes app on my phone is absolutely littered with just crazy things that I’ve come up with and um I look back at it and I’m like oh my god like like I was saying like if somebody took my phone and they were going through my notes app this is a crazy woman like. She she’s very innovative and very interesting and she has cool ideas but you know none of them are just cool ideas at the time but then the other half is actually following through and implementing them and really trying to make them work and that’s I guess that’s the part of having this weird creative mind that we have.
20:19.52
charukaarora
Yeah.
20:21.66
Haylee
Um, especially when you’re like when you have that entrepreneurial side of you. It’s like you really want to make it work and you want to find a way to maybe make a living off of it and to just do what you love and it is I think doing anything that you love in the creative industry especially for a living and.
20:30.87
charukaarora
Yeah.
20:39.42
Haylee
And you actually are successful at it in your own ways. It’s like so admirable because almost like yeah, it’s like super fulfilling and you’re just not only are you creating something like a platform or a company or whatever it. The case is it’s.
20:40.30
charukaarora
Oh God Yeah I’m so fulfilling. Oh.
20:56.81
Haylee
It’s like almost when it’s art. It’s also your own tastes and your own curation and you’re almost like an artist appreciating like you just have so much influence that you don’t realize um and you don’t realize the amount of people that also notice it and pay attention to it until they.
21:09.45
charukaarora
Yeah, yeah.
21:14.13
Haylee
Might reach out or comment or message you or email you and and anytime I get that I’m always just incredibly humbled because in our every day we kind of just sit here and we’re like doing mundane tasks and we’re working but we like don’t even take a step back and realize that like it’s.. It’s generally very appreciated and we’re sharing things that we’re inspired by and then we’re inspiring other people and it’s just like an endless cycle of inspiration I think I don’t know I could be Wrong. It’s just my own view.
21:39.10
charukaarora
Yeah, ah, no, no, no I think that’s that absolutely makes sense. We tell me something then what? what is visionary projects for you today.
21:54.40
Haylee
Today I think it’s sort of evolved into all of these different things like artist collaborations exhibits the private dinners, the collections, the seminars the workshops they just sort of naturally came about as I continue to collaborate more and more with different kinds of. People in the art world. So as a curator this is simply just my space in the art world at least here in New York and to be totally honest like I was saying it’s very cool to see how people are responding to it who’s following it and how much of an influence. It can take it.
22:19.94
charukaarora
Yeah, yeah.
22:25.88
charukaarora
Oh you have a great community even online I think with Instagram you have a wonderful reach. Um, how is this? um like how much online are you today.
22:31.65
Haylee
Yeah.
22:37.57
Haylee
Um, like are you saying how many how much time do I spend online.
22:40.79
charukaarora
No I’m saying like how much of visionary projects is what you working virtually today like you had a physical gallery then you moved online like today. How much are you a lot of your events are online I guess.
22:47.48
Haylee
Um, okay I would say yeah I would say right now at this very moment until the summer is over at least it’s very slow during the summer partly because I’m literally checked out. Um, but.
23:01.60
charukaarora
He has. Ah.
23:06.86
Haylee
Um, I would say mostly everything is online right now but I have this space that I’m currently sitting in. It’s really beautiful. It’s in the heart of New York there’s so much to be done and there’s so much that I’m willing to further evolve all these projects into but overall this is just a space that.
23:10.21
charukaarora
Yeah, yes, very far.
23:25.51
Haylee
That cultivates community both online and in person. Yeah, and it’s like the workshops they’re so inspiring. They’re mostly in person. But also there are some things that I do online. It’s I’m trying to really make it None um now that we’re kind of.
23:26.34
charukaarora
An ashma. Yes.
23:36.96
charukaarora
Yeah I think I Love I think I with this idea I think I keep asking myself this question like you know we all crave like even I do um, physical events meeting people. But I also hate the idea that I don’t want to restrict myself to people who are just again. Immediately ah available to my environment like I want to keep moving I want to meet people but I need to keep moving and I Love what I love about online is no matter where I am I can still find like.
23:56.84
Haylee
Um.
24:10.89
charukaarora
Amazing community and people from all parts of the world. So it’s like a yeah.
24:11.77
Haylee
Yeah, always will especially when you’re a pioneer and you have enough audacity to really start your own community. Um, and it’s it’s hard as an artist because it’s like okay.
24:19.75
charukaarora
Yeah.
24:25.97
Haylee
We’re we’re more on the other side like what we were saying before it’s like we come from a fashion and design background and we’re not necessarily a fine artist by training. Um, but we very much appreciate it and want to support it and want to share works and really be like a visionary behind.
24:33.20
charukaarora
Yeah.
24:44.70
Haylee
You know artists in the art world and be patrons eventually when we’re able to afford um like a small patron in my own ways. Um, and you know that’s going to grow over time and you know also really support artists in ways that further them in their careers and give them exposure and just share your audience and.
24:46.35
charukaarora
Yeah, but yes.
25:03.95
Haylee
And your connections and your network with them and that’s kind of what I also do through these events and through these like private meetups and dinners and these little cocktails and there’s like an artist why night and all these like really fun things that are also going to happen in person. It’s a little hard to network. It’s easy to network online but it’s hard.
