How to figure out your creative process |Studio Visits w/ Rajul Shah, Chilu, and Anne van Midden|

Timestamp	Summary
00:00.00	Introduction to the podcast and the three guests
00:25.38	Chilu introduces herself as an artist from Australia
01:04.60	Anne introduces herself as a floral artist from the Netherlands
01:29.34	Rajul introduces herself as an abstract mixed media artist
02:14.99	Chilu discusses her art and how it helps with anxiety
03:21.62	Charukaarora shares her similar experience with art and anxiety
05:02.81	Anna shares her perspective as a floral artist and the challenges she faces
06:05.90	Rajul shares her journey from healthcare marketing to art
07:38.90	Rajul explains her focus on the chakras and the healing power of art
08:18.94	Anna discusses the time constraints and energy in floral art
08:31.58	Floral artist discusses the rush and energy in working with wilted products.
08:59.58	The importance of photography and video in showcasing temporary floral art.
09:36.14	The inspiration behind creating a life-size cocoon out of branches during lockdown.
10:26.30	Exploring the limitations of traditional bouquets and centerpieces in floral art.
11:45.34	Discussing the unique and exciting creative processes of different artists.
12:32.67	The meditative aspect of weaving branches together in floral installations.
13:38.40	Using tactile methods and intuition in the painting process.
15:20.60	Creating texture in paintings through hand-touching and mixing colors.
16:26.53	Experimenting with tree bark paper as a unique painting surface.
24:59.40	Rajul enjoys stepping into her professional role as an artist
26:13.20	Rajul struggled with not going to art school
27:43.74	Rajul encourages talented individuals to pursue art without formal education
30:29.89	Chilu’s art journey began with the goal of helping her son
31:49.72	Chilu’s rapid rise in the art world has surprised her
32:05.72	Chilu’s family played a crucial role in supporting her art career
32:50.14	Chilu advises other women artists to put their work out there
33:28.91	Rajul’s motivation to keep creating comes from painting what she feels
33:30.23	Anne advises women artists to stay true to themselves
33:33.90	Rajul emphasizes the importance of not listening to rules and creating freely
33:28.91	Finding motivation to keep creating
33:49.30	Importance of staying true to oneself
34:29.57	Success is making viewers feel a sense of meditation and renewal
35:37.61	Success is making an impact and being emotionally invested
37:24.16	Success is making a significant contribution through art
39:48.13	Gratitude for the opportunity to share as women artists
41:30.82	Women’s voices are underrepresented and the importance of Arts to Hearts Project
41:53.70	A woman’s voice is underrepresented in the arts.
42:18.71	The process of creating the book is a collaborative and intimate one.
43:25.42	The team has been working on a floral art book.
45:05.98	Support the work of these artists by sharing, buying their work, and leaving comments.
46:24.11	Artists appreciate genuine comments and support on social media.
46:54.73	The artists can also be found on the Women in Arts Network.

[TRANSCRIPT]

**** – (): 00:00.00

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Hey, you guys welcome back to the arts two hearts podcast I’m extra excited today because I don’t have 1 guest 2 guests I have 3 wonderful guests all of them from our studio visit book volume 3 amazing artists from all different parts of the world and I am very very excited to introduce them to you. How about 1 of you go First only who’s going first of.

**** – (): 00:25.38

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): Everybody’s too shy I’ll go first hello hello my name is chilllu. Um I’m from Australia it’s one thirty in the morning. So I’m feeling a little bit. Um, yeah, just but I’m I’m here I’m very excited.

**** – (): 00:26.67

**** – (): Rajul Shah

**** – (): Are.

**** – (): 00:29.63

**** – (): Anne van Midden

**** – (): Um.

**** – (): 00:35.24

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Cool. Wow.

**** – (): 00:36.13

**** – (): Anne van Midden

**** – (): In.

**** – (): 00:41.88

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): So um, thank you so much. Thank you so much for this opportunity. It’s fantastic. Okay, who’s next.

**** – (): 00:42.69

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Um, thank you so much remain here.

**** – (): 00:48.27

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Um, thank you Tilo! Thank you for joining us. Okay, who do we have next? yes.

**** – (): 00:54.47

**** – (): Anne van Midden

**** – (): Um, I’m ah ah that I’m Anna I’m from the Netherlands. It’s 4 thirtydy PM here so we have people from all of the world all different time zones I love that feeling for chi right now and I’m a laural artist.

**** – (): 01:03.96

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): Um, yeah.

**** – (): 01:04.60

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Um, amazing welcome and yes, go ahead. You’re a floal artist I’m amazing. Okay.

**** – (): 01:11.16

**** – (): Anne van Midden

**** – (): Yes, oh sorry.

**** – (): 01:16.69

**** – (): Rajul Shah

**** – (): Hi hi I’m Rachel I am I’m usually based in Singapore but I’m actually in the us visiting my children here in New York so it’s 10 thirty in the morning for me I’m not too bad, but um.

**** – (): 01:29.34

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): So.

**** – (): 01:29.92

**** – (): Anne van Midden

**** – (): So.

**** – (): 01:33.31

**** – (): Rajul Shah

**** – (): And I’m I’m basically an abstract mixed media artist painter.

**** – (): 01:35.14

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): Wonderful.

**** – (): 01:37.30

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Amazing I am trying. Thank you so much you ladies for joining us today. We have this episode as a fun way to um, you know for our listeners and our readers and our um. Ah, readership for this studio is book volume 3 which all of you are published in to be able to you know, get to know you a little bit more who you are beyond these pages. Of course when we’re in the business of publishing we loved I was we were just talking before we recorded this episode that I’m so excited because we when we make a book. We see you all through. You know in in and out and 1 book takes us about least four months to make one book and we’re continually looking at your pages your spreads. Um a team is coordinating with you but it’s so nice to see your faces and being able to speak to you and hear your voices and look at those paintings not only in the paper here.

**** – (): 02:14.99

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): Allow.

**** – (): 02:30.77

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): But also behind you now I Want to ask you? How about you Star chilu. Um, what is your art and what does what does your creative process look like as an artist.

**** – (): 02:40.96

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): Ah, well, um, so what is my art I suppose at the moment. It’s really um, influenced by Story first. So I think about the concept and then after that I’ve I’ve been doing mostly still life at the moment.

**** – (): 02:52.30

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Okay.

**** – (): 03:00.43

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): Um, but I’m hoping to evolve and push beyond that I’m kind of almost just only two years in so I’m still trying to figure out who I am where I’m heading. Um, but yeah, it’s just been the wildest ride. Um. Art for me is more a relief from anxiety because I used to have panic attacks but but painting is like a meditation for me and and it and it stops my panic attacks so at its core. It’s relief for me and then on top of that I’ve just.

**** – (): 03:21.62

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): I Love that.

**** – (): 03:34.81

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): And I can relate to that.

**** – (): 03:38.39

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): Yeah, and then on top of that I’ve just suddenly found myself painting professionally so it’s it’s a miracle. It’s a miracle and a wonderful one at that. So feel feel very blessed at the moment. Yeah.

**** – (): 03:53.20

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): I’m so glad that you found it I also please radul and Anna this we on this is not 1 ne-way conversation you both can also ask questions to each other so feel free. This is not ah we are just here hanging out you know, um like you said Chiu I also.

**** – (): 04:03.84

**** – (): Anne van Midden

**** – (): Okay.

**** – (): 04:04.13

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): Ah, lovely, a.

**** – (): 04:09.66

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): I’ve had some very similar experience and not me I think a lot of other artists like you and me have association for art. Not only because you know if you feel creative or there’s a desire to paint but it’s also almost like breathing I lost my mom um during Covid and before that.

**** – (): 04:24.43

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): Um, yes, yeah, are.

