00:09.99
charukaarora
I am equally excited before we begin I have let me say let me ask this question. How long does it take you to make one piece I mean I was blown away I was like how. How many hours How long. Do you stay in the studio every day.
00:31.28
Alessandra
Oh my god that’s a good question. Um, so every piece is different. Um, you know so there’s the bigger pieces which can take months you know, um and then there’s the smaller pieces which can take weeks or just a month um so for example, like the pieces that are the butterfly like where there’s butterflies are on the faces and things like that those are my fastest um because yeah, well because I really I I feel really confident drawing faces and you know that’s what I’ve been doing since I was a kid.
00:55.40
charukaarora
Um, lao.
00:58.28
charukaarora
Yeah.
01:05.13
Alessandra
Is drawing face I just love drawing faces. It’s one of my favorite things to do. Yeah, it’s just you know I don’t know why I I still all like fifteen years later I still get a kick out of it. Um, so yeah, so that’s definitely the fastest but even those are still you know in some cases three weeks months it depends.
01:05.73
charukaarora
Charlie.
01:23.91
Alessandra
Sometimes faster sometimes shorter the bigger pieces can be. You know one of my recent ones for my solo show. It’s on and off I’ll be working on it on and off for maybe you know three or four months
01:36.89
charukaarora
Well.
01:38.58
Alessandra
So to speak and I’ll I’ll take a break from it and then I’ll come back to it and I’ll work on it and then I’ll sit back from it. So it’s kind of hard to answer but around around those ranges sometimes I try to keep it on I try to keep it to 2 at the max as crazy as that sounds.
01:44.29
charukaarora
How many pieces do you work at a time.
01:57.00
Alessandra
Um, but you know with my recent solo show I had to kind of that was difference obviously so that had I think a total of like 21 22 pieces and you want to make sure all of the work is cohesive with each other. Yeah, so you know I would focus on.
02:09.81
charukaarora
Great. Yeah.
02:16.95
Alessandra
1 to 2 at a time and then as the show got closer and closer then I kind of started spreading out and you know polishing all of them all at once if that makes sense. So yeah, yeah, yeah.
02:19.39
charukaarora
Drug. Best.
02:25.61
charukaarora
Yeah, yeah, absolutely I think I approach similarly.
02:33.18
Alessandra
I saw your work by the way and it’s really really beautiful as well. Like the embellishments and things like that. Yeah, there’s like this 1 portrait piece that just like blew my mind that I just loved um, but anyway yeah.
02:34.17
charukaarora
Thank you so much.
02:43.13
charukaarora
Thank you so much. Okay, tell me something do you I I have this question like so a little context when I started um painting I mean I was I think I was more influenced by crafts all my life because I was into it I was into fashion.
02:52.75
Alessandra
Um, and.
02:58.33
Alessandra
You.
02:59.91
charukaarora
I was doing a lot of embroideries. Always my mom was a big like I come from that background but painting was something that um like as an act of practice I started when I decided like I started getting into the arts a couple of years ago five six years seven years um
03:05.30
Alessandra
Um, yeah.
03:15.30
Alessandra
Um, yeah, yeah.
03:16.61
charukaarora
But what I realized when I actually started out I had this huge burst of colors. So my like my palette at that point um was a lot of colorfuls like you know then I eventually figured myself I don’t know how.
03:21.89
Alessandra
Um, yeah, yeah.
03:31.55
charukaarora
But it became a lot more restricted colors. There’s a lot more gold. There’s a huge amount of black and then I’m I don’t know why and I see the same with you because you have the same color palette as I do do ever feel the for like this Earth you have colors and like do you balance it off in another way like.
03:35.98
Alessandra
Are.
03:41.86
Alessandra
Yeah, yeah.
03:50.59
charukaarora
How do you approach your work in that context.
03:51.35
Alessandra
Ah, ah, that’s a great question. So I know for me, it’s funny because I’m actually going like almost like the opposite trajectory that you’re talking about where I’m wanting to integrate more color. But the reason that I started out without color is because when I was first. Starting out. Um you know to me? What’s really important in my work is that there’s a balance between lights and darks and tight patterns and open patterns like you know painters compose their work in terms of light I compose my work in terms of of pattern and um.
04:15.86
charukaarora
Um, okay, um, yes.
04:27.60
Alessandra
You know, which is why there’s that kind of a flatness field to it and I found that by limiting my palette to just a couple different tones it enabled me to really focus on perfecting that and really getting that down.
04:28.18
charukaarora
Yeah, okay.
04:42.66
Alessandra
And so now I’m finding myself slowly very gently very slowly integrating more and more although I also you know that’s 1 reason the other reason is because I always really liked the you know there’s an artwork by da vinci. Um.
04:50.66
charukaarora
Yes.
04:58.72
Alessandra
And forgetting the official name of it. But it’s unofficially called the Burlington House cartoon um and if you look at it. It just has one of the most glorious it just it feels like a sacred object I don’t know any other way to describe it and I was always so inspired by like that like that limited color palette to me.
05:09.19
charukaarora
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
05:18.25
Alessandra
Kind of lends this feeling of an artifact or you know something. That’s yeah, very ancient and I really like that effect So I am working to integrate some more color in but what I’m working on right now is making sure that we.
05:20.62
charukaarora
Yeah.
05:26.61
charukaarora
Yeah.
05:36.30
Alessandra
That I keep that kind of aged feel to it. Um without just a yeah exploding with a ton of you know because I’ve integrated red and I think that that does continue to keep that older feel. But now there’s you know, greens and purples I’m playing with although don’t quote me on it.
05:38.13
charukaarora
I Love that.
05:44.37
charukaarora
Um, yeah, yeah.
05:54.57
Alessandra
It might all fall apart. It might not work. This is just what I’ve been working on ah God knows it does fall apart all the time. Ah so yeah, yeah, I love that? Yeah um.
06:00.50
charukaarora
Um, no, but that’s strange That’s a process isn’t it I mean look at this work like I may just I think 2 your 3 years back and a worked or if you would see like I really have like a transitional like. Every time I feel like a work is finished and then I evolve and I look at it I’m like no this isn’t finished and then go I go back in so this one was actually full of colors and as I evolved I was like no yeah and like I feel like this this. Thank you.
06:16.67
Alessandra
Um, and him.
06:23.88
Alessandra
Um, yeah, oh was it really? Wow It’s beautiful.
06:34.83
charukaarora
I Feel like there’s this transition where I feel like I will have this sudden urge of having colors around me or in my work and I would make something and paint something and that would satisfy my soul but I always felt like that part of me was dwells into some part of my life. But if I if I feel like.
06:39.77
Alessandra
Yeah. Million.
06:54.80
charukaarora
Really who I am I would always like always gravitate towards the palette that I’m working on right now with the tin just like you know play here and there and when I saw your work something that came to my mind mystic that is what you know.
07:08.56
Alessandra
That’s that’s good. That’s good that makes that warms my heart because that’s definitely ah I Just I Love magic I You know and mystic and things like that. It just makes me happy. Um, that kind of thing. Um, you know that trying to kind of childlike imagination. Really um.
07:15.22
charukaarora
Yeah.
07:23.86
charukaarora
Yeah, yeah.
07:26.14
Alessandra
Undergirds all of it. But um I don’t know so okay, that makes me really happy to hear you say it because it’s definitely what I’m going for.
07:31.94
charukaarora
No, and actually so that’s you know what? So that’s how I also so how I describe my my work and my aesthetic is like ah the maharani I don’t know you so Maani is the hindi hindu word or the hindi word for um royals and so.
07:39.91
Alessandra
Um.
07:45.15
Alessandra
Um, okay oh yeah, yeah yeah.
07:49.34
charukaarora
Ah, Queen a royal and I have always been inspired like I loved indian aesthetic of like you know these royal palaces who have like these golds and like these lights and this I wish I could show you my carpet I’m going to show you just after.
07:58.84
Alessandra
The most beautiful yeah the most beautiful please? Yeah, okay yeah I would love to see.
08:08.45
charukaarora
Yeah I So I was like I have always loved loved like this like a black sorry and those gold jewelries and like I I live for it I Love I Just ask I can’t wait to in these oh my goodness.
08:17.78
Alessandra
Yeah savi assacchi kills me sorry side note right? Oh oh this huge influence like that’s like those are the influences like that is to be 1 of the the highest forms of art was the stuff that he’s creating.
08:25.23
charukaarora
Oh you Oh my Oh my God Oh Wow I Am oh my God I have to spam you.
08:37.38
Alessandra
It’s like Beyond comprehension beautiful. But anyway please continue I’m sorry yeah.
08:42.44
charukaarora
I literally will have to spam you after this I mean I the moment like like you know what I have a sit so I’ll show you things later but like this thing like I have this new set in the studio now which is like a um.
08:44.64
Alessandra
Please do please do? yeah.
08:55.11
Alessandra
Um.
09:01.11
charukaarora
Handcuffed um, handcuffed furniture and I got it from like India has so much influence in that context like how how it’s one side is this royal colorful. Um, beautiful bright colors but something that I obsess over is like you know.
09:09.88
Alessandra
Um, yeah, yeah.
09:19.72
charukaarora
The the Royal side of it The Royal palaces the carpets. You know the lights and the leads and the coals and the plaques and the drawings and you know all of that. Oh mine come right.