25:20.72
charukaarora
Yes.
25:23.60
Haylee
When you’re not doing something facetoface. It’s just it’s There’s always going to be a little bit of a disconnect So that’s where the in-person parts come in. But then that side might be very intimidating to some people, especially if you’re shy or socialing that there’s so many factors. Um, it’s.
25:30.49
charukaarora
Come in. Yes, yes.
25:42.62
Haylee
You know trying to make both work and make it very inclusive and I know the art world is so not inclusive um, trying to break that boundary a little bit in my own ways and you know being very personable and making things approachable and fun and.
25:47.67
charukaarora
Yes, oh.
26:00.90
Haylee
Easygoing and just not having all these insane expectations that you the art world in New York it can be a very intimidating place. Um in general. Well, it’s well it’s just it’s very classist. It’s very, there’s.
26:07.31
charukaarora
Ah I think art world I think Henry will have can be intimidating for a lot of fast I think.
26:19.54
Haylee
So many different factors. But so yeah, finding your place is very important and supporting communities that that need further I wouldn’t say that are underrepresented. That’s not the right word but just always need more support and that’s.
26:32.61
charukaarora
Well I think a viewpoint I think place for all kinds of viewpoints. All kinds of work. Um, like I think a community or a world can only be be per se a world when it’s it’s comprised of different aspects of something like.
26:36.69
Haylee
These have come.
26:50.70
charukaarora
Of course like contemporary modern this and that and black and underrepresented and like South asian and east as and like like I think there needs to be like glame more simple or serious or fun like I think everything needs to be respected appreciated like and. I think everyone has an audience for everything and I think it it doesn’t have to be so egalitarian I think I don’t know I mean I just feel like um, it just I think we need to be way more inclusive in all parts like in all ways.
27:23.18
Haylee
Um, yeah I think we’re definitely there I feel like every generation following us is I don’t know if it’s going to get better or worse I hope better but you know we’ve come such a long way since our grandparents in certain ways. Um.
27:25.55
charukaarora
How people work.
27:40.57
Haylee
Um, not going to say politically or any of that. But like you know, socially we’re always evolving and I think for the best we’re just becoming more mindful and aware and we’re so internationally connected now in ways that yeah.
27:40.84
charukaarora
Yes.
27:50.10
charukaarora
Absolutely, That’s a blessing. Absolutely.
27:54.32
Haylee
Like I would have never been able to talk to you all the way in India if we didn’t have this and like if we were fifty years ago this would have never been able to happen and it’s so exciting to think about the future and that’s the part of like I think being in a creative industry is such a daunting chaotic world to establish yourself in and.
27:59.77
charukaarora
Yes.
28:07.26
charukaarora
Um, yes, and I think I think as a creative I Always say this is such a good time to be a creative because we’re at this huge shift of change and we are all experiencing that. But also just.
28:14.61
Haylee
Replaced.
28:23.94
charukaarora
Thought like I work remotely like I work from people all over the world and just sometimes I I Just think how grateful I am because I get the opportunity to work from from all parts of the world people from all parts of the world and um and I so I don’t. I Mean how easy it is and how much I learn from that and how much I think it’s just it’s surreal for sometimes to think like I wouldn’t have had these opportunities if it was not for the internet.
28:54.90
Haylee
Oh absolutely and same here I feel like we both sort of in parts parts of the things that we do. We would never be able to actually survive without social media which is really sad to think about it’s like we’ve just become so dependent on things and like.
29:04.80
charukaarora
Yes.
29:12.90
charukaarora
Um, sorry and.
29:12.66
Haylee
What happens if that’s gone like what are you going to do that’s bless you now all good I what have go to be last week like the whole entire. But I mean you know there’s None thing. It’s like we’re in such an amazing pivotal time of being a creative and doing what we do. Um, and there’s None thing of doing it during a time like through an extended period of a flourishing dynamic society. But right now there’s also to be totally honest like what we were talking about before this. There’s a lot of economic uncertainty where art can most certainly be considered a luxury and well culturally, it’s very much needed. We rely. It’s in our history books whether we like it or not it’s it’s it’s forever ingranged in our society.
29:47.40
charukaarora
Luxury. Yes.
29:59.77
Haylee
Um, whether we see it right now and it’s affected so many different industries art will in general always influence many other industries and the thing is that it still caters to and is acquired by a lifestyle that is simply not that inclusive or attainable to the vast majority of society and.
30:05.95
charukaarora
Ah, hundred percent I lost that? Yes, yes.
30:19.94
Haylee
That’s kind of the down part is that right now. It’s such a great time but at the same time. There’s a lot of uncertainty and we just don’t know where the world.
30:25.81
charukaarora
Yes, I will get through that I think we if we got through what we got through in the past two years I think we still I think as a society as as a community we have a lot to regard for each other because that wasn’t easy for sure.
30:31.98
Haylee
Um, yeah.