**** – (): 04:29.46

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): I Have so many things on my plate sometimes with ah the books we do you know the podcast So many things. Um I used to ask myself this question that why do I Maybe I You know when you have too much on your plate you keep asking. Why do I need this on my plate exactly and at some point I felt like I’m just doing this am I.

**** – (): 04:42.36

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): Yeah.

**** – (): 04:48.98

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Do I Want to be a painter or an artist just because I feel like there’s this in me what I’ve been that for so period. But after my mom’s passing away I understood that how much important it It is to me for survival for breathing for being able to.

**** – (): 05:02.81

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): Um, yeah, yep.

**** – (): 05:04.20

**** – (): Anne van Midden

**** – (): Yeah.

**** – (): 05:05.30

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Manage myself on day-to-day basis. So it does not matter if I sell art createor um do a show or not for me what matters is I have to create because it’s like like you said it helped me heal myself. It helps me relieve. It helps me with my anxiety also to process my emotions specifically.

**** – (): 05:12.97

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): For.

**** – (): 05:23.81

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Grief trauma. So I do completely relate to that. How about you Anna and ra what you guys? What’s your dissociation with that.

**** – (): 05:25.12

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): Um, yeah, yeah.

**** – (): 05:33.25

**** – (): Rajul Shah

**** – (): Um, Anna you um so I I I kind of have ah a different pathway to art. Um, it was always a hobby growing up but art is my second career and my first career I spent 20 years

**** – (): 05:33.28

**** – (): Anne van Midden

**** – (): Um, Wow That’s a big question.

**** – (): 05:49.89

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): And.

**** – (): 05:50.26

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Okay.

**** – (): 05:51.41

**** – (): Rajul Shah

**** – (): And healthcare marketing and um, moved to Japan for my husband’s job and I always wanted to go back to school for art. So I ended up studying art in Japan for 13 years and and I thought I thought I would do.

**** – (): 06:03.25

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): Wow, That’s amazing.

**** – (): 06:05.90

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Um, wow.

**** – (): 06:08.15

**** – (): Anne van Midden

**** – (): That’s romantic.

**** – (): 06:10.77

**** – (): Rajul Shah

**** – (): More go along the lines of photography because that was such a big hoggy for me but I actually fell in love with painting and then living in Japan it’s like you live in this. Um, it’s just a beautiful place. Everything is artistically and aesthetically.

**** – (): 06:14.60

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): And.

**** – (): 06:15.19

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Okay.

**** – (): 06:29.63

**** – (): Rajul Shah

**** – (): Put together whether it’s a park or it’s just the food on your plate so you’re just surrounded with beauty and zen and harmony and so one of the philosophies in Japan is something called the art of Kinsugi which is where they take.

**** – (): 06:46.11

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Yes.

**** – (): 06:46.87

**** – (): Rajul Shah

**** – (): Broken Pottery and instead of throwing it out. They mend it with gold splicing and the entire idea behind that is one of resilience and renewal. Um and I fell in love with that concept and then the other thing I I love is color and whenever I look at.

**** – (): 06:48.30

**** – (): Anne van Midden

**** – (): How with the gold. Yeah.

**** – (): 06:50.94

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): Um.

**** – (): 06:58.90

**** – (): Anne van Midden

**** – (): Um.

**** – (): 07:01.80

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): Yeah, me too. Yeah.

**** – (): 07:06.61

**** – (): Rajul Shah

**** – (): An artwork like roth co or even Monet I just fell fall in love with all the colors and the depth and the um you know the way they use it and so ah, what I’ve done with my work. Um. Is basically kind of continued that entire philosophy of healing from my first career into my art career. Um, and I focus on the the chakras of the human body and each chakra has its own energy fields of color.

**** – (): 07:38.90

**** – (): Rajul Shah

**** – (): And so I blend the art of Ksugi to the to the spiritual concepts of the chakras and like like chilu I also suffer from anxiety and depression I’ve had for a very long time.

**** – (): 07:55.85

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): Um.

**** – (): 07:57.10

**** – (): Rajul Shah

**** – (): And I have found that art like most of us gives me a very meditative space and I love using my hands and it’s just I’m I’m very tactically oriented. Ah so um, and then I just feel like.

**** – (): 08:03.99

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): Um, yeah.

**** – (): 08:16.67

**** – (): Rajul Shah

**** – (): I Feel like it’s important for other people to feel the same if that makes sense.

**** – (): 08:18.94

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): And.

**** – (): 08:19.44

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): No, it does make sense. What about you Anna what’s your story. that’s that’s amazing

**** – (): 08:25.31

**** – (): Anne van Midden

**** – (): Well, it’s a little different for me because I’m a floral artists So my products kind of wilt. So it’s not like pain. You cannot take your time because things will die on you So there is always this sense of rush and like energy.

**** – (): 08:31.58

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): Um, Wow. Yeah, yeah, yeah, Wow yeah.

**** – (): 08:43.66

**** – (): Anne van Midden

**** – (): So for me, it’s a complete opposites. It’s far from Meditative because flowers will die. Um, so my art is very temporary. Um, and for me, the photo is a really big part of it or a video because otherwise I won’t have anything to show at the end of the day which is of course high. But.

**** – (): 08:59.58

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): Um, yes I want to see yes.

**** – (): 08:59.62

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Um, let me pull your spec together Very in fact.

**** – (): 09:02.72

**** – (): Anne van Midden

**** – (): Yeah, as an online entrepreneur you? yeah oh I feel like it’s legging a little bit so you are responding but I I still um, the sound is a little bit off.

**** – (): 09:09.88

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): Um, yeah.

**** – (): 09:11.51

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): So what? what brought you to art in the first place. What brought you to this kind of art. In fact because you know in these are traditional forms options that you all have but making an art format from you know from flowers to photography and then preserving that what brought you there.

**** – (): 09:19.66

**** – (): Anne van Midden

**** – (): Um, um.

**** – (): 09:20.28

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): Yes, and.

**** – (): 09:30.99

**** – (): Anne van Midden

**** – (): Um, well I was already working with flowers and then um, excuse me my voice is breaking that so I was already working with flowers but during the first lockdown in 2020 we all we’ve all been there. Um.

**** – (): 09:36.14

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Involved.

**** – (): 09:36.98

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): Um, yeah.

**** – (): 09:45.51

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): Ah, and her.

**** – (): 09:47.15

**** – (): Anne van Midden

**** – (): I suddenly had this idea of making a cocoon out of branches that I could sit in so I’ve made this life size I’m six two so it was a big big piece. Um, and I created this out of branches in my studio. Um because I wanted to visualize kind of what we were all going through.

**** – (): 09:51.30

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): Um, cool. Yeah.

**** – (): 09:55.18

**** – (): Rajul Shah

**** – (): Nice.

**** – (): 10:00.13

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): Um, Wow. So.

**** – (): 10:06.55

**** – (): Anne van Midden

**** – (): And that made me realize like hey I can do stuff if I can create things with flowers and branches based on my emotions and on my story and that really kind of opened this door for me with more beautiful things behind it. So I’m really glad I opened it? Um, and before that. Yeah.

**** – (): 10:19.66

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): Wow, Let’s so cool.

**** – (): 10:24.70

**** – (): Rajul Shah

**** – (): It’s amazing.

**** – (): 10:26.30

**** – (): Anne van Midden

**** – (): Bouquets and centerpieces are are just not not interesting enough for me I mean I love them of course. But it’s just so I don’t know normal without sounding like mean to other floors of course because I love them all. Um.

**** – (): 10:32.43

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): A.

**** – (): 10:32.83

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Quick.

**** – (): 10:38.17

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): Um, yeah.

**** – (): 10:39.35

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): No I There’s I think there’s no artist who would I think just the view of looking at flowers. It is therapeutic. It really is like a therapy in its own self.