09:24.31
Alessandra
Um, yeah, ah yeah, yeah, the visual density like that that is just so it’s just almost but I think the thing I’ve always that’s so amazing about it is There’s such and there’s so much visual density and yet there’s harmony.
09:39.82
charukaarora
Yes.
09:41.81
Alessandra
It’s so hard to have so much decoration and yet make everything feel harmonious and balanced and yet in the anesthetic typically like that is again like I think I’ve said earlier you know masters at that in particular just like in my opinion in comparison to the rest of the world like.
09:53.49
charukaarora
Yes, and I am I will I will I like I think and that is what art and I feel like the bridge of art and life is like you know.
09:59.97
Alessandra
Um, so so cool, Please send me all of the stuff because yeah I I like have a mild obsession I Love it. Yeah.
10:09.63
Alessandra
Yeah, yeah.
10:11.40
charukaarora
How it bridges like the clothes we wear like you know I think India in its context in its in its original context like my mom’s wardrobe I splluge over it like the jewel she had and you know um I think and you so you start to find that connection within you and who you are and where you want to be even.
10:19.19
Alessandra
Um, yeah, yeah.
10:29.60
Alessandra
Um, yeah.
10:30.74
charukaarora
That means like in in in terms of your mindset in terms of what you’re imagining and what you’re dreaming you feel like you’re being teleported into a place that may be or may not exist.
10:37.49
Alessandra
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, absolutely absolutely I can see that in your work as well. Like I really can see that kind of feel that like in terms of what you create that kind of transport. Um, yeah, so anyway.
10:54.90
charukaarora
Let’s talk about your influence where do you think your influence of this is coming from.
10:54.80
Alessandra
No, it’s so much fun. Yeah sure. Okay, yeah, um, well so it’s a bunch of different places because so I went to um so it’s a bunch of different places. You know I went to an art school for college and I remember being in college and feeling like I majored in.
11:08.49
charukaarora
Look it.
11:14.22
Alessandra
What’s in something called commercial illustration. Um, which as a field is going through a lot of upheaval right now. But um I kind of realized when I was there that it wasn’t what I wanted to do. But the reason I had felt and never felt like I could go into fine art was because my influences were so different.
11:15.50
charukaarora
Okay.
11:33.41
Alessandra
From what a lot of the people I knew who are you know doing fine art were yeah so my influences um tend to be you know? ah a lot more decorative a lot more. You know people I think somebody would call it. Um, you know like a lot more kid white. Love.
11:37.52
charukaarora
Indie.
11:44.12
charukaarora
Um, yeah.
11:53.29
Alessandra
Like the pre-raphaelites I love um, yeah I just I adore ah pre-raphaites you know I love Alphonse Mua you know all of that gustavve clint. But in addition to all of them.
12:04.17
charukaarora
I love.
12:08.50
Alessandra
Clint um, you know and like I mentioned earlier one of my recent obsessions is sa asacchi and I’m like obsessed with his patterns and his jewelry design and um, you know so yeah sorrys I love yeah indian like and I really truly like indian aesthetics throughout history and contemporary aesthetics. You know Anita dongre.
12:10.92
charukaarora
Um, oh yes, saudis.
12:22.76
charukaarora
Yes I have to show you my books.
12:27.50
Alessandra
Um, yeah, you have to please. But then there’s also um japanese aesthetics like I’m obsessed with this artist named Fuuko Matsui who works with um she does something called. Um I’m going to butcher the pronunciation on this upkio a.
12:42.45
charukaarora
Ah, okay, oh well. Yes, yes.
12:43.76
Alessandra
Um, Japanese bliska japanese silk painting you know? So yeah, yeah, yeah, so there’s a million different and then obviously um, da vinci has is like an undergirding influence with all of that. Um, you know into everyone from the yeah the renaissance and botticelli and all of that.
12:53.92
charukaarora
Yes, absolutely.
13:02.11
charukaarora
Janisar. Um.
13:03.36
Alessandra
So it’s like you take all of that and Harry Potter I love I know that sounds crazy. Yeah yeah.
13:05.17
charukaarora
Oh yes, it’s like the baruch age mixed with new classics and like yeah the vintage and the royals all coming together.
13:15.35
Alessandra
I love it. Yeah and I think you know and I think you you take all of that and you put it in a pot and then you mix it with the fact that I also really love like fantasy books and like I love ah like yeah like wheel of time series Brandon Sanderson yeah so like I’m a big reader.
13:22.10
charukaarora
Yeah I can make that out.
13:32.53
Alessandra
So yeah, you take all of that you put it in a pot and then you put in like all of that and ah I guess what I make is kind of what comes out right now. So yeah, it’s um yeah I think so no, it didn’t.
13:42.75
charukaarora
Ah, did your work always look like this What kind of work were you doing before this.
13:51.54
Alessandra
Um, when I was in college in particular I was you know one of the really wonderful things about Pratt was that which was the college I went to um was there was a real. Um, there was a real push to explore and try as many things as possible. So you know I did I learned how to paint although i.
13:58.42
charukaarora
Yes.
14:11.38
Alessandra
Garbage at oil paint I cannot do it I don’t know why it just doesn’t click with me I It’s really I’m really bad at it. Um, but yeah, everything from oil paints to doing sculpture to doing woodworking to collage. Um, you know so because of my schooling I got to do.
14:28.74
charukaarora
A lot of things.
14:30.53
Alessandra
Almost every like ah all sorts of medium which was great. Um, and as I continue to refine you know through this process I kept asking this question. You know, like if I were to close my eyes and walk into a gallery and see the most unbelievable. To me how I define the most unbelievable jaw dropping work ever. What does that look like and I would try to imagine what that looks like and I would sit with it and I would envision it and I try to do this exercise at least once a year because it kind of guides the next steps. So my work has kind of.
15:01.74
charukaarora
Yeah.
15:07.90
Alessandra
It’s it’s come into where it is um but I don’t know if that yeah I didn’t mean to go off on a whole separate tangent. But yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, so that’s kind of like that’s kind of how how it develops and.
15:07.81
charukaarora
Yeah, yeah. No, no, please go, please go. But that’s why we yeah.
15:26.77
Alessandra
And I found that that exercise in particular really helps crystallize that vision like okay this is where I want to go you know like this is where I want to be if that makes sense. So yeah, um.
15:32.66
charukaarora
Yeah, yes, yes, it does but okay, tell me something. How do you bridge this gap between you know, just was what’s striking me right now is um, like.
15:50.63
charukaarora
The work that you create is this. It feels like this whole world that you’re creating within you. You know this mystical and like magical you have these faces and um, the butterflies. The flowers, the goals and like you know, um versus when I see you.
15:57.83
Alessandra
Um, he.
16:10.16
charukaarora
Um, I feel I can feel that you know you like as you’re saying like with our work and I feel this and within me too like with our work we are slowly navigating of who we were who we either truly are irrespective of where how we are at that point and navigating.
16:25.66
Alessandra
Um, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, absolutely no I think that that’s I think that that’s a really really good way of putting it and I think it’s.
16:29.27
charukaarora
Is through that like.
16:40.70
Alessandra
You know it’s a process of finding what brings you know what? what? what? What makes you excited to sit down and create like I think you know it’s It’s this this process of figuring out like what? what do? what do you? This is for me and I feel like it must be the same for you? um.
16:45.57
charukaarora
Yeah.
17:00.62
Alessandra
What do I feel would be really really wonderful If it existed like what aesthetically do I think would be kind of what is the apex of what I want to see you know in the world and and that through that process. It’s kind of this.
17:02.72
charukaarora
Yes.
17:09.32
charukaarora
T.
17:17.90
Alessandra
Going down a rabbit hole of joy I guess I know that sounds really like trite and um, you know, whatever. But um, but I really really feel like that’s that’s what it is. You know the creative process like I don’t really buy this myth of the creative needs to have darkness and sadness and.
17:17.45
charukaarora
Yeah, me.
17:26.62
charukaarora
Yeah, yeah. Oh Absolutely not.
17:36.29
Alessandra
All of this. No, it’s just I like that’s when I make my worst work is when I’m depressed. You know like I don’t know it’s but you know that’s just me, everyone’s different there I’m sure there are other artists were absolutely not did humanity Greatest works come from suffering. It’s like I.
17:38.73
charukaarora
Yeah, absolutely. Absolutely.
17:54.72
Alessandra
I Can’t argue I don’t know just me. Yeah.
17:55.69
charukaarora
I think you know I think I think it’s a great point and I would really like to point a but point about this or like you know, just share what I feel I think the past two years um ever since I lost my mom um I had this like I had this intense.
18:04.77
Alessandra
Um, sure please I’m sorry.
18:13.21
Alessandra
Of course.
18:13.61
charukaarora
Grief pain that have never never never never like experienced and I wouldn’t I really wouldn’t know as much as I hate to say this I As much as I hate to say this at some point I thought like you know everybody says like I never had like I didn’t I had you know I didn’t.
18:18.12
Alessandra
Um, yeah.
18:33.46
charukaarora
Have any kind of like extreme pain before you know my mom something like life changing and traumatizing as this it was pretty hard and ever since those 2 years things have been have felt very different and harder for everything that happened and continues. Ah, and I thought maybe you know and i.
18:39.41
Alessandra
Um e.
18:46.26
Alessandra
Are.