30:40.47
Haylee
Definitely oh for nobody I can’t even imagine like I’m so grateful and lucky that I was in the position that I was in I mean I I move like like you I moved home with my mother for a bit during the peak of the pandemic I had a. And it was on a farm and it was a really beautiful place to go back to and be disconnected from everything that was happening here in New York at least and I was very happy for that. But at the same time it was. You’re in your own little world when you’re on a farm that was.
31:03.82
charukaarora
Um, yeah.
31:09.45
charukaarora
Um, yeah, um, City God yeah.
31:13.53
Haylee
Too disconnected for me I’m very much like a city girl I Love life I Love both but I was like I’m wishing to get back to something more diverse and cultural and like have things to do but and also like as a young woman in this world. There will always just be a lot of just.
31:32.46
charukaarora
Um, yeah, um.
31:32.46
Haylee
Things that are thrown your way and it’s your job to simply learn how to respond appropriately in a way in which you can responsibly carry you know carry a respect for yourself and the value that you’ve been putting your work into or the opposite and practice the value of no response and sometimes that gets you a lot.
31:47.72
charukaarora
Yes, a.
31:51.27
Haylee
Further I’ve learned is that I used to be very responsive up until maybe last year when I was like let it go do not respond do not engage sometimes that actually gets more angry but like just keep doing your own thing and nothing else will.
31:59.60
charukaarora
Ah, yes thing I love this I love this I that was I I was just speaking to my partner about this I think a couple of days ago and I was like but I really understood with the pandemic and how I worked and what really worked on me was um I get like I was hyperfocused and it was like I had these blinders on and I didn’t care in the world for what others were talking about thinking about. And like because we were so isolated that it was still easy to do all of those things but with with I think I’m speaking specifically when it came to my own work. Um I think what really was different was in in the past few years when I was like a lot of curious. Think that you are around influence what you think and what you do with the pandemic I felt like I was in this close bubble that really brought me brought the best out of me as a creative that I really really loved and I also figured that that is one of the ways that really worked for me and I needed to learn. And you know create that bubble for me to work to bring out the best work and I think that’s a lot of artists experience the same thing because um, you didn’t have to create for a show. You didn’t have to create for someone to like you didn’t we just did what we did and um. As artists as business people as anything like I think I that was such a great learning.
33:26.72
Haylee
Yeah, like a lot of great things came out of that period and like I said it’s going to be very interesting in the next few years how we’re really going to be coming out of it because you know it still hasn’t gone away. We’re actually I think at least in the us here. There’s still like a.
33:33.75
charukaarora
Yeah.
33:45.88
Haylee
Record amount of cases and we’re very much in it. We’re kind of just in the ignoring stage right now. So fire else is still here. Yeah.
33:46.67
charukaarora
Yeah, yes, absolutely and I just hope it only gets better. Yeah I mean we we’re keeping a fingers crossed with I mean Mo get and me something what has been the hardest part for you while building visionary projects like.
34:04.20
Haylee
Um, what has been the hardest part of what oh my God Um, definitely pivoting to really foster an online community is a full time job in itself other than doing all the other tasks.
34:05.90
charukaarora
But with the most of building visionary projects.
34:17.69
charukaarora
Is.
34:21.33
Haylee
That you have to do and other people might may or may not help you with um because you know all in all whenever you’re doing something or anything creative whether you realize it or not like I said before there’s a lot more people than you think noticing these very.
34:23.23
charukaarora
Okay.
34:35.90
charukaarora
Yeah, um.
34:38.81
Haylee
All things and sometimes on the internet or social media. You might also catch forms as ah, catch forms of imitations of things that you’ve created or things that you’ve come up and that’s just a part of being a creative in general. It’s.
34:46.94
charukaarora
Yes, yes.
34:54.20
Haylee
Inevitable and um, you know I like I said I was a photographer before this and you know different types of things would happen to me back then but especially if you’re good at what you do and at first I used to take this all quite personally like for this project platform Specifically I. I don’t even know if I should like bring this up, but this is like very casual like at the end of 20 There was like a girl that literally copied the same name of my project more or less not the whole name but like blatantly enough where enough people still to this day. Get us confused and I receive messages from time to time.
35:13.65
charukaarora
Yes.
35:23.60
charukaarora
Yeah, yeah.
35:29.87
charukaarora
Ovalo.
35:31.79
Haylee
And not so much as it used to be though thankfully like again I I responded to things very differently back then than I do now I’m just I’m such in an abundance mindset right now that it doesn’t even faze me anymore. But they were at the time this was the end of None I think um.
35:34.36
charukaarora
So.
35:50.80
Haylee
When I was about to move back. Um, full time to New York they were thinking that we were the same person and I was like oh I spent time and energy and money putting everything I had into what I do. It’s like so it was like a little bit of a pushback I’m like ah like why does this person have to be doing the same thinging. Whatever um.
35:53.53
charukaarora
Oh no.
36:05.35
charukaarora
A.
36:09.37
Haylee
And it like you know it kind of bothered me at the time but that’s just a part of being an artist you kind of have to learn to let things go, but um, it was very confusing especially when you’re a young woman in your 20 s trying to find your way. It’s like you’re so vulnerable to so many.
36:13.51
charukaarora
Yeah, go. Yeah yeah.