**** – (): 10:42.48

**** – (): Anne van Midden

**** – (): But I just realized. Yeah, yeah, yeah, and you cannot do anything wrong because flowers are already Beautiful. So it’s it’s It’s quite a beautiful medium to work with, but it’s also tricky because of the.

**** – (): 10:49.65

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): Um, yeah, yeah.

**** – (): 10:55.74

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Um, yeah.

**** – (): 11:04.56

**** – (): Anne van Midden

**** – (): You know the temporary life of it.

**** – (): 11:04.78

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): I love um, okay tell me something. Um, how are you each of you in your process and I’m really interested because all of us like you know 4 of us included in on this call right now we all make very different kind of art and you know some of us.

**** – (): 11:05.47

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): Um, you.

**** – (): 11:09.25

**** – (): Anne van Midden

**** – (): Are the.

**** – (): 11:23.90

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Are very intuitive. A lot of us have very tactical approach. Let’s talk a little bit about how not only art art is not about the final outcome but also the process that goes into it and how unique and um, it is um. Exciting for each one of us and what we find interesting who wants to go first.

**** – (): 11:45.34

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): I’m always going first someone else go first. Yeah, me too.

**** – (): 11:51.70

**** – (): Rajul Shah

**** – (): And ah and you go first because I’m really fascinated by by your art with the I Just it’s amazing to me so please.

**** – (): 11:52.66

**** – (): Anne van Midden

**** – (): Um.

**** – (): 11:55.50

**** – (): Anne van Midden

**** – (): Um, oh oh ah Wow. Okay, oh um, I kind of lost my trainer fault remind me to look zone in know you.

**** – (): 12:05.43

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Ah.

**** – (): 12:05.57

**** – (): Rajul Shah

**** – (): Ah, you were you were talking about the you were talking about they you built a cocoon from branches.

**** – (): 12:07.44

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): Process process.

**** – (): 12:15.60

**** – (): Anne van Midden

**** – (): Yeah, yeah, um so I love weaving branches together. Um, that is the meditative part to me so you were talking about our artist’s meditation to me like branch ah weaving branches together is real part of the meditation. Um, so it’s kind of like the like the old indigenous folks.

**** – (): 12:25.97

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): And.

**** – (): 12:32.67

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): Um, yeah.

**** – (): 12:33.22

**** – (): Anne van Midden

**** – (): Weave branches together I’m like mimicking everything with my ants which is very useful in the podcast. Um, but I love to I like the thing I love about creating installations that are that big is that I get to use my whole body and it almost feels like a dance with my materials. Um.

**** – (): 12:34.24

**** – (): Rajul Shah

**** – (): Nice.

**** – (): 12:46.98

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): Are amazing.

**** – (): 12:47.81

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Yeah, yeah.

**** – (): 12:51.64

**** – (): Anne van Midden

**** – (): So I become part of my art almost so as you chilu you have this giants piece behind you I imagine it will be the same if you make like Brush strokes. It’s like this choreography with your medium and that’s something I Really love and something I Really appreciate about my process.

**** – (): 12:57.28

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): Um, yeah, yeah.

**** – (): 13:10.67

**** – (): Anne van Midden

**** – (): That is just this full immersive experience almost even if it’s not finished yet. Um, even if it starts wilting a few hours after

**** – (): 13:12.55

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): Um, yeah, yeah, yeah, wow, That’s solipite pattern.

**** – (): 13:13.51

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Yeah.

**** – (): 13:19.79

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): How about the show feel how about the 2 of you.

**** – (): 13:27.32

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): Ah, you go first reg.

**** – (): 13:29.14

**** – (): Rajul Shah

**** – (): So I um so in terms of a creative process to be honest, um I’m as I said I’m very tactilely oriented I Really like to use my hands and so I.

**** – (): 13:38.40

**** – (): Anne van Midden

**** – (): You.

**** – (): 13:44.45

**** – (): Rajul Shah

**** – (): I’m constantly feeling what I’m painting so whether I I paint on I’ll paint on paper. There’s washi paper um in Japan they make Washi paper I’ve I’ve painted on tree bark paper but basically anything that. I feel inspired to to touch or feel in that moment is is what I’m working on so I’m I always have 10 or 12 different pieces in my studio and I’ll paint on wood or canvas or paper or you know with a brush without a brush. Um. But the first few coats of my paintings are always with my hands I don’t know I just feel like you get up there and you it’s ah it’s I think it’s a way for me to just kind of calm myself down and get myself ready to paint but I love to use my hands and um. There’s a lot of texture in my work because of that. Um, and then I just while I have an overall vision of what color field or what area I’m doing um I basically wait for a layer. To dry before I figure out what to do with it next. So I kind of let the painting tell me where to take it and and in the in the bigger picture. It’s either about the first chakra or the second or a combination of the first and the fifth chakra or something like that. But that’s.

**** – (): 15:18.22

**** – (): Rajul Shah

**** – (): And then I just mix colors all the time and just see what goes together.

**** – (): 15:20.60

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): Wow! So it’s quite intuitive your process would you say? Yeah yeah.

**** – (): 15:27.76

**** – (): Rajul Shah

**** – (): Um I Guess yeah I guess ah yeah, or spontaneous is another word. Um, you know it’s kind of what I just feel like it needs at the moment.

**** – (): 15:33.22

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Ah, you.

**** – (): 15:39.81

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): Yeah, me too.

**** – (): 15:40.42

**** – (): Anne van Midden

**** – (): I’m so fascinated by the tree bark piece of it like tree bark paper I’ve never heard that it sounds look okay I should do that too.

**** – (): 15:43.69

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Um, what? what does it look like oh wow.

**** – (): 15:44.85

**** – (): Rajul Shah

**** – (): Yeah, me to you know? So I I troll on Ebay a lot just to look and see what they have and because to be honest, there’s a lot of um, the materials can be you know, less expensive. So.

**** – (): 15:50.64

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): Um, a.

**** – (): 16:00.48

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Ah, yeah.

**** – (): 16:02.47

**** – (): Anne van Midden

**** – (): Um, who.

**** – (): 16:02.57

**** – (): Rajul Shah

**** – (): There was somebody they were selling a hundred sheets of tree bark paper and it was like I don’t know for $50 and I thought hundred sheets and I thought let me just order it and see what it feels like and so when I got it. It’s quite thin.

**** – (): 16:10.31

**** – (): Anne van Midden

**** – (): Nice.

**** – (): 16:21.99

**** – (): Rajul Shah

**** – (): And then I ended up basically gluing 4 pages together to make this upstrate strong enough to be able to hang on to the paint and you know because I as I said I like to use texture in my painting so and I can’t have the paper ripping or anything but i’m.

**** – (): 16:25.12

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Well.

**** – (): 16:26.80

**** – (): Anne van Midden

**** – (): Our world. Yeah.

**** – (): 16:26.53

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): Ah.

**** – (): 16:34.89

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): Are.

**** – (): 16:41.93

**** – (): Rajul Shah

**** – (): Yeah, and and I basically painted this whole series on tree bark paper and looked at them as like the Japanese would look at scrolls. So so I didn’t my my objective wasn’t to formally frame them. But.

**** – (): 16:50.61

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Oh.

**** – (): 16:51.33

**** – (): Anne van Midden

**** – (): And.

**** – (): 16:52.22

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): Um, Ryan.

**** – (): 16:57.82

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Who.

**** – (): 17:01.43

**** – (): Rajul Shah

**** – (): Um I got the the scroll hangers I don’t know making sense I don’t even know what their call to be honest, but and I I got them off of Amazon and painted those and then put the whole thing together. So you can get materials.

**** – (): 17:11.73

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): Wow, That’s so cool.

**** – (): 17:15.30

**** – (): Anne van Midden

**** – (): They can use all sheets already all the hundreds did you use all hundred sheets already.

**** – (): 17:19.83

**** – (): Rajul Shah

**** – (): Sorry, no no um I’ve used half because the other thing I do with the sheets is um if I as I said I paint with a lot of texture sometimes and paint and sometimes it’s too much.