18:53.25
charukaarora
I Really feel bad about saying this I Absolutely do. But I really want to be honest because I’m I’m sure like there are so many other people out there. Um I was extremely blocked I felt I just never had the courage to get into the studio I was struggling. But. And the back of my mind I always kept saying like you know, maybe maybe if I have this profound grief within me. Maybe that’s going to put bring out the artists in me, you know because that’s that’s how you know the like how that’s what we’ve taught.
19:15.61
Alessandra
Are the.
19:26.11
charukaarora
Like you have to talk something important or like you know, painting out art or like things like that from my personal experience that never happened I just I never found joy in creating. But here’s something interesting that happened through those times and months and year of.
19:28.38
Alessandra
Um, yeah, yeah, yeah.
19:45.33
charukaarora
Feeling that pain I figured that that pain whenever I brought that brain to my work. It was taking me away from my work even more because I felt that pain so much and that then something that I truly loved was creating and my own work when I was bringing that pain within that it would.
19:55.22
Alessandra
Um, yeah.
20:03.87
charukaarora
Constantly like it would constantly remind me of that and it was taking away the joy and it didn’t work for me and I would like okay I was going here and there and then something happened the work that I’m creating now I feel personally for me I’ve never felt so much attached I have never felt so much aligned.
20:08.39
Alessandra
Um, yeah, yeah, yeah.
20:23.13
charukaarora
And so much in my body and so like okay this is who I am this is who I want to be I want to go and see where this takes me and honestly I I will not credit my pain for that I will credit that when I was I felt that I was feeling that pain in my work because I did try.
20:30.69
Alessandra
Um, yeah.
20:34.84
Alessandra
Um, yeah.
20:42.14
charukaarora
To process my pain in my work because I had to consume my feelings in some way but when the moment I started to actually relieve my pain and think of it. So my body work all the work that I’m doing really started when I started thinking about my mom. The things. Brought me joy like her jewelry like her love for fashion her clothes my cut my heritage and I wanted to find comfort and I couldn’t find that comfort in the pain but I could find comfort the pain in to go away from that pain. So now when I step into the studio I’m not thinking about.
21:01.80
Alessandra
Oh wow.
21:17.59
Alessandra
Um, in the love. Yeah.
21:18.78
charukaarora
Yes, and I’m celebrating and I’m like I’m I’m preparing for a solu show and that’s happening on. Thank you and that’s actually happening in arts to heart our sta. It’s it’s going to be I haven’t put it this out yet. But we’re working on the gallery opening and I was like you know.
21:25.22
Alessandra
Ah, congratulations see.
21:36.31
charukaarora
My mom’s death anniversary is coming and I always read that day I I just I cannot and my mom’s anniversary and my birthday and you know all of these things come together and I was like I just I want to skip this month I’m like you know what I’m going to celebrate her She always wanted me to do this.
21:50.11
Alessandra
Are the.
21:53.56
charukaarora
Are going to open the gallery I’m going to do a so and it’s going to be just on the day when she passed away because I don’t want to do it I mean I’d rather live that day celebrating her than I would write that day and and you know something that’s that’s you know that’s the notion Sometimes people.
22:03.10
Alessandra
Wow I thought is beautiful like yeah, please continue. Yeah.
22:12.35
charukaarora
Um, tell you the half story and they don’t actually tell you the other half those of the story. So yes, if I technically see pain really changed my work of you know way of working my work and everything but it wasn’t the dwelling on the pain that brought all of this. It was choosing not to dwell in it.
22:15.62
Alessandra
Um, to.
22:31.52
charukaarora
And to find joy into it to create like and I was like you know what I’m going to make this show like a dream show that I know that is going to celebrate her like the real royalness and like you know all of those things that I would have wish she would have been here but if she is in I’m still going to celebrate her.
22:48.65
Alessandra
Yeah, absolutely and you know that she like is looking down in her way and like would almost prefer that you know I think that’s this really really beautiful. Um, and it sounds like such a great. Yeah great approach to it too to open on that day.
23:02.54
charukaarora
Yeah, yeah, like and yeah, go ahead. No you go ahead, you go it.
23:04.69
Alessandra
Um, that’s so exciting. Yeah, yeah, completely and I think you know and I Oh yeah, please continue Sorry no well and I think that there is something to be said like there are artists I know who have processed grief through their work like they’ve brought that that anger that sadness or that.
23:16.85
charukaarora
Yeah.
23:23.76
Alessandra
Depression and they’ve they’ve brought it to their work and they’ve processed their work that way and that that can happen too and that can work I think it’s when you know there’s that stereotype of needing to be a tortured artist to be successful and that’s the one that I think I personally take issue with.
23:25.35
charukaarora
Yes.
23:35.15
charukaarora
Um, yes, yes, yes.
23:43.38
Alessandra
Um, you know, but I don’t know I guess you know there’s a lot of artists. Yeah.
23:46.54
charukaarora
No, and I think I think a lot of artists as we as artists a do did you but feel. Okay, um, did you ever fail Um, unworthy or let’s say with. Ah.
23:54.48
Alessandra
Um, what are.
24:02.97
Alessandra
Every day every day like this whole thing I really thought sorry actually I don’t want to interrupt you and just jump in but I have a feeling where you’re going with this? No um, yeah, you know what? it’s so funny because I think when I was in college and.
24:05.85
charukaarora
Ah, no, no, no yes.
24:20.87
Alessandra
You know I hit a point where I was like I need to do this like I’m going to make a living from art and I have to figure out a way to do it and my work was not very good in college like I was you know, not nowhere near like nowhere you’re near even like the medium level like every all of my classmates if. You know there’s ah, there’s a spectrum of the best people this pertains to what you were going to ask I promise so like in in terms of like if there was a skill set hierarchy and like the students who struggled the most were here and the best students are here I was solidly right here and there was a point where I was like I need to get better.
24:56.37
charukaarora
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
24:59.23
Alessandra
Need to get a lot better if I’m going to be successful at this and um I remember thinking to myself like 1 of one of the things I noted throughout my early 20 s was first off that was a really hard but necessary period of growth. Um, but there was this constant. Distant carrot of okay when I get into a gallery when I show in a group show in my first gallery then I’m going to feel like I’m enough and then it was when I sell x number of pieces then I’m going to be enough then it was when I sell out.
25:26.70
charukaarora
Um, yes, yes yes mom. Yeah yeah.
25:37.62
charukaarora
Yeah, yeah, that I’m going to feel. Yes.
25:38.18
Alessandra
Ah, show whatever then I’m gonna feel like an enough and then it’s like when you have a soul when I have a solo show and this just happened then I would to be up and finally I kind of realized recently it was like I’m never going to feel like I made it like it’s never goingnna feel. It’s always gonna feel scary.
25:50.87
charukaarora
It’s Fillna. Yes.
25:55.79
Alessandra
Because you know you can look at it from the outside and it seems like everything’s working and fine and like and I feel so lucky and blessed to be able doing this every day like that is the 1 blessing that I’m just really try to never take for granted and making ah money enough money that I can make a living off from this like.
26:03.95
charukaarora
And discipline.
26:14.15
Alessandra
Every day I wake up and I thank you thank you? But that feeling of having it figured out feeling like I’m safe feeling like everything’s gonna work. Ah, it’s.
26:14.94
charukaarora
They cook.
26:21.88
charukaarora
Yeah, yeah, not gonna happen to.
26:30.27
Alessandra
It’s never going to eat I really think I’ve come to terms recently. It’s like you know this is an illusion and that’s okay, it’s okay that it’s an illusion I think that’s where you are going right? like I because I completely steamrolled you. Okay, what’s your part 2 Sorry yeah.
26:32.32
charukaarora
Same.
26:37.71
charukaarora
Yeah, yeah, yeah, but I have a part two and no I like it. No I think this is great because you spoke about something that’s I think we all like we seem to find this validation.
26:48.26
Alessandra
Okay.
26:53.79
charukaarora
Ah, that comes from external matters like okay, you will have a solo show or if people like your work enough if you do this enough if you do that if you have these people in your you know in your circle if you have this bear gallery in your name if you have this and like there’s so many levels of feeling worthy that the and I think the more I think as I have grown.
26:54.45
Alessandra
Um, yes, yeah.
27:05.63
Alessandra
The.
27:13.47
charukaarora
In the past couple of years I have always felt that as you grow that the aspiration of feeling worthiness also grows with you. So it’s like yeah you got that show but by the time you’ve got that show you realize your aspirations have gone like at least that’s been the trajectory for me.
27:20.31
Alessandra
And.
27:31.45
charukaarora
Like.
27:31.51
Alessandra
No a hundred percent no it is ah yes your aspirations grow and then also this illusion of security you know, never quite like you know? Yes, you get a bit more secure.
27:44.50
charukaarora
Yeah.
27:45.44
Alessandra
You know? Yes, you’re able to like if you’re selling your work for a higher price every time you sell a piece you get a bit more security right? And so that’s true, but there’s always like there’s like I I think I’ve been waiting. Yeah.
27:51.60
charukaarora
Yeah.
27:58.46
charukaarora
But you know what I have I I have I want to I want to say about something about this I think sometimes it’s not security I think as I’ve grown Udo and with everything I’ve built my conviction I Think what’s changed is my conviction has changed.