36:25.20
Haylee
Things and there are times where I mean again I’m in a different place now. But um at the time I was like ah like ah like you felt like this was just going to be the end of the world a little bit it really wast I think yeah, we all go through that and it’s it’s nice to kind of find a comfort and that we all.
36:34.66
charukaarora
Yes I think we all go through that time.
36:45.20
Haylee
Go through that bless you again. We all go through that and that’s the thing about having these little communities that I’ve created um within visionary projects is that we all talk about these things and we talk about them very openly and we talk about mental Health and.
36:55.86
charukaarora
Again.
37:01.67
Haylee
All of these different subcategories. Um, that might fall under being an artist and what it’s like just being a creative in general and you know just always like providing a space for somebody to not feel afraid and connect with people on any subject. But I mean.
37:14.14
charukaarora
Yes I Love that.
37:17.54
Haylee
Time I remember I tried to like confront this girl and like start the conversation I’m like so I message hi like my name’s Haley I keep getting messages I see that you’ve been following me for a while at the time I had no idea who she was I’ve never followed this person before so I just asked very bluntly I was like why would you like.
37:20.40
charukaarora
Is.
37:35.44
Haylee
Start something to like get people confused with when it’s like such a similar name and like you have you’re utilizing a similar language and copy and content like why but and then she blocked me so whatever I’m like okay, but that.
37:38.31
charukaarora
Yeah.
37:47.15
charukaarora
Um, you need to keep doing what you’re doing.
37:52.83
Haylee
Yeah, it’s like you know, all in all that means in my mind and like it means Okay, but I’m not going to do anything about it. So just move on and that’s sort of the message that I got from her and I think that’s just a part of life now is that you know when I shifted into having this.
37:57.92
charukaarora
You’re doing something Yes, and.
38:09.51
Haylee
Abundance Mindset There’s really a space for everybody at the table and powerful mindset to kind of cultivate because simultaneously. However I also believe that taking accountability for the things that you do and how you present yourself and the work you put out. There is equally as important. Um, so it kind of.
38:11.34
charukaarora
Yes.
38:27.81
charukaarora
Yeah I think sometimes I think I it the moment it starts taking over your own productivity or what you’re doing and it it diverts you you have to ask yourself if it’s worth it or not I think.
38:28.74
Haylee
So hand in hand but like weather. Yeah.
38:35.20
Haylee
Um, ah exactly and that’s sort of what I went through it like I remember I sat there I’m like oh this really bothered me for a week or something again. It was a different time. We were like middle of. No end of 2020. We were all very vulnerable. We were stuck in our homes still like I was like really trying to just make everything work for me and I just felt like we were all very vulnerable at that time. But I think now that we’re in a different era of it and. We’re really, we rely so much on community and creative community and mental health has been such a forefront focus that has come out of the pandemic as well. I think it wasn’t really valued before as much as it is now it also with like the whole um you know, live work.
39:23.84
charukaarora
Yeah to live we to he.
39:25.10
Haylee
Kind of mind stuff like we don’t What’s the saying we don’t ah work to live we live or we don’t live to work we work to live I think it goes like that and I’m really trying to make to you know adopt that but you know whether whether it’s.
39:36.24
charukaarora
Um.
39:41.13
Haylee
Some girl that follows you on social media or some factory in China copying a design of yours and selling it as a print for $5 which has also happened before you literally just have to keep moving forward and like yeah.
39:50.47
charukaarora
Good Yeah fight for yourself stand up for yourself, but let it not you know, take you away from your path I think that’s when it gets not worth it. So.
39:59.30
Haylee
Absolutely yeah I know and it’s like I said you’re young and you’re vulnerable and you’re just like it’s It’s hard being um, doing things yourself as a young person and you know you’re really I didn’t have much guidance at the time and um.
40:15.53
charukaarora
Yes I think that makes a lot of difference all of us. So.
40:18.26
Haylee
So yeah, we’re still trying to figure it out and I think there’s a comfort that we’re always still. Everybody’s just trying to figure it out. Um I know we all? um.
40:23.58
charukaarora
I Who that’s such a relief believe me I think the moment I was like nobody hasn’t figured out. Oh I was like I was just so much more kinder to myself.
40:34.52
Haylee
Yeah I think I’ve become a lot kinder to myself a lot more. Um, just relaxed about the things that you can’t control because I just I sit back and I’m like let it happen I’m I’m not going to respond to it anymore. Our Worlds just keep getting more and more. Saturated as time is moving forward and it’s never going to stop So while it, it might not be getting any better or easier so you might you might as well just embrace everything and in an abundance mindset especially as an artist because in a way we’re also still very much in the early stages of things. Um. I mean the internet is relatively still very new according to like the Earth’s timeline like I don’t know how long this Earth has been here for but the internet maybe 20 years. Not even um and there’s still many generations following us I hope um.
41:13.44
charukaarora
Yes, and. Yeah, yeah, yes, yeah, yes, yeah.
41:28.64
Haylee
And like who knows if it’s going to be easier or harder for them and we’re kind of creating that pathway for them. So no, there’s a lot of pressure on us and I just want to create you know you want to create great work while we’re here. Um, so yeah, just like moving forward with the times keep getting better.