**** – (): 17:23.35

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Um.

**** – (): 17:36.27

**** – (): Rajul Shah

**** – (): So I’ll actually take a sheet and I’ll rub it onto the painting and lift it and it’ll be like this whole print on its own. So I just and then I put those aside because I figure I’ll use them in collage or I’ll use it again somewhere else. So I just.

**** – (): 17:40.73

**** – (): Anne van Midden

**** – (): Pay that.

**** – (): 17:44.44

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): Um.

**** – (): 17:55.80

**** – (): Rajul Shah

**** – (): Yeah, I’m pretty yeah I just use whatever comes to my hand. It gets.

**** – (): 17:58.68

**** – (): Anne van Midden

**** – (): Too nice.

**** – (): 18:00.41

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): Um, wow.

**** – (): 18:01.91

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Our how is um, how does a space. Um, since we’re also talking about creative process. How much does a space play a role in your own art like you know, um, also what is the studio to each one of us I think we all have. I was reading this post so there’s this post I I follow someone I’ve forgotten that name. Sorry um so there was this photo of Fia Carlo Hindri Matis and some other artist and all of them were making art from their bed and the caption said that how um the relationship of. Artists from with their beds is so strong and nostalgic and I didn’t I didn’t feel that that I don’t know if that was a norm I didn’t know at least till then because for me, um, my bed my bed ever since I started you know I think that was my first studio. Yeah, having even. Even now I’m here. Um I think there’s this comfortable space to be myself to feel home. Ah because my life is in a way that I move so much and travel so much. Um. And I love that idea because I also feel like studio apart from the traditional studio spaces that we of course look at and we all dream of studios are very variable time I want to hear your stories on how you have evolved and what are your comfort zones if it’s a bed a table.

**** – (): 19:24.89

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): And how your studios have evolved and impacted your art.

**** – (): 19:29.21

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): Um, yeah, me too. Yeah, there’s no way. Yeah, there’d be no way.

**** – (): 19:30.33

**** – (): Anne van Midden

**** – (): Oh I Definitely don’t work from my bed I think my husband will think be not to but my base is hugely important because when we move to this house. This is the former garage on the ground floor. We live upstairs. Um.

**** – (): 19:32.66

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Ah, yeah for you that would be a little time.

**** – (): 19:40.90

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Okay, okay.

**** – (): 19:46.68

**** – (): Anne van Midden

**** – (): We completely remodeled it and I filled it with fintage furniture and flower paintings and a million faces. Um, but since I have this space I started creating larger pieces. So to me it. Ah it made a huge difference because before I just had like my living room and my dining table and.

**** – (): 19:54.22

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): Yeah, yep, the same.

**** – (): 19:54.78

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Yeah.

**** – (): 20:04.97

**** – (): Anne van Midden

**** – (): It’s just not sociably socially acceptable to make giants installations in your living room also because it has to be cold for flowers and I would turn the heating off and close the curtains and then my husband will be like um I live here too. Um.

**** – (): 20:09.19

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): Um, yeah.

**** – (): 20:10.86

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Then.

**** – (): 20:22.12

**** – (): Anne van Midden

**** – (): So he’s very happy I have mom own space and no beds for me.

**** – (): 20:22.20

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): What about both you.

**** – (): 20:23.54

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): Yeah, um, but yeah, definitely definitely for me I have my own little space. It’s in the house which I actually love because um because I have two young children I’m just basically yeah so I.

**** – (): 20:35.40

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): You have two young children. You look like one yourself.

**** – (): 20:41.90

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): I’m an old lady a very old but I have a 10 year old and I have.

**** – (): 20:44.31

**** – (): Anne van Midden

**** – (): Ah, s.

**** – (): 20:45.47

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Ah, when you look at your spread listen have you even looked at your spread with balloons and used as in this dress you literally look like 16 Don’t tell me.

**** – (): 20:49.50

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): Um, well yeah I wish no it is ad decades on top of that because I have I’m a ten year old and a 5 year old yeah so

**** – (): 20:57.35

**** – (): Anne van Midden

**** – (): Um, if.

**** – (): 21:00.26

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Oh my goodness. What happened.

**** – (): 21:04.41

**** – (): Anne van Midden

**** – (): Um, I’m glad you’re not 16 then.

**** – (): 21:04.87

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): Well well actually because because my paintings are deceptively young and joyful. But actually if you if you look at them because like a lot of see both of you I think Anna and Rudjoul when I listen to you, you’re you’re very much within the experience and it’s very tactile and everything but with. With me I’m often with my children and doing very boring stuff. So I I bought I bought these balloons one day with the intention of painting them and I was sitting and I was playing lego with my son and they were deflating I was planning to to paint them. But. Time illness preschool illness all that kind of stuff. Um, stopped that. But then as they were deflating I thought oh my god that’s how I feel I was so tired.

**** – (): 21:53.70

**** – (): Anne van Midden

**** – (): That.

**** – (): 21:55.33

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): And my youngest son has a heart condition so we went through a lot of rubbish with him where we almost lost him a few times. So for me this particular painting was the first one of deflated balloons that I did because it’s.

**** – (): 21:58.37

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Have.

**** – (): 22:03.49

**** – (): Rajul Shah

**** – (): So now.

**** – (): 22:11.99

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): Showing how I feel but yet trying to stay positive stay afloat essentially and keep going and so at first glance people think oh what joyful paintings but generally there’s always a. A deeper meaning behind it. It’s all about having some kind of negative influence in your life and trying to turn it around and and be positive about it and get through it. so um yeah so that if you if you listen to the story then you’ll see that I’m much older and I look much older than I look in that photo. Definitely I think it’s I just had a good photographer at the time. But.

**** – (): 22:55.84

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Ah, no, no, you still I.

**** – (): 22:56.50

**** – (): Anne van Midden

**** – (): You just have a good face. Don’t blame the photographer hey.

**** – (): 23:01.25

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): Thank you! That’s very kind. No one said that I’m 16 lately. So I’ll take it I’ll take it.

**** – (): 23:06.34

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Ah.

**** – (): 23:07.50

**** – (): Rajul Shah

**** – (): Um, um, my so I’ve I mean it’s all space. Um driven right? So in Japan. Um.

**** – (): 23:09.47

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Yes, worry about you rather.

**** – (): 23:23.20

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): Ah, not much space. Yeah.

**** – (): 23:25.31

**** – (): Rajul Shah

**** – (): It was a part of my bedroom not my bed but like part of the bedroom. Um, and then when we moved to and then it moved into the guest room and then when we moved to Singapore I was able to have a nice sized. Room and definitely it allows you to work on bigger pieces and it also I felt like it. It allowed me to be very um to to be looser if that makes sense you know I’m not like.

**** – (): 23:55.71

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Um, and and.

**** – (): 23:57.11

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): Um.

**** – (): 23:58.21

**** – (): Anne van Midden

**** – (): There.

**** – (): 23:58.65

**** – (): Rajul Shah

**** – (): Oh I don’t have much space and here I’m like I have all this space. So it’s a little bit more um I have take more big strokes I’ve found. So um, yeah, it’s ah and it’s a very nice sunny studio. It’s it’s kind of my heaven to be honest, so it’s it’s my space.

**** – (): 24:11.50

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): Yes, same.

**** – (): 24:17.91

**** – (): Rajul Shah

**** – (): Um I have like just going up there. It’s quiet and it’s bright and airy and um, yeah, so if if I’m sometimes I’ll just go up there first thing in the morning just so that I can start off my day with a nice meditative.

**** – (): 24:34.34

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): Yeah, do you feel like having your own space now means that you’re able to dream bigger because that’s definitely been for me to have my own space and then to get a big canvas and not feel like I’m cramped.