28:03.89
Alessandra
Yeah.
28:11.55
Alessandra
Um, please.
28:16.81
Alessandra
You.
28:18.16
charukaarora
My conviction has changed as much I think before I didn’t know what was possible and how I made that possible today I’ve done quite a few things that I know how I did it I know that it’s ice made everything from the scratch and if I could do now. Yeah show I have a little money.
28:22.50
Alessandra
Are.
28:36.61
charukaarora
I Know at least I’m not fending off the streets or like you know I’m I don’t have enough but I also know if I go back there I Still know how to get a backup. What’s different matter is different.
28:39.44
Alessandra
Um, yes, absolutely.
28:46.81
Alessandra
That’s True. That’s true I Think that’s very true and I think that’s the beauty of that is one of the most the I would say the most gratifying facets of this process of artistic growth is you know. Yeah, continuing to learn continuing to grow continuing to to improve upon where you’re ah where you are where you’re trying to go you know I think um, yeah, you know that you could get there again and I think um.
29:17.63
Alessandra
I feel the same way to a certain degree. There’s another part of me that feels like there was a lot of I was very lucky like there was a lot of luck in entail it for me as well at every step of the way like very very blessed to be able to go to art school first starting point like especially in the United States like where a school is so expensive.
29:25.89
charukaarora
But yeah, yeah, yeah, ever expense it is.
29:37.41
Alessandra
And you know so that that was very very just that was a privilege um, you know when other things like the the privilege of being able to live in New York city and so there’s I I totally agree with you. There’s a facet where it’s like okay I know how to get there again. But then there’s another facet of man. You know there there was a lot that I was just really breathtakingly. Ah lucky with you know and it’s it’s it would be remiss to also acknowledge without acknowledging that you know so yeah.
30:00.96
charukaarora
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah I do understand that fact I think privileges but I also I think I would really like to act something that I think there’s no such thing as just luck and just hard work. Um.
30:11.19
Alessandra
Sure.
30:18.30
Alessandra
Um, so.
30:18.30
charukaarora
I Think we we are all definitely a lot more privileged. We have Roofs over our head foods on the table I think that is a privilege apart from that I think we have to always like like you have to make things work. Ah, you have to constantly like.
30:22.81
Alessandra
Um, yes, yes yeah.
30:33.20
Alessandra
Are.
30:37.76
charukaarora
Work towards it even if it’s not working at that point I think that’s ah something I’ve learned at least that I mean I mean I have done so many things in the past few years that haven’t worked at all like I would keep at it keep at it keep at it keep at it keep at it and at times I mean I’ve closed 2 businesses.
30:42.10
Alessandra
Um, and.
30:50.18
Alessandra
Um, yeah, yeah, me too by the way. Yes.
30:56.48
charukaarora
I did a fashion I mean I did a fashion design course I started a fashion business I made Kim Clothes and when I decided to shut that down I was so miserable because I felt I felt like a failure I felt like everything I had prepared my life for because I always wanted to be a fashion designer and when I did did and I felt like okay.
31:13.21
Alessandra
That’s so hard.
31:16.18
charukaarora
I have wasted all of these years of education hard work creativity and I don’t know what to do with it for a very long time. My work had nothing to do with it and suddenly it came here now. My work is all about it like I’m using all of those scales. All of my I never let go of my materials. Can you imagine my first.
31:19.62
Alessandra
Yeah.
31:32.50
Alessandra
Yeah, yeah.
31:35.72
charukaarora
First box of embellishments from was from that back like from that business that I had never let go I was like I I just can’t let go of these embroids I I don’t know what do I do with it but I need to I just need to keep it and I yes and I moved I used to live like I still live on rental apartments but ah.
31:47.70
Alessandra
Um I need to hold on to him. Yeah.
31:51.82
Alessandra
Are.
31:54.22
charukaarora
I used to have very small spaces and barely foot in myself and I was I would have like these I I love holding things so I would hold these things and then I would move from 1 apartment to another for years. Never use them one day during the lockdown and I was like.
31:59.76
Alessandra
Yeah.
32:10.79
charukaarora
I don’t know I feel like let me do something with this I opened that box and that was my first day of adding embellishments to my drawings and painting things and you know.
32:16.87
Alessandra
Yeah, yeah, you never know you never know where the pathways are going to take you how the interests and I think that it ties back into really the importance of just continuing to follow and make what you love because I feel like so long as you hold onto that one.
32:29.83
charukaarora
Yeah. Yeah.
32:35.77
Alessandra
Thing It will always come back in some way like so long as you’re building on something that you love You can’t predict how it’s going to come back and contribute in your life but it always will.
32:43.29
charukaarora
Yeah.
32:51.12
Alessandra
Because because because that’s the guiding principle of why why you make things so that foundation it’ll always you never can go wrong with it. It will always come back that investment of time and energy and effort will always pay off in some way. Yeah, and even if it doesn’t then yeah, whatever.
32:52.20
charukaarora
Yeah.
33:00.70
charukaarora
Yeah, and what if it doesn’t and if what if it doesn’t I think we constantly I think I figured like the more offset about things the harder they become the more I let them go they come on their own if they need to be when they need to be.
33:11.88
Alessandra
Yeah.
33:18.77
charukaarora
I Mean not like a woowoo kind of thing but also like we we I think any time when I’m trying to push things too hard I miss out on details that seems so so obvious that when I let it go I’m like oh my God That’s how that is what it was meant to do Okay, that’s how things happen.
33:35.10
Alessandra
Yeah, yeah, yeah, no I think you’re completely right? I think you’re completely right? It’s just yeah and and again as well. Like I think you know it’s funny because like I had this my husband and I had this crazy experience.
33:36.27
charukaarora
Okay, this is how it’s going to work out.
33:50.34
charukaarora
Um, okay oh Wow Never met us soul who wouldn’t say this.
33:52.39
Alessandra
Um, we used to live in Maui hawaii for about 2 years yeah it was pretty pretty great. Um, it was pretty great. Yeah I know right? Um, we now we currently live um in the Hudson Valley just in New York we lived I lived in New York on it off for 13 years but
34:06.56
charukaarora
Me me.
34:11.69
Alessandra
Finally decided we wanted a house and to get to the woods. But anyway while we were in Maui this pertains to what we were discussed. We were discussing. Um, we had the craziest thing happen and like this was on the news. You know it was a whole thing. Um, but we got.
34:25.42
charukaarora
Okay.
34:28.60
Alessandra
Everyone got a text message on the island and like in all of Hawaii um, yeah intercontinental ballistic missile imminent take shelter. This is not a drill every single Hawaii resident got this text message I was in the shower I was taking a shower. My husband knocked this.
34:30.69
charukaarora
Really.
34:47.91
Alessandra
I Promise this irrelevant my husband knocks on the door I’m in the shower I’m like what what you need to get out of the shower immediately and he shows me this text we’re hearing people screaming at our window. Everyone is panicking on the island and it’s very clear like this was like a notice from the government like saying like.
34:53.91
charukaarora
My god.
35:03.20
charukaarora
Um, called government catch shelter.
35:07.88
Alessandra
Like and at this point there was a lot of tension with I think it was North Korea it was like I mean we didn’t think that they could have the capability of sending a missile there but you know when you get this kind of a text you’re like like this is not a drill all caps every other resume. So.
35:15.44
charukaarora
Do something who knows yes yes.
35:25.91
Alessandra
Anyway, the whole point is everyone thought it was real and we thought that it was said like 17 minutes until impact was like the kind of thing and we lived right by the harbor ah like the the harbor of our island so I was like this is.
35:34.48
charukaarora
God.
35:45.57
Alessandra
So we genuinely thought like we really might be about to die like we really might be about to have this nuclear strike um like on Maui Hawaii but whatever, um you know and um I know and you know I have to say.
35:48.19
charukaarora
It’s going to enter? yeah.
35:56.30
charukaarora
I Still I’m having goose bonds.
36:04.24
Alessandra
On one hand I was completely freaking out but on the other hand there was a very very quiet voice in my heart and in my soul that like I paused and I said I don’t have any regrets.
36:16.87
charukaarora
I Love that.
36:18.70
Alessandra
I Lived exactly the way that I meant to like I don’t have any regrets like if this is really it. Um, you know what? like I have chased beauty in the things that I’ve loved every day and I’m so grateful and I’ve lived exactly the way that I’ve wanted to. And obviously it ended up being a drill and there was this whole inquiry and it was a scandal and it was a big deal and it was on the national news and there was no missile and we had a gigantic my tie on the beach. Um, but I sat back after and I was like Wow that was an interesting lesson.
36:42.63
charukaarora
And how.
36:53.20
charukaarora
God.
36:54.62
Alessandra
Like I’m fine like I I have no regrets. What were you gonna ask before I’m sorry by kind of steamroll you? Yeah, it’s got of crazy right? yeah.
36:58.72
charukaarora
Who my God I’m taken away with this story right now. Um I’m thinking again? Oh my God This is like like and see you know how I mean for someone it mut it. It wouldn’t be as life changing like let’s say whoever did this. We don’t do I mean what’s happening. We don’t know but a simple text.
37:12.92
Alessandra
No yeah.
37:18.47
charukaarora
Which led to nothing let’s say could would have changed so many lives because at that point for you. It was real that you may or may not survive this you you ask yourself questions that you wouldn’t have like like.