41:41.20
charukaarora
Yeah.
41:45.34
Haylee
Continue your education do social outreach get involved with your communities. Don’t stop creating and like literally stay inspired and do not pay attention to the noise is like all I try to remind myself every day So do not pay attention to the noise.
41:51.30
charukaarora
Yeah, and I love that I love that Oh Wow Okay, tell me something what does I think this is very interesting for me Also like.
42:03.32
Haylee
I mean I.
42:07.84
charukaarora
I Want the truth to come out as a lot of people what does like a running a community looks like and realed actually a lot of people think it otherwise but I want to ask this question Thick is I Really want to think out the truth How is like I think what I really want to ask is let’s say how are you.
42:18.86
Haylee
Um, like running a.
42:27.21
charukaarora
What what does your day-to-day life look like how do you work? Do you have a team. How do you organize? How do you pass? what goal behind making all of this possible.
42:33.56
Haylee
It’s so every day it is extremely different and I’ve just been doing a couple of interviews for some contributing editors and for like a curatorial internship because with the fall coming up in like the summer is going to be. Quickly going away as before way before we even realize it’s going to be gone um time moves so fast and there’s really no specific day to day which is kind of the beauty of just figuring everything out yourself. Um.
43:02.47
charukaarora
Yeah, yeah.
43:05.60
Haylee
It’s not structured so you really have to be disciplined and I mean anything you do yourself whenever you work for yourself. If you don’t have discipline. You’re going to fail and um I don’t know I’m very lucky because I just love connecting with people so much and learning about them. And and and just getting inspired by other people’s stories especially in a city like New York it’s just there’s no city like this in the world where there’s just everybody from everywhere and it is not like the rest of the Us we could be our own country. Um.
43:37.72
charukaarora
Um.
43:41.21
Haylee
Probably survive a lot better than like if we didn’t have the rest but um I mean we’re bigger I think the city’s yeah, definitely bigger than a lot of countries out there I think there’s like 10 and 15000000 people just here alone. But um, it’s.
43:49.25
charukaarora
Yeah.
43:55.71
Haylee
This is a really inspiring place to be and everybody is so motivated and really just want to also be part of any community and project that is being created and put out there people want to participate especially post pandemicmic. Um.
44:11.72
charukaarora
Yeah.
44:14.57
Haylee
We’re all looking for that sense of Community community that we’ve been almost. It’s been lacking. Um, and that’s kind of a really important part that came out of the last few years. Um, at least that I think and in in the art world. We really wouldn’t survive without collaboration and support.
44:18.80
charukaarora
Yeah.
44:31.51
charukaarora
Hundred percent
44:33.29
Haylee
So Um I Really really enjoy it and I’m looking forward to seeing where like all of the opportunities and the doors that are going to open because of it and I don’t know you know just working with people is it’s so inspiring like I said. There’s gonna there’s there’s endless opportunities I don’t think like I said Abundance Mindset if you have a scarcity Mindset. It’s going to be no room at the table for you and you’re just going to live a life of uncertainty and.
44:54.54
charukaarora
Yes.
45:04.70
Haylee
I can’t you know you can’t have that especially when you’re a creative in New York
45:07.29
charukaarora
Absolutely I think that that absolutely makes sense because I think no way we I think just living out of scarcity and abundance. It’s like ah it’s like a huge difference The way we think the way we experience things in the way. Respond to things I think it makes such a huge difference and I think um and of course it’s it’s way easier. It’s way easier to say than to do it because of course um life throws challenges at you. But I think constantly intentionally looking at things and seeing like um.
45:33.30
Haylee
Um, absolutely um.
45:43.84
charukaarora
Making sure that we’re not acting just out of fear and being conscious about it I think makes a lot of difference I know height.
45:45.30
Haylee
Um, ah None our response to everything is so telling of the kind of person that we are and who we want to become and. Um, you know in the age of where everything is now being recorded and people are taking screenshots and you’re so vulnerable to the things that you put out there. Um, they could be very well permanent and just really training yourself to. Um, learn how to respond to things very appropriately and respectfully is such a powerful social tool to have I mean I can’t even tell you how many mean messages I get and I’m like well like that’s just a part of oh my God I don’t even know I think it’s.
46:27.98
charukaarora
Oh goodness really? why.
46:35.57
Haylee
Just other insecure people that don’t know I mean I I don’t respond I ignore it I Sometimes I’ll block them if they just keep going and I’m like I do not need this.
46:39.35
charukaarora
Yeah.
46:46.22
Haylee
So maybe sometimes a person or an artist will like comment on posts to being like this is shit artwork. Why are you sharing this and I’m like oh my God I look at their page and I’m like okay we’re going to just put the block button on right now. But.
46:53.00
charukaarora
God Yes, yes.
47:00.35
Haylee
We don’t need this kind of energy I don’t want people to read this or have that associated with any work that I do I don’t need the negativity but it happens I would say once a month which is more often than I’d like for it to happen. Um, but it’s inevitable. That’s just part of having an online community. You’re always.
47:06.89
charukaarora
Yes, now.
47:14.95
charukaarora
Yeah.