**** – (): 24:36.53

**** – (): Rajul Shah

**** – (): Attitude. So.

**** – (): 24:36.72

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Amazing.

**** – (): 24:52.89

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): Has been transformative for me. Have you found that Chiruka is going. No anna.

**** – (): 24:56.99

**** – (): Anne van Midden

**** – (): Yeah, absolutely I’m like I’m ready for a bigger space.

**** – (): 24:59.40

**** – (): Rajul Shah

**** – (): Um, well, it’s like your office right? It’s yeah and I mean it’s where I go to work. Basically so for me, it’s like it’s like I step out of our I mean my children are older. So I.

**** – (): 25:06.26

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Yeah.

**** – (): 25:16.41

**** – (): Rajul Shah

**** – (): Completely empathized chillu with what you were saying but you know that it’s like I can actually step out of my role as wife and mom and just step into my professional role as an artist and and the other projects that I do so.

**** – (): 25:17.41

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): I.

**** – (): 25:26.58

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Into the row.

**** – (): 25:28.10

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): Wow.

**** – (): 25:33.60

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Know That’s true. Yeah, now that we’re speaking about this each one of you has a very unique experience Work story. Um, what has individually each one of you.

**** – (): 25:36.12

**** – (): Rajul Shah

**** – (): For me. That’s what I but that’s what works for me right? Sometimes that doesn’t work for other people.

**** – (): 25:38.98

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): Are ah.

**** – (): 25:52.66

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): If I were to ask you in 1 1 word or in 1 way, what has been the biggest hurdle for you as a woman artist and I’m not I’m specifically asking you as a woman artist. What would you say that is has been at least.

**** – (): 26:06.95

**** – (): Rajul Shah

**** – (): Me.

**** – (): 26:07.25

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): For me, it’s time you ah okay I want to hear more about that.

**** – (): 26:13.20

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Um, let’s lift that let’s dive into that. Why do you see that.

**** – (): 26:14.56

**** – (): Rajul Shah

**** – (): Honestly. Yeah, I’m my own worst critic I mean I didn’t formally go to art school. You know I took I took classes at an art school I I studied under masters in Japan. But for the longest time I felt like i.

**** – (): 26:22.63

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): Ah.

**** – (): 26:36.21

**** – (): Rajul Shah

**** – (): Couldn’t I just felt like no one would take me seriously because I didn’t go to art school and that took me a while to get over. Um.

**** – (): 26:42.37

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): And what do you say now for anyone who feels that way who’s listening right now. What would you say how true do you feel about that now.

**** – (): 26:52.66

**** – (): Rajul Shah

**** – (): I would say there’s 2 parts of being an artist. One is your creative side and anyone can do that everyone has talent. Um, you just have to apply some learnings to it and you don’t have to go to formal school for it. So I would say go for it. Then there’s the business side of it which I think you have to figure that I think that’s hard for a lot of artists to kind of figure out. So and I I would say at least learn that part so that if you want to market yourself and brand yourself and. You know, public relations communications. All of that. That’s something you would want to learn whether you go to school or not but my whole thing is if you’re talented and you love it. Just do it. You don’t have to you don’t have to have gone to art school. You don’t just paint you know, just don’t think just do that’s.

**** – (): 27:43.74

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): Um, yeah I didn’t go to art school over. Yeah yep.

**** – (): 27:46.73

**** – (): Rajul Shah

**** – (): And of what I say.

**** – (): 27:49.82

**** – (): Anne van Midden

**** – (): And don’t like you’re in a critic take the wheel like I have the two I’m my worst I’m my own worst enemy ah but the most important thing is that you kind of have to accept that the inner critic is here to stay but you don’t want to let it take the wheel so it’s okay, you can sit there but I’m driving.

**** – (): 27:50.20

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Yeah, yeah.

**** – (): 28:07.10

**** – (): Anne van Midden

**** – (): Ah, depending on where in the world you are it might be on the other side I think um, but it’s like you can you can talk to me but you are not going to determine which route I’m going to take um but it’s ah it’s a learning curve for sure I agree like it’s taking a couple of years

**** – (): 28:08.99

**** – (): Rajul Shah

**** – (): Absolutely.

**** – (): 28:23.20

**** – (): Anne van Midden

**** – (): I’ve been in business for 12 years so you you would know you would think I would know better by now. But it’s still it’s still everywhere I know you will all have those days where it’s like I suck and you know those days are going to be there and you just have to accept it I think.

**** – (): 28:33.17

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Yeah, we all have those days.

**** – (): 28:34.78

**** – (): Rajul Shah

**** – (): Yeah, and and and we know that’s part of the creative process like we know that right that we’ve all seen that curve. But yeah, but it took me a while to be like well why can’t no wait I I can’t enter that competition. Why couldn’t I enter that competition just because I don’t you know.

**** – (): 28:41.74

**** – (): Anne van Midden

**** – (): Yeah, no, no.

**** – (): 28:51.42

**** – (): Anne van Midden

**** – (): Smith.

**** – (): 28:54.66

**** – (): Rajul Shah

**** – (): It just took me a while to empower myself to do the things that I wanted to do I don’t know if that makes sense. But.

**** – (): 29:00.92

**** – (): Anne van Midden

**** – (): Yeah, absolutely yeah.

**** – (): 29:02.65

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): Um, mine mine I was just I never like two years ago I just decided I’d take it seriously how maybe did um a six month One day a week course and then I got pregnant and then I did a couple of weekend watercolor classes and they actually transformed my thinking of color and everything. Um, but then I just started and I thought okay I’m going to do something and I’ll do a serious painting and I did a big. Ah, ninety Centimeter by one Twenty Centimeter painting took me many months and then I just decided to enter a prize with this first painting and I thought it’s just good experience and then I became a fine ones in it and then suddenly I was. Professional artist which and I’m still grappling with that because it’s just been um, ridiculous and I’ve I’ve felt a bit embarrassed and a bit fraudulent almost because it’s just been quite a quick trajectory.

**** – (): 29:53.20

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Yeah.

**** – (): 29:57.55

**** – (): Anne van Midden

**** – (): Fit.

**** – (): 30:11.44

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): Even though I’m an older lady and everything but um, but yeah, it’s for me, it’s been just not ah not thinking. Oh am I good enough. It’s just you know what? I’ll just throw my head in the ring and see where it takes me and I I feel like that.

**** – (): 30:26.38

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Now.

**** – (): 30:29.89

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): Um, has since then served me well so now I’m just throwing my art everywhere and everybody’s just got to look at it. So yeah and it seems to be yeah so I’ve just had my first solo exhibition and yeah it was it was um and it it was just.

**** – (): 30:37.49

**** – (): Anne van Midden

**** – (): Um, high school.

**** – (): 30:44.57

**** – (): Anne van Midden

**** – (): Call here.

**** – (): 30:45.70

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Congratulations.

**** – (): 30:49.72

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): To see my little boys go there and my husband they were very key to encouraging me because I felt worthless before that as a mother nobody cared whether I existed or not except for my children and husband.

**** – (): 30:58.30

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): A rough.

**** – (): 31:03.82

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): And they were very key during the pandemic of coming to my easel and saying what have you done? What what did you do last night show me and they’d always say lovely things and that kind of healed me and and brought me to where I am now I suppose. So.

**** – (): 31:16.46

**** – (): Anne van Midden

**** – (): Um.

**** – (): 31:22.34

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): Anyway, I’ll stop talking. Oh oh.

**** – (): 31:24.12

**** – (): Anne van Midden

**** – (): Know that what’s amazing.

**** – (): 31:29.23

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): Yeah, yeah.

**** – (): 31:30.10

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Amazing. Okay, um, let me ask you a quick rapid fire. Are you ready? You guys have to be quick. Okay, 1 word, we’ll go with ra you chilu and Anna. Okay.