37:20.62
Alessandra
Um, yeah.
37:25.61
Alessandra
Um, yeah, really thought yeah 17 minutes still a nuclear bomb might be hitting close by like what the thoughts right? I don’t know if I’m allowed to swear on your podcast.
37:37.42
charukaarora
Yeah, no, you’re good my goodness I can’t I still can’t believe this do you think that was did that lead you to New York
37:42.80
Alessandra
Yeah, yeah, yeah, you ask some serious questions. What what did you say? Yeah I don’t know So no yeah, sure sure.
37:55.00
charukaarora
Okay I have an interesting question. What changed what made you I’m sure when you asked yourself you said you just said that you felt content and you had no regrets but the moment you realize. Okay, this was not real and you still have a lot more time you must have like I think.
38:03.95
Alessandra
Um, yeah, yeah, yeah.
38:14.30
charukaarora
Moments like these even though how trivial they are. They’re so monumental and they change your functioning your wiring in in such a way that you like you you think differently, you make your choices differently. Um, how do you think has has that shaped you or changed you or impacted you.
38:26.38
Alessandra
Um, yeah, you know what? what’s interesting about that is I think what it was so how do I answer this? um.
38:43.36
Alessandra
So I’ve always been the kind of person who has been deeply anxious. Um, you know like I have a full on like I have had like a full on panic disorder like the whole thing and by that I mean like so like I always I never have wanted to be this way but I’ve always been the kind of person who.
38:48.17
charukaarora
Okay.
39:03.40
Alessandra
You know people like like my friends and family might like roll their eyes at because I’m like like we can’t like I don’t know like like with covid I was like this is real. You know or but I also can like freak out about like ah you know if my husband’s too late at like ten thirty I’ll be like are you? Okay, you know like can you just.
39:18.63
charukaarora
Ready. Yeah yeah.
39:22.10
Alessandra
Tell me like you’re not in a car accident right? You know so I’m I’ve always kind of been like a very ah almost in it irrationally and my friends and family would say anxious person. Um, so what that manifests is though is that I’m always I can’t help myself I’m always.
39:39.80
charukaarora
Stressing out.
39:41.66
Alessandra
Well kind of thinking about yeah and in that way I guess I’ve always thought that like I kind of so as a as ah, a weird result of that is um because like that’s unhealthy. That’s not good I Do not recommend that way of living to anyone.
39:42.84
charukaarora
How it could go wrong. Thank you.
40:01.34
Alessandra
But 1 of the weird results of that is that I’m constantly questioning am I living according to my values and what are my values and like so when that happened you know this is going to sound a little like I don’t want it to sound arrogant because that’s not what it is. It’s.
40:06.30
charukaarora
Yes, yes, yes, yes.
40:19.85
Alessandra
It’s born out of something like not exactly healthy, but the result of it is It was more confirmation that every that the way I am living according to my values and that so it is so the questions that you know people like people talk about it like for them. They kind of sit back and are like.
40:26.65
charukaarora
Yeah.
40:37.89
Alessandra
You know things in my life changed from then I it for me, it actually didn’t because it like I feel like I’ve already always kind of had a kind of like crazy perspective of like why am I doing this? What’s the purpose of my life and it confirmed it. You know, ah does that make sense.
40:43.86
charukaarora
Had that.
40:53.79
charukaarora
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
40:55.32
Alessandra
You know what? I’m saying with that like yeah, um, so it was It was honestly more of a relief like hey man this is great like I’ve been really really I’m I’m yeah I’m living life the way that I really feel like I’m meant to be um if that makes sense. Ah yeah, yeah I don’t know so.
41:03.16
charukaarora
I’m going in right track. Um, yeah, yeah, oh Wow Ah story to tell he did.
41:14.21
Alessandra
But everyone’s different. My husband was funny. He didn’t have any reaction like he was like he know he was He’s so okay with death. It’s like I like I’m sitting. There’s like like ah the chicken like chicken little like freaking out and he’s like Alessa if we’re gonna die like. Let’s just sit on the porch and smoke a cigarette and I’m like freak. Ah he’s like way more wise. Yeah yeah.
41:38.63
charukaarora
Ah, but you you know what? I think I I think I was before my mom I was pretty scared I hadn’t like I my grandparents passing someone I’ve been very close to Phil that so I’d see little pockets of you know this.
41:51.20
Alessandra
Oh now. Is.
41:56.00
charukaarora
Experience but never never the past two years the amount of grief and pain I’ve felt and seen not only after my mom’s passing but also in different parts Consequentially I was I felt like I always felt like I was that chicken I would lose out myself I would.
42:05.17
Alessandra
Of course.
42:14.97
charukaarora
So I’ve had severe anxiety panic attacks for ever since I was a child severe as in like really hard ones and for for the first one and a half two years I was they escalated to the roof like literally to the dov like my partner I think thank god to him like.
42:20.17
Alessandra
You.
42:33.65
charukaarora
I Think the way he has dealt with because you know when you have someone in your life like this. It’s not easy. It’s not easy for them. But it’s also not easy for people close to them. Yes, but something then changed the moment I started accepting that the more real it became.
42:42.27
Alessandra
Um, around them of course. Yeah, um.
42:52.33
charukaarora
The more I think what shifted was I started to find peace with it. Okay, if this is because you know when I felt like I was a person who was trying to hold on to a lot of things and then when I had to like I was forced I was forced by nature to open my hand and let go and. I found another way to hold that I mean of course I mean I still do so many things that I would like to hold on to my mom the memories and whatever. But then I started to become okay with letting go accepting it and then so things like Swift and like my reactions to things like I mean I would overthink I still overthink a lot.
43:21.99
Alessandra
Um, yeah.
43:28.14
Alessandra
Um, yeah.
43:30.28
charukaarora
But it’s chains like I can see I can feel that letting go like okay if it’s this is what’s going to happen. So be it I think that shifted.
43:38.66
Alessandra
Yeah, yeah, that’s so important being able to learn I Actually I don’t want to interrupt you though I’m sorry were you? Yeah no I mean I think it’s it’s funny because on that note, um.
43:42.68
charukaarora
If yeah, no I done no.
43:52.56
Alessandra
That’s it’s really funny that you talk about that because I think um, I’ve also recently this is very very recent like I said I used to have problems with panic attacks like the imminent nuclear threat moment in my life did not solve that but that was that was not a. That did not fix that um, but funny enough meditation has actually the past two years I don’t want to say that it’s yeah like I don’t want to say that it’s been cured. Um, but you know I’ve really got into buddhism and there’s ah, there’s a.
44:18.25
charukaarora
Um, ah yes, yes, yes.
44:31.80
Alessandra
Branch of Spirituality and buddhism called non-duality and it’s all around this kind of stuff and like learning to really let go and um and also really to pay attention to the change. That’s you know, constantly surrounding us.
44:32.53
charukaarora
Yes, yes.
44:40.94
charukaarora
Yeah, um.
44:48.45
Alessandra
Um, and how big the narratives are that we build up around everything. Um, that has had a profound effect on for me my mental health and um, you know, daily functioning and happiness without a doubt and it’s yeah, no, please what? what.
44:49.87
charukaarora
We Yeah yes.
44:59.00
charukaarora
Yes, yeah, and I think like value Sorry wait I think this is where my part two was and let me take you there. You know something that um.
45:08.40
Alessandra
Yeah, yeah.
45:17.19
charukaarora
Our day to day the changes and I think value. Um, you know the to us question of feeling worthy. Um something when I was going through and I I still feel like I’m still in those waters that really helped me really like really 3 things my journal.
45:34.81
Alessandra
E O E.
45:36.19
charukaarora
Getting up early in the morning in Journaling I think something if I had to credit like really pulling me out. It wasn’t the people it wasn’t anybody it was my journal yoga practice just meditating having yoga in my life. Um.
45:49.25
Alessandra
Um.
45:54.46
Alessandra
Um, yeah.
45:55.70
charukaarora
Even when I felt like I was cro kid I wasn’t doing oh I was like I didn’t care about how good I wo was what level of yoke I wanted to do none of it all that matters was I needed 1 hour to myself. But I could like I just could and 3 was my dogs because that was one part of my life that.
46:03.63
Alessandra
Um, yeah.
46:10.70
Alessandra
Um, yeah, oh yeah.
46:15.20
charukaarora
Never like you know I think with with people we feel this inhibition like okay with you know I think it’s it’s it’s different when you have an experience like that you you try to hold yourself back or like I don’t know it just works very differently and as minute as these things are they were the three like.
46:17.62
Alessandra
Are.
46:35.60
charukaarora
Piars of how I was st drivinging my board I was like this was my lifeboard if the day I wouldn’t turn I know I would have these thoughts that I needed to put in paper like I really needed to confront myself or I needed to have the a few days I’m no we with my dogs or I’m not around them I know that I’m not feeling that touch I’m not feeling that um. Love or um, if I don’t give myself that 1 hour of yoga or even if I’m not doing yoga 1 hour of anything spiritual. Ah India is a lot about spirituality and religion but also spirituality. It’s like just listening to mancha so like having um.
47:02.18
Alessandra
Um, yeah, yeah.
47:13.23
charukaarora
Hearing those things and having you know praying to go to like anything like that it it changed my world. It literally changed my world and that is where I realized that sometimes I think another thing I ask someone on. Yeah so critical Merchant is amazing Indian artist and I asked her this question that.