47:17.99
Haylee
People out there that will want to put you down and not respect anything that you do and that’s just their own problem scarcity. So ah, yes, it was honestly so nice catching up and talking to you I’m like I’m so grateful for this. But.
47:23.55
charukaarora
I Love that Oh my God Thank you so much. Same year. Oh Absolutely I think it it felt I think even before re recording it felt like we never I This isn’t the None time we are speaking because it will feel like that I definitely feel the same by. Okay.
47:42.96
Haylee
I know I was like oh my God I’ve been friends with her in a past life like yeah yeah.
47:51.75
charukaarora
I want to do the rapid fire quickly because I don’t want to let you go before that are you ready for it and this has to be quick. There’s no right and wrong just give me what you have okay, okay here you go 1 thing you want to convey through your work in the arts.
47:56.85
Haylee
Definitely go for it. Okay, okay.
48:09.38
Haylee
Oh my God integrity.
48:11.74
charukaarora
Wow! What’s that 1 word that describes you the best.
48:19.24
Haylee
Um, outgoing.
48:20.64
charukaarora
Oh Wow if you could have a studio slash gallery space anywhere in the world where would it be. You have it? Oh goodness your biggest source of inspiration.
48:28.53
Haylee
Um, do here in New York I’m sitting in it I have it it always? What always there’s always road. Yeah.
48:39.39
charukaarora
Yeah, it can always get better of course. But I think that that means you’re quite close to where you want to be I love that Oh wow your biggest source of inspiration.
48:49.44
Haylee
Oh everybody that I come across on social media. The people that I share work of absolutely everybody that I talk to everybody.
48:58.45
charukaarora
Oh Wow Okay, who’s your favorite woman artist from any point of time. Oh wow.
49:02.55
Haylee
Um, my god Helen Frankenthaler any woman in like midcentury 60 s New York city I’m obsessed with Lee oh my god yeah Helen every day all day.
49:10.75
charukaarora
Ah, you did your heart art. History nerd is out here now. Okay, um, who’s your vote to person when you’re in trouble or in need of advice. Oh Wow. Okay.
49:23.59
Haylee
Probably my father.
49:29.30
charukaarora
Um, this is a little bit more than None word. So take your time. Um, can you share, um, something that you really savor and like clearly enjoy some any any memorable moment for you. Um, probably as a. As whatever role that you want to share with as someone who leads like or runs a community create a community as a fashion photographer as as anybody but anything that has ah has to do with this anything that makes you feel where you are to and you feel very grateful and. Something that you know you be always try to hold on to us. Yes, any memory anything.
50:03.72
Haylee
Um, are you talking about a past experience that I hold so I mean I think me just really keeping focused and doing all the work that I did in my early years during college I was a full time student I worked I had multiple jobs and internship. Um I prioritized work very much over everything else and I’m happy I did that at an early age all those experiences in the fashion world magazine editorial everything.
50:26.89
charukaarora
Wow and. Oh if you were to meet younger Haley today. What advice would you give her love that. Okay, shout out to an artist who you’re currently loving specifically on social media.
50:37.51
Haylee
Oh God to not be so insecure.
50:47.61
Haylee
Um, oh my God too many I can’t answer that question but I don’t know um I Really love I mean oh man I Really don’t think I can answer this.
50:51.90
charukaarora
You can answer the few I mean mention a few That’s okay, anybody.
51:05.41
Haylee
I’ve been up so she’s still she’s an old artist and she’s again one of the originals. But I’ve been absolutely in love with like Judy Chicago and and I follow her and I’m like I message her on Instagram and I don’t even know with her and I’m like hey want to work like I’m just so inspired by her.
51:12.30
charukaarora
Of course, but.
51:22.82
charukaarora
Ah, what the shot always birth the shot. Yeah oh love that. Okay, as a woman entrepreneur creative entrepreneur. What’s that one piece of advice that you’ like to give anyone who’s listening to this episode.
51:23.74
Haylee
Just everything that she stands for yeah, always worth a shot. You have nothing to lose and I have enough audacity to do it. So.
51:38.84
Haylee
Um, to like I said before ignore the noise and have an abundance mindset because it will get you very far in life.
51:46.84
charukaarora
Oh ah, you did so good. Look at you coming out flying colors. So.
51:52.84
Haylee
But I know thank you so you did too I mean we’re both just sitting here in different parts of the world I think how what time is it there for you probably past midnight.
52:02.87
charukaarora
No, ah this is ten p m for me but I usually actually record I think that’s I’ve I’ve been doing this for like now past two years so I’ve got a hang of it. So I either record like super early in the morning 5 or 6
52:06.56
Haylee
Oh okay, so.
52:18.14
Haylee
Um, yeah, the dedication is incredible because um, like wow it is twelve thirty it is bright out here. It’s so beautiful hot summer day I’m like it’s probably the same. It’s incredible like technology and everything that we’re doing these days.
52:19.60
charukaarora
Ah, then I do it past midnight like 12 p m or like stuff.
52:33.61
charukaarora
Absolutely I think once I think I think that’s what we end up coming with I think right now I wouldn’t say doing these recordings are the easiest thing for me because me moving between 2 cities living in a suitcase like I literally have placed a mic anywhere possible.