**** – (): 31:30.30

**** – (): Rajul Shah

**** – (): That’s really cool.

**** – (): 31:40.56

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): More more. Okay.

**** – (): 31:41.39

**** – (): Anne van Midden

**** – (): Okay.

**** – (): 31:49.35

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Okay, ah what inspired you to become an artist 1 word quick and fast. What about you chilo 1 word.

**** – (): 31:55.67

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): Oh to get my son talking I don’t know to help my son to talk sorry that’s not 1 word.

**** – (): 31:56.74

**** – (): Rajul Shah

**** – (): Monet.

**** – (): 32:05.72

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): What about you honor? It’s okay, okay, um, okay, my next question What is the most important lesson you’ve learned throughout your art career so far.

**** – (): 32:08.42

**** – (): Anne van Midden

**** – (): Ah, nature nature. Absolutely.

**** – (): 32:23.43

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): But these are very in-depth questions for rapid fire. Ah see I’m buying you time Reg.

**** – (): 32:29.10

**** – (): Rajul Shah

**** – (): Um, ah um I think um, don’t doubt myself.

**** – (): 32:31.27

**** – (): Anne van Midden

**** – (): Um.

**** – (): 32:34.37

**** – (): Anne van Midden

**** – (): Um, yeah.

**** – (): 32:37.61

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): Yeah, be yourself? yeah.

**** – (): 32:40.32

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Yes, what about you tilu.

**** – (): 32:43.60

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): I think I think definitely be yourself. Yeah.

**** – (): 32:50.14

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Anna ah what advice would you like to give to other women artists who are entering into the art trying they’re me paving their parts.

**** – (): 32:52.19

**** – (): Anne van Midden

**** – (): Ah, don’t holt yourself back. So kind of in the same what they said you know.

**** – (): 32:52.19

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): Yeah, yeah.

**** – (): 33:08.39

**** – (): Rajul Shah

**** – (): Don’t listen to the rules just paint what just just create what you feel.

**** – (): 33:11.32

**** – (): Anne van Midden

**** – (): Nuts.

**** – (): 33:11.54

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): Yeah, and just put it out there. That’s what I would say from what I’ve learned is just throw it out there and and see see what the reaction is if it if it doesn’t work. That’s okay, just try again.

**** – (): 33:18.30

**** – (): Anne van Midden

**** – (): Yeah, and state. Yeah.

**** – (): 33:28.91

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Okay, yeah, how did I find the motivation to keep creating. Oh you had something to say.

**** – (): 33:29.47

**** – (): Anne van Midden

**** – (): And stay true to who you are.

**** – (): 33:30.23

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): Yeah.

**** – (): 33:33.90

**** – (): Rajul Shah

**** – (): Yeah, definitely yeah, sorry no I was just saying definitely stay true because I have noticed when I when I try to paint something I think someone else will like it’s not my best work.

**** – (): 33:46.24

**** – (): Anne van Midden

**** – (): Yes, no.

**** – (): 33:49.89

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Sorry we ras you went on mute.

**** – (): 33:50.80

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): Ah.

**** – (): 33:57.82

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): No I can’t hear.

**** – (): 34:02.41

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): You’ll have to unmute yourself. Sorry if you see in front of your name. You’ll see a mic You just have to click on it again. Yes.

**** – (): 34:10.34

**** – (): Rajul Shah

**** – (): So Sorry Oh yeah, sorry I didn’t know what happened um was I saying oh yes, please days true to yourself because what I found is when I have tried to paint something that I think someone else would like it just isn’t It’s not good I don’t feel good about it. So staying true to yourself is definitely the most important thing.

**** – (): 34:29.57

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): I Like that.

**** – (): 34:29.62

**** – (): Anne van Midden

**** – (): Steps.

**** – (): 34:30.97

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): Yeah I definitely got I’ve been getting advice. Lots of advice from well-meaning people about where I should go and what I should do. Um and I’m normally quite gentle and accepting. But. Now that I’m at this point in my life I Just think life’s too short to just be somebody else. It’s it’s torture. So um, yeah, yeah, yes, exactly exactly.

**** – (): 34:55.10

**** – (): Anne van Midden

**** – (): Yeah, and they always give advice from their point of view. They don’t know your point of view. So it doesn’t mean anything.

**** – (): 35:04.21

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Who are.

**** – (): 35:05.23

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): Had a few upset people who who’ve thought why aren’t you doing what I suggested I think because it doesn’t make my heart sink. Yeah yeah.

**** – (): 35:10.63

**** – (): Anne van Midden

**** – (): Well then you go do it? yeah.

**** – (): 35:13.28

**** – (): Rajul Shah

**** – (): Yes.

**** – (): 35:16.93

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Um, okay, 1 last question what is creative success or success for you individually as an artist as women. What does that look like for you. What me? what does being successful mean to you if.

**** – (): 35:30.22

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): Yeah, is this a 1 word answer again.

**** – (): 35:32.42

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): That heads.

**** – (): 35:37.61

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): And god because I was thinking what’s 1 way who wants to go first.

**** – (): 35:37.71

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Ah I’ll give you some grace.

**** – (): 35:42.41

**** – (): Rajul Shah

**** – (): Um, yeah.

**** – (): 35:43.00

**** – (): Anne van Midden

**** – (): I’m glad I’m lasting row right? you.

**** – (): 35:47.33

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Who’s blank first. Yes.

**** – (): 35:49.30

**** – (): Rajul Shah

**** – (): Um, always me. Okay, um, for me, um, success is when the viewer of my painting ah feels a sense of meditation and renewal. Um.

**** – (): 36:05.87

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): Oh it’s lovely I’m happy I was thinking my first you get first? Um, ah.

**** – (): 36:06.22

**** – (): Rajul Shah

**** – (): When it makes them feel better.

**** – (): 36:07.57

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Um, yeah, what about you now? yes.

**** – (): 36:20.44

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): Yes I know I am I am.

**** – (): 36:20.83

**** – (): Anne van Midden

**** – (): I’ll go first you but you have to think about it then um, yeah, dig deep. Ah I think to me when I get to successfully share my story with what I create and make other people feel seen and heard. Ah, by connecting my my emotions and what I’ve but been through ah in my arts because being seen is like a big part of my I don’t know childhood trauma I think not 1 word. Sorry yeah.

**** – (): 36:47.28

**** – (): Rajul Shah

**** – (): Um.

**** – (): 36:48.31

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): Yeah, wow, That’s a yeah, um, um yeah I know I know well there’s there’s multiple layers of success I suppose but.

**** – (): 36:50.56

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): I gave you grace now. It’s your turn to you can’t run away for far too long.

**** – (): 36:58.10

**** – (): Anne van Midden

**** – (): Yep, Tiktok.

**** – (): 37:02.61

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Yes.

**** – (): 37:05.47

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): At the core of what my purpose is um, what drives me to be in this podcast and showing my face is that I um am donating 15% of all my profits to the hospital that saved my son’s life many times.

**** – (): 37:23.20

**** – (): Anne van Midden

**** – (): Yeah.

**** – (): 37:24.16

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Oh wow, That’s so wonderful. Um.

**** – (): 37:24.59

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): And they will Yeah ah thank you and and they will They will continue to save him because our journey is not over unfortunately. But for now we get to enjoy life and so an artist doesn’t earn that much. But I’m praying and hoping that by the end of my life.

**** – (): 37:33.51

**** – (): Rajul Shah

**** – (): Are.

**** – (): 37:41.46

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): That that yeah.

**** – (): 37:44.42

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): That I will have made a significant contribution so that at the core of everything is what I define as success which is why I’m trying really hard to build up my profile so that there is value to my art so that that’s what I would define as success but that’s when that’s. When I die when I die will be when I get success 16 right time? yeah.

**** – (): 38:06.32

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Um, yeah, yeah, you have a long way to go I bought lots of lots of willoons in colors to the people that you love and share you your work.