47:30.77
Alessandra
Um, one um.
47:32.59
charukaarora
Do you have so this this strife between decorative arts and art that needs to be political. All needs to have this kind of purpose or like something profound or grief or something like that and I always felt like in the beginning I always felt like and I think a lot of artists have this problem. They feel like they have to say something.. That’s so much profound that has to have so much value that has to be like ground breaking or something like that and I twisted my way and I realized like for me this is groundbreaking for me my journal.
47:53.56
Alessandra
Um, ah yeah, yeah, oh yeah, oh yeah.
48:09.42
charukaarora
Is groundbreaking for me just making pretty flowers. Yes, that’s enough.
48:14.59
Alessandra
That’s enough. That’s enough if it’s great if it’s enough for you Sorry I don’t I don’t want to interrupt you I totally feel so passionate about this though Totally please continue. Yeah, Okay, okay.
48:17.37
charukaarora
Yeah, know, yeah and this is my question. This is your no your turn now sharing my question part 2 was did you feel the strife of being finding making out worthy enough decorative art. The term decorative. The weight it brings the weightage of saying something you have to have to have to like you know like the the parameters of weight that we feel with you know how good you are an authors off.
48:47.14
Alessandra
Oh my god I think yeah I mean I think that it’s yes and I think yeah, an an emphatic yes and I think that only until I let that go because. You know I so I went had him you know again I went to art school in New York City and the art world in New York City is an interesting place. Um, on one hand it’s on 1 hand. It’s it’s yeah well on one hand, it’s wonderful because you know there’s.
49:16.36
charukaarora
I allow you but did.
49:23.95
Alessandra
There’s so much and it’s so it’s so dense and there’s so much. There’s so much to absorb on the other hand. Um, what I make ah isn’t really um, seen as like part of that It’s not seen as the.
49:38.53
charukaarora
Because it’s art. Yes, yeah.
49:42.36
Alessandra
Important art narrative like I I kind of had to give up in order to make what I love I Kind of had to give up on this idea of ever being the big fancy pants artist because.
49:54.50
charukaarora
Yeah.
49:56.77
Alessandra
For example, you know there’s really well I don’t know of many other paths other than like Bellll Whitney or the whatever or you know the like I don’t know Pace Gallery you know these major major major galleries that the pieces are selling for like a million dollars a pop and the people who buy them. You know it’s like. They’re being put into these like vacuum sealed temperature controlled areas because they’re investment pieces like my work will never be part of that and I probably people are going to get up like my gall should probably be very annoyed with me for saying this because I’m not supposed to acknowledge this publicly or whatever but like come on like this is a fact.
50:31.46
charukaarora
Yeah.
50:33.68
Alessandra
Like what I make is it’s it’s all of the things you’re not supposed to make in the New York art scene. Um, it’s illustrative which is a red letter word. Apparently I don’t care. It’s illustrative as hell. Ah, it’s decorative which is you’re not supposed to do ah, it’s um.
50:37.28
charukaarora
Yeah, yes, yes, it is.
50:53.17
Alessandra
It doesn’t really have a greater social Commentary. You know it could be categorized as ah, it could be categorized as fantasy art by someone and you know what I’m making it because I because I Absolutely love it and I found that the people who collect it. People who love it I had to kind of acknowledge that at a certain time’ like you know I screw it I’m not trying to get into any of these but I know what I will What will happen is I am going to make this my whole life. You know I’m never going to stop I’m never this is this is my my raisone. You know this is like.
51:15.90
charukaarora
Yes.
51:23.22
charukaarora
Yes.
51:30.77
Alessandra
My my entire what I’ve dedicated my life to and I had to kind of accept that that path isn’t a path I’m going for and that I’m going for a completely different path like I’m it doesn’t need to be super important. It doesn’t need to be historic. It doesn’t need to be anything like that.
51:39.15
charukaarora
Are we going from.
51:49.88
Alessandra
What it needs to be is it needs to be the apex of what I want to see and it needs to be what I like and screw what everybody else thinks and the results of that the result of that I found is that I’m founding more success than I ever have you know and it it took a long time for me to kind of come to terms with that and be like you know what.
51:51.49
charukaarora
Yeah.
52:01.55
charukaarora
Have a half.
52:08.41
Alessandra
I am I’m just going to and I’m going to make what I love and now all these pathways are opening up to me that I would never have foreseen you know and there are many many many people who resonate with it and who love it and who I never would have foreseen.
52:14.12
charukaarora
You And yeah.
52:25.41
Alessandra
And not only that. But with the internet and with social media which is a double its sword. Um, but you know with my ability to self-produce my own prints with all of this like I am able to kind of control this what is starting to become a robust world and I can connect with these people directly.
52:43.67
charukaarora
Um, yes, no, you couldn’t have said it. But.
52:44.50
Alessandra
Um, I know this was a very very long way of saying this. But I think that? Um, yeah, yeah I think that it’s poison to try to focus on being the big important artist when it’s I don’t even know it’s someone.
52:56.39
charukaarora
And what is that I think what is that what is that and how do you I I remember. Okay so this happens quite a few times I’ll tell you I started and I think about this moment a lot. So I swear on god.
53:02.28
Alessandra
Was trying to be in a history book I don’t freaking know it’s It’s and that’s yeah. Um, yeah.
53:14.67
charukaarora
Remember getting into the art I’d never put together an artists portfolio artist date in quite a few years like some few years ago and I remember I was speaking to someone at that point I was working with she was noticed. And I remember she she shared her cv and whatever that was with me and and nothing to disregard. But I think that I I mean I’ll I’ll be honest. So I read and even today I read this in a lot of submissions that we receive I think every month we go through hundreds of of. Thousands also of artist profiles and their bios and like all of this and it only pursues it only pushes me to do more as an artist from this side of the wall to the other side of the world because I’m I’m like.
54:02.51
Alessandra
Um, of course. Yeah.
54:06.52
charukaarora
Someone please tell them the truth someone please tell them the truth somewhat please tell them the truth when I read in that scene she was like her um her passion or her Goalul was to be in the museum.
54:08.26
Alessandra
Um, yeah, yeah, no.
54:23.67
charukaarora
Or how she’s striving towards working in the museum or um, be or part of the history and I was and I didn’t have any of those profound words in my anywhere and have never had so far and I was like and I felt very belittled and I felt like okay maybe my purpose is not strong enough. Maybe my.
54:25.93
Alessandra
And.
54:34.53
Alessandra
Um.
54:43.39
charukaarora
I am not strong of an an artist or maybe I’m just you know the idea of being too commercial say and I was like okay and walk my way through these years and I realize okay I’m looking at these women. So let’s say I don’t know if you you follow Oscars or something.
54:49.15
Alessandra
Um, and.
55:02.78
charukaarora
Um, so Gunit Monga is an indian producer who just India Won its Oscar for the first time. Ah yes, yes, and it’s a big victory and not only 1 Oscar 2 Oscars and 1 for a completely indian song and it was like a whole thing. Um.
55:03.61
Alessandra
Um.
55:08.59
Alessandra
Almost so exciting. That’s amazing. That’s great. Okay, yeah, wow.
55:22.55
charukaarora
Um, Maria ah from deorr is visiting India all this while diorr is doing its first indian shore heritage over with India to share its like legacy and you know celebrate and all of that and I was like you know that question or this question that I had put myself into.
55:31.77
Alessandra
Um, yeah.
55:38.99
charukaarora
Am I not doing enough like I do I have not enough aspirations to be in the history books and you know you you ask yourself these question I’m like what am I doing wrong? Why do I not feel and I’m like you know this woman made history. She brought 2 women brought the first Oscar in to India very ordinary women.
55:43.20
Alessandra
Um, yeah, like yeah yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
55:57.11
charukaarora
Never was a filmmaker she was like you know she it wasn’t a big budget film. It was a beautiful beautiful documentary and she made history and she never had those goals and I was looking I so I know Guni threw a friend of a friend and you know wonderful person. so so so humble
56:05.26
Alessandra
Um, yeah.
56:13.72
Alessandra
Um, ah Wow. Okay, yeah.
56:16.77
charukaarora
And she just and I was like you know what? if you want to be in the history books you have to dare to dare do something that your soul calls for and maybe that’s not a part that’s often taken like you want to be in a boat I Think if anyone who’s listening I think.
56:26.84
Alessandra
Um, yeah, yeah.
56:33.40
charukaarora
I Totally I Firmly believe this I live by this if you really want to pursue and be in the books of history and you know do something that that’s original. That’s you that nobody else has done and if that makes aesthetic art make that.
56:39.64
Alessandra
Um, yeah, all of that. That’s you yeah totally. Yeah.
56:49.92
charukaarora
If that means you want to climb the wall do that I don’t know I mean we’ve repetitively heard this so far like okay this is good art I remember I have shared this thousand times on the podcast like when I entered into the arts I was like so I came from fashion design and I still feel I don’t have a profile I just.
56:53.51
Alessandra
Yeah, yeah.
57:01.20
Alessandra
Yeah.
57:08.78
charukaarora
If someone ask me I just don’t know I have so many experiences so far still have 3 jobs like three different roles I none arts toe arts I have a studio practice I have I work with another business. Um bill that for all these years. So I I love all of those 3 I just cannot.