52:36.40
Haylee
Like I said.
52:53.29
charukaarora
Even if I’m missed like carrying like a mic for some reason or like even right now. So I’m recording at my house right now. My studios I’m not going to my studio regularly and like I have 2 children in the house. My my brother has like I have a niece and a nephew and I just told them please for god sake just one hour don’t yet. So I think when you really.
53:10.86
Haylee
Who.
53:13.60
charukaarora
Enjoy something you just you just you just do it I mean I know I may not be making the perfect episodes right? now they know may not be the whatever I expect it to be but I I want to do it I mean I wouldn’t give up for anything I mean anything I Love this.
53:20.12
Haylee
So 5
53:26.98
Haylee
Um, nothing is ever supposed to be perfect and I think breaking that mindset that it’s okay I mean I had the UPS guy ring my doorbell like 3 times like of all times throughout the day. Why now.
53:31.47
charukaarora
I Love her.
53:38.62
charukaarora
Like now. Oh what? even strangest thing like the other day I was recording this episode with a man and I was like I was all alone home and I was like oh my God I have home to myself.
53:41.97
Haylee
I’m like I I couldn’t control that like when are they probably left my package somewhere I have no idea like but um.
53:58.58
charukaarora
I could do this recording this will be like I wouldn’t have anything in between and for so for some way my nephew is just in the next room and I didn’t know about it and right in the middle of recording he starts crying like he’s really young. He’s just one year old and he cries like for the next fifteen minutes and ah I’m like.
54:10.81
Haylee
Cost.
54:16.95
Haylee
I Know that’s why I admire everything you do with this podcast, especially given your current living situation. Not living but like your current life situation going back and forth and really making that’s the key though making it work with your lifestyle. This is.
54:17.42
charukaarora
Why now out of every bed.
54:24.40
charukaarora
Um, yeah. Union. Yeah, yeah, thank you? Thank you? I think that’s that’s what all hearts None hearts says to me, you know I think um when I thought of having a podcast.
54:34.55
Haylee
You know you chose to do this and just make the best of it and I you know I think you’re doing a great job. So yeah, all that.
54:51.60
charukaarora
And a lot of think like even the project or anything we do for you do like a lot of people think oh my god this is this is a kind of I think we all have like a stereotypical image of how certain things might look like like or if you’re running this business. You would have like this kind of lifestyle or like if you have a podcast you necessarily may not like you may be doing it out of a. You know, perfectly sounded soundproof studio or like you know stuff all you’re making art so you have this huge fancy studio and I’ve been there I had a beautiful student I still have it but I’m not working out of there anymore. But that does not me I’m not going to make art I’m so I’m living between None cities I’m making art on the floor and that’s where I mean.
55:14.39
Haylee
If not print.
55:22.55
Haylee
Um, yeah. Um, honestly though the things that we see on social media from a select view of people. But it’s so curated and it’s so there’s such a disconnect that that is just not the reality of 90% of.
55:28.38
charukaarora
That’s okay. Yes, yes.
55:43.98
Haylee
What people’s situations are and then we compare ourselves to like the people that have the beautiful studio spaces and the multi Thousand dollar podcast setups with the state of the art equipment and that it’s just it. It needs to kind of stop like that.
55:54.19
charukaarora
Fias.
55:59.61
charukaarora
Yes, and I think it takes away it takes away I think if I if I were to think that only a podcast could be made when I had a pin drop silence or like I had the best I have great mics but I don’t have the best environment right now and I had I used to have but.
56:12.81
Haylee
Um, yeah.
56:17.42
charukaarora
That does not mean I will stop doing what I do and I think if someone would have told me like I think why I always purposely share this is because anyone who’s listening and wants to start something and they think they don’t have to write infrastructure right now This is an infrastructure that you need, but even below this like there’s so many projects I.
56:18.21
Haylee
Um, I’m totally.
56:31.40
Haylee
Um, that is not and.
56:36.63
charukaarora
Start myself in pursuing because I thought I wasn’t ready because I didn’t have like what there’s I think.
56:39.89
Haylee
Here So many things I feel we both would have been really great at that We pushed aside because we just didn’t think we were ready for and we didn’t have maybe the right space or equipment or something that is just so like so superficial. Um, because we see other people having it and that is not true I think we we deprived ourselves of opportunities that probably would have opened many doors for us years ago if we just really did them and not heard about what anybody else thought of it.
56:59.71
charukaarora
And that’s the only way. Yeah, yes. Yeah, Absolutely yes, absolutely I Love that and also I think with the numbers Also a lot of time people think like oh somebody has this thousand 10000.
57:16.57
Haylee
Um, because.
57:23.64
charukaarora
We’ve done. We’ve not reached these numbers today I think I when I record it was just a few few people and then a few more than a few hundred and I think just glorifying these facts that. No, not every podcast has to love starts at this point not every podcast records at this point not every artist starts like this not every artist. Not every platform is big in day one. It takes time. Oh.
57:45.26
Haylee
Um, oh absolutely I started I remember I had 0 hey well I guess to success start sometime somewhere. What might as well start now then just keep waiting if you keep.