**** – (): 38:07.11

**** – (): Anne van Midden

**** – (): Um, which is not for a long time since you’re 16 Yeah, that just gave me chills.

**** – (): 38:11.20

**** – (): Rajul Shah

**** – (): Um, yes, but.

**** – (): 38:23.87

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Look at this bed that you have it already shares so much of light and positivity. So I can’t even imagine what it feels like to be even you know meeting you and looking at your work So you know you’re already making a lot of impact.

**** – (): 38:26.38

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): Ah, oh that’s so lovely. Ah trigger. Ah, that’s so lovely I hope I hope so.

**** – (): 38:35.83

**** – (): Anne van Midden

**** – (): Feel it.

**** – (): 38:40.71

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): I mean it just you know it’s really interesting. The people that some of the collectors that I’ve bought my work. They know my story and like 1 lady that bought one of my paintings. Her son has a ah ah disorder and so she understands and that’s what motivates. Some of the people to buy my pieces is because they have been through something really awful and they they get the message. Um and that that ah is another level of success is talking to my collectors and and seeing them be. Emotionally.

**** – (): 39:07.12

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Yeah.

**** – (): 39:17.71

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): Invested and understanding of of the story behind my work. So yeah, anyway, it’s it’s it’s all been wonderful. No no, it hasn’t all been wonderful but by and large it’s been wonderful I mean I find it really hard to negotiate the art world.

**** – (): 39:30.97

**** – (): Anne van Midden

**** – (): Okay, you.

**** – (): 39:31.19

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Yeah, yeah.

**** – (): 39:35.42

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): Because I’m so new to it. But otherwise you know yeah meeting the people that actually buy it. Oh my gosh. It’s just been so rewarding anyway is that are we done.

**** – (): 39:48.13

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Thank you guys I am so so grateful to have this wonderful chat with you and to know you and share with our listeners and readers more about you. Um I will remind again everybody and I’ll have one last question that you can find let me also tell.

**** – (): 40:03.17

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): Are.

**** – (): 40:05.60

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): You can find these wonderful ladies in the studio visit book volume three and I know you can find um Anna on page number one seventy two you can find radul in the article which is how art share their inspiration.

**** – (): 40:13.97

**** – (): Anne van Midden

**** – (): Um.

**** – (): 40:23.14

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): And you can find chilu on page number 40 and you can find the book on our website which is the suri visit book volume 3 1 last thing before how do you want to share any of your experience on how has that been working with us our project if you have any, there’s no compulsion. But if you want to give us a review. Um.

**** – (): 40:31.48

**** – (): Anne van Midden

**** – (): Um, yay.

**** – (): 40:37.90

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): Ah.

**** – (): 40:42.35

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Feedback or testimonial anything.

**** – (): 40:45.10

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): I’m just so grateful because well I said this off air. But I’m so grateful for you cheruka for creating something that gives a forum to women artists around the world because there is a massive gender disparity. Um, within not just the art world but the entire world but to give a voice to women is is really significant and it’s in in many ways. It’s helping me change my life. So and that’s what you’re doing with with all of us here So art.

**** – (): 41:13.66

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Or.

**** – (): 41:17.90

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): I Know all of us are very grateful. Yeah yeah I Love meeting you both? Yeah yeah.

**** – (): 41:20.12

**** – (): Anne van Midden

**** – (): Yeah, absolutely also to meet my fellow artists that because when we we have talked that’s amazing like it’s so it’s a community as well. Just the instant community for the book which is yeah.

**** – (): 41:21.54

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): That is extremely kind of you. Um.

**** – (): 41:24.46

**** – (): Rajul Shah

**** – (): Um I think yeah yeah, me too I think it’s yeah and know I I think it’s wonderful. What you guys are doing and all the opportunities that you’re.

**** – (): 41:30.82

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Yeah, that’s always been our.

**** – (): 41:42.21

**** – (): Rajul Shah

**** – (): Putting out there for our voices to be heard and see our art to be seen and I hope you keep doing it for a long time because I think women are definitely underrepresented in the art world and while I say that from a um.

**** – (): 41:50.52

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): Um, ah.

**** – (): 41:53.70

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): Yeah.

**** – (): 42:00.37

**** – (): Rajul Shah

**** – (): Ah, monetary standpoint but I feel like a woman’s voice in general is very underrepresented. So I’m I’m so I am also grateful for what arts to hearts project is doing So thank you.

**** – (): 42:03.70

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): And just I second that.

**** – (): 42:04.51

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): Yeah, that beautifully put and.

**** – (): 42:06.90

**** – (): Anne van Midden

**** – (): Yeah.

**** – (): 42:12.40

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Thank you so much rajo that means a lot to us. Thank you so much for a few. It’s been very exciting to know to see you beyond the spread to see your names beyond the emails. We bothered you a lot. This has been.

**** – (): 42:18.71

**** – (): Anne van Midden

**** – (): Man.

**** – (): 42:26.50

**** – (): Anne van Midden

**** – (): To to.

**** – (): 42:29.26

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): I also love I think I was also speaking to my team about it like you know what’s the most interesting part of making these books together is the part we make the book together. There’s so many there’s a lot of back and forth. Um, and I think that’s it’s such a creative process for us also because we you know we are looking at each spread again and again. Looking at okay this spreads look more. You know we’re also looking at this spread and you know why I feel like I remember Tilo’s Anna’s spread and having rajuul in the article section is also because you know we’re reading about them and we’re looking at it. Okay, you know, um, i. I know Chilos energy. But now I also got to know your story have a voice to it and it’s such a. It’s also an intimate process because you know it’s it’s the community part while we’re doing this that we get to connect with each other and you know yeah like you have been in the process. It’s a very open-ended process. You know we are always replying and you know taking your feedback. How does this image look you know if you want to change it text. How do you like your spread and when we put this together because you know when we think of an idea. Um, ok, you want to create a book that focuses on. Let’s see. We’ve been working on a floorral art book.

**** – (): 43:25.42

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): Um, yeah, yeah.

**** – (): 43:41.88

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Ah, for artists like Anna and we close that and we’ve been working on that from the idea to six months later having a book in our hands. It is extremely overwhelming but it’s also a lot of lot of hard work and it gets a lot hard to work and sis sniffed through and you know makes so many logistical things happen. But.

**** – (): 43:50.74

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): Yeah.

**** – (): 44:00.94

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Like Raju said we truly believe as a small company who’s really trying to push it with whatever we can um with your support because if you guys don’t support us if you don’t believe in the same vision that we do if you don’t believe in your own voice. We really cannot make a lot of those things happen. so thank you so much thank you everybody who also listened to this episode and I only wish and say that um, please continue to support the work of these amazing artists by very very few simple things you can do you can share this episode. You can share their work on Instagram tag each 1 of them arts to us podcast why you listen to this podcast their work and Instagram handles will be mentioned in our article you can buy a copy of the studio visit book volume 3 you can buy their work. You can recommend to a friend you can subscribe and follow each other I think. There are so many incredible ways that we can support ah the work that we do you do and each other because there’s growth and successes only when we collaborate and move together I truly believe that and I really hope that happens for all of us.

**** – (): 45:05.98

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): Yeah, oh that’s beautifully put that’s lovely. Yeah, it’s lovely to meet you all now I’m just so excited that I got to meet all of you.

**** – (): 45:11.63

**** – (): Rajul Shah

**** – (): Um, yeah, thank you? Yep! Thank you Toruka Very much.

**** – (): 45:12.12

**** – (): Anne van Midden

**** – (): Amazing. Thank you so much.

**** – (): 45:14.10

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Thank you so much guys. Any parting words you want to say yes Tilu has something.

**** – (): 45:23.46

**** – (): Rajul Shah

**** – (): Um, same Yes, yes.

**** – (): 45:23.58

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): And I’m going to go on to Instagram ah, and find you all are you all on Instagram yes, okay.