57:13.50
Alessandra
Um, yeah.
57:26.97
charukaarora
It does not mean I have I love 1 less or more. Yeah, but there are seasons that I work on 1 more and the other less but that’s who I am it’s not a traditional path when I started like you know this space same gallery space studio space I started to um.
57:34.23
Alessandra
Um, yeah, you.
57:44.23
charukaarora
When I decided that I wanted to make a galleryley and I was like who am I to make a gallery I do not want to be a calorist I So I definitely don’t want to be a galerist. Um I have no no intention but I am an artist and I and I know I know the gap it takes.
57:50.47
Alessandra
Um, yeah.
57:59.99
charukaarora
And I grew up in this very town. Never seeing an artist in my life never seeing a sho never seeing a nod and I want to open up a space that that other girls growing up here have the chance I want to share the gift if if I have access to the space I Want to open a gallery that his artists run.
58:05.77
Alessandra
Um, yes.
58:12.17
Alessandra
Um, yeah.
58:16.73
Alessandra
Um, yeah.
58:18.17
charukaarora
And I do not want to be a gallerist I Want to be an artist who works with other artists that creates space for you know, sometimes you have to change that narrative of course other people do it differently. But I I maybe I want to walk the same path I want to show other artists I want to support other artists.
58:25.43
Alessandra
Okay.
58:35.84
charukaarora
But probably not in the same way that other people do I can rewrite my own story. Oh my God I took so much space.
58:40.46
Alessandra
Yeah, no no no no I think that what you were talking about was completely on the money and it’s exactly it. They think it it really ties into you know this question of um, like what 1 ne’s goals are and what one actually is trying to accomplish and I think you know.
58:54.70
charukaarora
He.
58:59.84
Alessandra
Tying that into the question of you know where are you aiming and how I I actually am of the opinion that to aim for the history books or the Oscar if you aim for that I’m of the opinion that that is that can be a cancer in 1 ne’s practice
59:15.42
charukaarora
Yes I Do agree.
59:17.74
Alessandra
Um, and I’m of the opinion that it’s like truly like because it does what it does is it takes away. It takes love at the center of your practice. Love joy the things that move you the things that excite you the things that make you want to get up and you know make you feel electrified creatively. It takes that as the center of your practice and then it puts a secondary thing there which is other people’s opinions. Um, History’s opinion all of these other things and that to me is a black hole you know because you can’t You can’t first off, you can’t control how people what people think.
59:42.82
charukaarora
Finance validation.
59:49.43
charukaarora
Yes.
59:55.89
Alessandra
And second you can’t control what you like this is the thing. It’s like it just is what it is. You know there are artists out there who are making unbelievable historically important work who are going to be featured in the moma the met whatever and that is their truth you know and that is their joy.
01:00:12.11
charukaarora
Um, yeah, yeah.
01:00:13.84
Alessandra
You know that is their truth and like they don’t need this black hole I But really believe this they don’t need this black hole of I need to get into Gagosian and then I will be happy. Maybe that could be totally wrong. Maybe a lot of them do need that I don’t know whatever that’s just not the kind of life I would want to live.
01:00:21.79
charukaarora
Yeah.
01:00:31.24
Alessandra
You know I like I think it’s It’s much a creative life in my opinion is much richer if it only has this as the foundation then you see what flowers as a result of that you know if it’s even if it’s a I’m of the opinion that you know even if it’s an afternoon practice.
01:00:36.22
charukaarora
Yes.
01:00:50.53
Alessandra
After work or a Sunday like people you know people deride like but yeah, like like even if it’s yeah you yeah just um, like just um, as there’s a consistency that brings you joy like if if it’s even if it’s every Sunday who cares.
01:00:52.20
charukaarora
I Love you have to be in this studio all the time I support the same.
01:01:04.71
charukaarora
Yes.
01:01:07.67
Alessandra
You’re still being an artist. You’re still sitting Down. You’re still following the things you love that black hole though I think and that’s a lot of the source of the angst and the the the creating work that’s inauthentic that doesn’t ring true is because it’s not authentic. It’s being created from a goal of. What they imagine everyone else will applaud and you always can tell when work is being made from that perspective in my opinion you you always can tell when there’s there’s a lack of authenticity there. Um, you know? Yeah yeah.
01:01:34.69
charukaarora
Yeah, and I have something for the artist think I think and I say this a lot on the podcast like for me, um, art and artists are never too different. Um sometimes I fall in love with the art.
01:01:43.44
Alessandra
Um, yeah, ah oh yeah, oh interesting. Yeah I had that happen once or twice Seward’s like man.
01:01:52.00
charukaarora
And when I meet the artist I fall out of love Sometimes I’m not saying like I’m just trying to give an example. Yeah and I mean it’s it’s vice Vera Sometimes I’m not such a big fan of someone’s work. But the moment I meet them.
01:02:01.52
Alessandra
You know it’s kind of a bummer you know? yeah.
01:02:11.17
charukaarora
The moment I speak to them I hear them. It’s like I can touch their soul and when I look at their art again and I’m like this is the best thing in the world and my lens change my meanings change my perspective changes and and I figured for me that that center.
01:02:15.95
Alessandra
Yeah. Yeah, yeah.
01:02:30.85
charukaarora
That Center was always and that’s why it says Arts two hearts. That’s why we were on Arts two hearts for me that heart. Um, the purpose I think that is so much more important to me and whatever aesthetics is bring it brings out is always like it can take vice versa. But.
01:02:35.84
Alessandra
Um I Love that totally.
01:02:42.53
Alessandra
No.
01:02:50.82
charukaarora
I will always circle back to how you make me feel and what values I share with you then just the work that you make.
01:02:54.56
Alessandra
Yeah, yeah, yeah, now one ah hundred percent and I think no I that completely makes sense and it’s you know you can I feel like you can. Um, yeah, you can get a sense I feel like from people’s work where.
01:03:12.28
Alessandra
Yeah, where where is where where are they coming from what’s the point you know, um I Also just as a note I Also want to be very like very emphatically state like I’m not saying that about like what I was saying earlier also does not apply to all artists who are working in those fears those. Fears of like this more the higher end art The very very expensive art like there are artists working in that space who make breathtaking transcendent work and you can tell it’s their truth. You can tell I’m more talking about I think people who are trying to break into the. Break into it and yeah, that’s kind of more what I’m referring to does that make sense. Yeah yeah.
01:03:51.20
charukaarora
Yeah, yeah, I think you yeah because I think if you even if you speak to all of these people like I remember first time connecting with rehaca. She’s beautiful. Her work is gorous. Um, and. She’s she’s doing tremendously amazing work as an artist from Southeast Asia all over the world and when I met her honestly I never felt like I just how do I explain it like it felt like I was talking to someone who was still as fresh who was still that same person.
01:04:12.52
Alessandra
Um, and.
01:04:26.41
charukaarora
That’s raness and like she didn’t set out her path or like I’m sure a lot of people speak with so many people that have spoken in the past few years like nobody comes and says oh I intended to be here or yeah, of course they have aspirations. But the aspiration to keep going into keep creating was way more higher that was the guiding light. They kept on going. You know they kept on doing and nothing above nothing beneath just it’s like you just keep going on the path and then whatever comes your way I think.
01:04:45.70
Alessandra
Um, yeah, yeah, yeah.
01:05:01.18
charukaarora
Nobody said sound that I’m going to sell a million dollar painting and that is my goal of life. Yes, yes, and and I I feel I wish more abundance to artists every day. But yeah and also having financial abundance is great. Yeah, but.
01:05:06.97
Alessandra
Um, my purpose in life. Ah.
01:05:13.70
Alessandra
Of course.
01:05:18.52
charukaarora
You don’t. I think the idea that you set on that path that I’m going to create something every day if it sell for a hundred or a million or a two million or in a sooth to be like no matter if it’s on a shop or in a museum I’m I’m still going to be me. That’s who I am.
01:05:30.49
Alessandra
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah I mean I think it’s the key you have to you have I think and that’s one of the most beautiful things about an art practice to me is it is a consistent distillation. It actually references what you were saying earlier. It’s a consistent, a consistent distillation and a whittling away of what am I not and what am I You know what am I want What do I work move towards what do I move away from and um, you know and then you know and I I think Also there’s the importance of silence and really sitting with it and.
01:05:52.42
charukaarora
Am I.
01:06:04.74
charukaarora
Oh yes, oh yes.
01:06:07.92
Alessandra
You know, like um yeah I think it’s funny like this ties back into spirituality. But I found that um and studying Advita vid onai probably like butchering that pronunciation. Um you know and stuff like that kind of also really helps sitting with it. But anyway, yeah, so oh I love this. This is great.
01:06:11.24
charukaarora
Yes. Yeah, yes, Peace. And I think and this another thing that I want to add is something the art of I think a studio practice is like life. It really brings you to the ground no matter how much how much you sell your um your art for you’re the same person scrubbing that.
01:06:27.53
Alessandra
Yeah, sure.
01:06:33.12
Alessandra
Given.
01:06:40.68
Alessandra
Um, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, no matter what? yeah.
01:06:42.49
charukaarora
Raising that pencil sharpening that pencil you know, um, clearing Yeah, it’s it’s it’s you like you are doing the dirty work whenever you need to like it still brings you back to the crown no matter how fancy those walls look like no matter like you.