57:54.66
charukaarora
Yes, and look at you now like look at you you built this amazing platform I Love I Love your design a static I and and I I was just saying that to you Also like I think for me as someone who has like who’s design author and with all things like I have a keen eye for it and I was like this is.
58:03.60
Haylee
Um, and helped.
58:12.72
charukaarora
1 flat I never forgot your work for some reason I think you did those candles I remember um the soy candles I oh.
58:15.86
Haylee
Yeah, oh yes, I Honestly we made those in our studio and that was like you know again, middle of pandemic when we’re like okay what are we all going to be doing. How are we going to like spend this free time that we have and literally. Just started creating candles I was like it was just such a huge hobby of mine that it just turned into like an overwhelming kind of took over my life for a little bit. It was pretty honestly we were it. It was really good for like mental Health I Found it. It was very therapeutic. Um and making.
58:35.36
charukaarora
Loud.
58:43.80
charukaarora
But.
58:50.48
charukaarora
Yeah, it’s I.
58:54.57
Haylee
Like a tangible piece of art is really nice to see a finish work. So I understand artists when they finally finish something that they created and when I started doing that I was like this is a really good feeling and then trying to like. See who else it resonates with and like it smelled so beautiful people would. It’s functional. People can use it. That’s beautiful in your home doing things like that I mean who knows maybe it will happen Again. There’s just so many possible Honestly, there’s.
59:19.74
charukaarora
Oh I’m sure you will I’m sure you will so and so much more? yes.
59:25.44
Haylee
So many other things that I’m focused on It’s not even like at the top of my mind anymore. But at the time I Just we created so many of them I was like we I’ll do something like like.
59:33.24
charukaarora
Yeah I think and that’s I think I think that’s 1 thing that you really have shared is beautiful is also sometimes not taking ourselves too seriously not taking our work too seriously not taking a practice our businesses too seriously because if you’re not having fun then even I mean you still even if.
59:42.28
Haylee
Um, know yeah.
59:52.79
charukaarora
It gets hard. You need to figure out ways where you can still move forward and have fun.
59:53.47
Haylee
Experiment until until your last day on Earth Always experiment have fun but also like learn how to capture things and things that you’re doing and document them in a very beautiful way that like will engage.
01:00:07.86
charukaarora
Yeah.
01:00:11.26
Haylee
Other people and you can build your audience out of that once you learn how to start capturing things and shoot things and video and all of these different.. It’s so important in building your brand I think a lot of artists need to that’s something that they really need to to really focus on and learn because it’s. Like I said you know going into the future. It’s It’s only going to get Harder. It’s not going to get easier. It’s more and more saturated you really have to stand out just have a good eye capture things document your process don’t be afraid and just be vulnerable. Respectfully don’t react people are.
01:00:32.11
charukaarora
Yes, yes.
01:00:45.32
charukaarora
I Love that.
01:00:49.91
Haylee
Feel as a people are always going to come at you everybody everybody always has something to say whether it’s kind or really rude. Um, everybody’s always going to have an opinion unsolicited opinions just ignore them or I mean if it’s a comp of course like accept it with grace and be very humbled but like.
01:00:53.29
charukaarora
Yes. Yeah, so.
01:01:09.61
Haylee
There’s just so much like noise and like things out there in the world that you cannot pay attention to it and don’t don’t pay attention to what other people are doing either because like a whole other rabbit hole of things that you’re not going to be able to get out of and um, yeah, the comparison is insane I don’t know.
01:01:13.51
charukaarora
I Love that.
01:01:25.29
charukaarora
I Love that. Thank you so much for sharing so much of your wisdom and good. Good Torch brilliant ideas.
01:01:28.97
Haylee
There’s always going to be ah think this one you two? um I’m I’m so again. So grateful that we got to talk and spend this time it it flew by.
01:01:37.88
charukaarora
Say ah same year same okay before I let you go can you tell me where we can find you? How can we support you if you have something upcoming feel free to use this space to share anything that you want with us.
01:01:51.30
Haylee
Um, yeah, definitely I mean http://visionaryprojects.org is the website where everything is on there. Um, and then I mean the social media visionary projects and y see um. We’re very much New York -based even though it’s very international. Um, that’s those are the 2 things and that’s it for right now. I mean my my fashion stuff is totally unrelated to this so now that’s that’s.
01:02:07.98
charukaarora
Um.
01:02:17.42
charukaarora
Ah, no, you want to please feel free to I.
01:02:24.40
Haylee
Another Honestly, that’s a project that I’m going to hold so close and dear until it’s like you see the finished product and I’m that you know creative you’re also that kind of person where like you don’t want to really share things until it’s not like you feel so vulnerable in that position. Ah.
01:02:29.47
charukaarora
Like On. Yes, and yeah I love that But I’m really looking forward to that.
01:02:42.74
Haylee
Um, yeah, me too? Um, yeah, just visionary projects that’s it. But thank you so much too. Yeah, have a good rest of your evening bye. Thank you again.
01:02:46.22
charukaarora
Off Fred. Thank you so much Aie. Thank you so much for your time and I’m so grateful to have you. Thank you to you two.
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