**** – (): 45:24.44

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Same here. Yes and we link everybody’s Instagram on our show notes ah work of tilu andnna andro in our show notes of this episode. There are links on Instagram and website.

**** – (): 45:27.90

**** – (): Anne van Midden

**** – (): Um, yeah.

**** – (): 45:41.35

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): So please take some time and look at their work look give them a small comment share some kind words and do support the project by buying the book and by supporting their work by also buying their work isn’t that you deserve. Yes.

**** – (): 45:54.20

**** – (): Anne van Midden

**** – (): Yeah, and never feel like sending a Dm or leaving a commentist too much because a lot of people feel like I don’t want to like stalk you or arrest you but we love like you see our comments from people and from fellow artists because we’re just people behind the screens and not like giant even if the account is.

**** – (): 45:59.00

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Yes. Struck us.

**** – (): 46:06.51

**** – (): Rajul Shah

**** – (): Um, yes, love comments. Love them. Yeah.

**** – (): 46:07.50

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Ah, yes, yeah, yeah.

**** – (): 46:13.81

**** – (): Anne van Midden

**** – (): Huge, We’re just still people So we love the genuine comments. Yeah yeah, that’s you Yeah yeah, yes I have co-workers. Yeah, absolutely.

**** – (): 46:14.72

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): Yeah, yes.

**** – (): 46:15.62

**** – (): Rajul Shah

**** – (): And most of us work alone. So when I have other artists commenting on my work I feel like oh okay, cool. You know it’s nice to have. Yeah.

**** – (): 46:24.11

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): You know I Actually I am I am such a hermit and I have to say that being within social Instagram has really raised my my feelings about myself and confidence. Because you have these people that are just so invested in you and just so kind Anyway. So I found I Found it to be a really positive experience for me. Yeah.

**** – (): 46:44.77

**** – (): Anne van Midden

**** – (): Yeah.

**** – (): 46:51.21

**** – (): Anne van Midden

**** – (): Yeah, so yeah.

**** – (): 46:52.11

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): My last quote is also that you can also find them on women in Arts Network Our sponsor for this episode So we’ll also link them. Thank you so much guys. Thank you for your time. Thank you for making this book a wonderful experience for all of us for spending your time energy and art with all of us.

**** – (): 46:54.73

**** – (): Rajul Shah

**** – (): Yep.

**** – (): 47:01.20

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): Thank you so much.

**** – (): 47:02.20

**** – (): Rajul Shah

**** – (): Thank you.

**** – (): 47:05.25

**** – (): Anne van Midden

**** – (): Um, and you.

**** – (): 47:11.94

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): And we only hope this collaboration turns into many more collaborations and success for all of us. Thank you? Ah, you will have to wait one second sorry.

**** – (): 47:15.27

**** – (): Chilu

**** – (): Oh that’s wonderful. Thank you so much. Thank you.

**** – (): 47:17.40

**** – (): Anne van Midden

**** – (): Thank you so much.

**** – (): 47:18.94

**** – (): Rajul Shah

**** – (): Yes, thank you.

About the Guest(s):

• Chilu is an Australian artist who specializes in still life paintings. She finds relief from anxiety through painting and uses her art as a form of meditation. Chilu’s work is influenced by storytelling and she aims to evoke a sense of joy and positivity in her paintings. You can find Chilu on Instagram.
• Anne van Midden is a floral artist from the Netherlands. She creates temporary installations using flowers and branches, often incorporating photography and video to capture the beauty of her work. Anne’s art is inspired by nature and she aims to make viewers feel seen and heard through her creations. Visit Anne van Midden’s website to explore her art.
• Rajul Shah is an abstract mixed media artist painter from Singapore. She focuses on the chakras of the human body and blends the art of Kintsugi with spiritual concepts. Rajul uses her hands to create texture in her paintings and finds art to be a meditative space that helps with her anxiety and depression. Check out Rajul Shah’s portfolio on her website.

Episode Summary:

In this episode of the Arts Two Hearts podcast, host Charuka Arora interviews three talented artists from around the world: Chilu from Australia, Anne van Midden from the Netherlands, and Rajul Shah from Singapore. Each artist shares their unique journey and creative process, highlighting the therapeutic and meditative aspects of their art. They discuss the importance of staying true to oneself as an artist and the challenges they have faced along the way. The episode emphasizes the power of art in healing and self-expression, and the joy that comes from sharing one’s creations with others.

Key Takeaways:

• Art can be a form of meditation and a way to find relief from anxiety and depression.
• Staying true to oneself as an artist is crucial for creating meaningful and authentic work.
• Success as an artist is not defined by external validation, but by the ability to connect with others and evoke emotions through one’s art.
• The creative process is unique for each artist, but it often involves a combination of intuition, experimentation, and self-reflection.
• Art has the power to heal, inspire, and bring joy to both the artist and the viewer.

Notable Quotes:

• “Art is more than just a creative outlet for me; it’s a form of meditation and relief from anxiety.” – Chilu
• “I fell in love with painting and found that it allowed me to express myself in a way that words couldn’t.” – Anne van Midden
• “I focus on the chakras of the human body and blend the art of Kintsugi with spiritual concepts.” – Rajul Shah

Charuka Arora is the founder of the Arts to Hearts Project and Host of the Arts to Hearts Podcast. She is also an acclaimed Indian artist known for her contemporary embellished paintings. Her unique blend of gouache, collage, embroidery, painting, and drawing explores the intersection of art, culture, heritage, and womanhood. Through her work, she tells stories of female strength and encapsulates them in pieces that can be treasured for generations.

Charuka’s work draws inspiration from Hindu mythology, recognizing women as vessels of Shakti, the cosmic energy. She beautifully portrays powerful goddesses like Durga Maa riding a tiger or lion, symbolizing their unlimited power to protect virtue and combat evil.

Through her art, Charuka invites us into the world of women, showcasing their beauty, strength, and resilience. Her creations not only exhibit exceptional talent but also serve as an inspiration and a symbol of hope for those challenging societal norms.

Arts to Hearts Podcast is a show delving into the lives and passions of renowned artists. From running creative businesses and studio art practices to cultivating a successful mindset, Charuka Arora engages in heartfelt conversations with her guests. Experience your personal happy hour with your favorite artists, right in your studio.

Through candid discussions, Charuka and her guests reveal the joys and challenges of a vibrant creative life, both within and beyond our studios. Get ready to be inspired and uplifted as you tune in.

Chilu

Chilu is an emerging artist based in Cammeraygal Country, Australia. Her work is emotionally driven and always searching for the silver lining. From coming 7th in the state in Visual Arts in NSW, to studying a Bachelor of Creative Arts/Law, Chilu has been a web designer, graphic designer, illustrator, creator and owner of “Miss Lulu’s Dessert Parlour”, mother of two and now artist – where she has always wanted to be.

Rajul Shah

I am an international mixed-media artist whose work engenders respite and renewal from the chaos of daily life.  My work is an exploration of interconnection between the ancient art of kintsugi, the spiritual world of chakras, and the emotional resonance of color. “Renewal” is a visual representation of the transformative power of embracing imperfections, the balance of energies within, and the vibrancy of the human experience.

Anne van Midden

I’m Anne (she/her), a floral artist & educator, based in the Netherlands. I’m specialised in natural -foam free- floral designs and large scale installations that evoke emotion. They are unique, memorable designs that challenge the way you see things. I guess I’ve never been average. But life is too short and I am too tall to fit in a box anyway.

I also teach floral design to beginning florists, both offline and online. I’ve had the pleasure of hosting students from all over Europe in my studio and guided international groups during destination workshops abroad. My online flower school crosses both borders and timezones, with members from Canada to New Zealand. Flowers are great, but to me, they are nothing without the community around it!