01:06:53.79
Alessandra
Um, oh yeah, I yeah.
01:07:00.49
charukaarora
When you getting your hands dirty. It’s a reminder of who you are I think that’s very important.
01:07:04.82
Alessandra
Oh yeah, yeah, absolutely absolutely no, it’s it’s it’s good I think um I don’t know that’s such a good ah got my soul singing this morning? Yeah, yeah, yeah.
01:07:11.92
charukaarora
Oh God This was one hell held hell of a conversation. Oh my God Thank you so much. Okay.
01:07:22.80
Alessandra
Well thank you, Thank you for having me and this has been like so awesome you know soul feeding kind of I can’t believe I talked about the Maui story. It’s like I don’t think I’m ever like public like that’s when I say for like dinner parties. But what.
01:07:27.97
charukaarora
Same Yeah yes I see I don’t believe I still I’m still thinking that story I’m going to tell a quite a few people now.
01:07:42.40
Alessandra
Yeah, yeah.
01:07:45.40
charukaarora
Like I anytime I have a like a wonderful conversation I’m like oh my god you know what? this is something I learned today. Oh can you believe this story that’s going to be my dinner a conversation it god bless him. Ah.
01:07:51.70
Alessandra
Um, it’s like I know I know they really was yeah my husband he’s like yeah he was the Mvp that day. So yeah, um, sure sure let’s go.
01:08:03.10
charukaarora
Okay I have a rapid fire for you are you ready okay 1 2 3 stop okay here we go what inspired to become an artist.
01:08:07.66
Alessandra
Yeah I’m ready.
01:08:13.16
Alessandra
Okay, um, going back to what we spoke about outweight. How fast am I supposed to answer with this. Ah okay, um, as fat. Okay, okay, all right? um I have always drawn.
01:08:20.64
charukaarora
As fast as you’d like.
01:08:30.23
Alessandra
And I’ve always been making up worlds since I was a child and um, you know since I was literally a kid and that was what started me drawing was I would try to bring visually bring to life these worlds that I was making and ah in a lot of ways I have just never stopped. You know. So yes, yeah.
01:08:51.10
charukaarora
Don’t ever What is the most important lesson you’ve learned throughout your career.
01:08:56.56
Alessandra
Oof There have been a lot I think I think it’s what we spoke about earlier which is um, the importance of you know, keeping away. Voices of just follow what you love keep out that perspective of what you think other people will like keep out that perspective of what will become of me. This isn’t going to be successful. This isn’t going people aren’t going to like this screw it all just listen to what you love.
01:09:14.52
charukaarora
Yeah.
01:09:33.34
Alessandra
And bring it to the and bring it as far and also do the labor of bringing it to the apex of what you want to see like that doesn’t mean that you practice your practice is just enjoyable. It means that you have a vision This is just for me. Everyone’s different. You know, maybe some people need a purely enjoyable practice. That’s fine.
01:09:35.24
charukaarora
Yeah.
01:09:43.85
charukaarora
In times.
01:09:51.14
Alessandra
But for me how it’s manifested is um, figure out what is the apex of what you want to see what do you think should exist in this world visually and do everything in your power ah to to accomplish that do the labor. Work hard at it get as to get as close as you can to it with that one goal in mind I think I don’t know if that makes sense. But yeah.
01:10:12.33
charukaarora
I left time. Um, what was the best piece of advice you’ve received so far by another artist.
01:10:26.57
Alessandra
Well, that’s a good question I mean I guess I think about I had a teacher in college named Cheng Park um who always emphasized to the point of what I just the previous question. Ah, never compromise your aesthetic. Um, and I think it’s a really good phrase to also keep as a talisman never compromise your aesthetic. Yeah.
01:10:45.70
charukaarora
M. Yeah, okay, can you recall one of your most favorites moments so far in your career. That’s very close to you like you know the moments that you feel very grateful for doing the work.
01:11:06.00
Alessandra
Um, a very personal moment.
01:11:09.50
charukaarora
Yes, could be as tiny as big as you like.
01:11:12.93
Alessandra
There’s 2 yeah, no, there’s there’s 2 um I think ah there was this one piece that I had completed when I was 23 I must have been 23 I think so ten years ago now. Um. 2 moments. So this moment was ah I had finally it was the first time I crystallized really where I was going with this world and where I was going with this vision. Um, you know a lot of my work before that had been kind of messy. Been all over the place I’d been trying to figure it out and this was the first time that the ah the work crystallized and I was waiting tables at the time and I was in a tiny little room in Bedsty Brooklyn um paying six hundred bucks a month for rent which was a great deal. Um. But I was tired I was exhausted and I had been really pushing for a long time wondering can I figure this out like can I can I really make what I want to see can I can I do this and um I had wanted to get as close as I could because I’m never going to presume to say I’m there but get as close as I could to da vinci kind of.
01:12:18.85
charukaarora
Yes.
01:12:22.81
Alessandra
2 mono drawing mixed with ah frankly I was looking a lot of Anger Whatt at the time. The temple’s Anger Watt and like the way the positioning of the figures and also a lot of um, traditional indian dance bollywood dance and things like that the positioning of the hands. Yeah, and then um, the decorative and I was trying to.
01:12:34.56
charukaarora
Wow.
01:12:42.42
Alessandra
It was the moment where I was trying to bring in then also like the decorative dots of um, what was his name. Ah Daniel Brush who had just had an exhibition at the museum of design art and design. So Daniel Brushoff you know he does these beautiful gold dots and I was very inspired by him I still am um so I was trying to meld those 3 aesthetics. To what my work is now and it had been a grueling process and so many different sketches like notebooks of just tries and how does this work and how I’m going to bring this together and then it crystallized into one piece and it was the first time that I kind of saw where this world is going and I’m like this is what I’m going for.
01:13:13.42
charukaarora
Yes, oh wow. Yes I love that? Yes, yes.
01:13:21.66
Alessandra
So that and I remember sitting back from my desk and yes, so that’s rural that was that was that moment and then the second moment was very recently where um I walked for the first time into the gallery of my solar show alone and saw the work in the room.
01:13:37.10
charukaarora
Who.
01:13:38.41
Alessandra
And that felt like kind of like the culmination of everything I’ve been working towards and that moment was really kind of a um like almost like I got to see the expansion like that. The first moment that one piece that was the spark and this was the you know continued.
01:13:50.70
charukaarora
Um, yeah, everything together I Love that not that. Okay, ah.
01:13:58.26
Alessandra
Yeah, that was pretty special. Yeah.
01:14:06.92
charukaarora
How do stays inspired when facing creative blocks.
01:14:11.13
Alessandra
Um, I keep working just sorry. Um yeah I Sometimes I don’t sometimes I end up online shopping for clothes and I spend too much time doing no.
01:14:19.79
charukaarora
Um, yeah, oh that’s always a good ah not not good to the pocket for sure.
01:14:28.52
Alessandra
No, this is not a good. No no, it’s very bad. Ah no, no sometimes I go down stairs and I make cookies and I eat half a thing of cookie dough which I also don’t recommend but most what I trying to do what I’m trying to do is um, sit down and actually work.
01:14:38.85
charukaarora
Ah, you.
01:14:47.75
Alessandra
Ah, you know and that’s so that’s that’s when I make progress is so what maybe the it to answer when do I break through after I’ve done procrastination and things. Yeah, all the other the stuff. Yes, like.
01:14:48.25
charukaarora
Bm.
01:14:59.41
charukaarora
All of that cookies in shopping. Ah oh my good millions That’s really heavy on the pocket clothes were still okay.
01:15:05.78
Alessandra
Now it’s transferred to furniture shopping because we bought houses but that’s a different conversation. Um, no yes, did problematic problematically so um, no, but so what what I find pushes me through is I Just finally um sometimes I have the app.
01:15:16.57
charukaarora
The.
01:15:24.79
Alessandra
Freedom and I’ll do this like the nuclear option where I’ll just like block everything like I’m not allowed to go on Reddit I’m not allowed to go on online shopping I’m not allowed to even check my email I’m not allowed to do anything um and the only thing I’m allowed to do is sit with the problem.
01:15:40.33
charukaarora
Admit. Ah.
01:15:41.44
Alessandra
And I have to day ah do 18000000 and and my goal is I have to do as many different iterations as possible and try things and if the only thing I can do is sit there and think about it then that counts as time working towards it. Yeah, but that’s what I found is the best way and also works best if I kind of sometimes if I tackle it afresh the next.
01:15:49.32
charukaarora
So be it.
01:16:00.41
charukaarora
Yeah, yeah, deal with it. You know all night. Okay, early morning or late night which is your prefer time for creating.
01:16:00.93
Alessandra
But yeah I kind of have to like pin myself into a little box a corner with it and I’m like all right I have to figure this out. Yeah, so yeah.
01:16:16.95
Alessandra
Always early morning I may very I I cannot help it I wake up between I like I actually hate this about myself because it’s really bad for socialization. Um, and it’s really not the norm which means that like all of i. It’s really hard for me to go out and get dinner. Um, but my body just naturally wakes me up between four thirty and five thirty like I’m just up and I can’t help it so well like I I start getting tired at like eight thirty now it’s like a little.
01:16:38.71
charukaarora
Okay, up and when do you go back? Go to bethan. Yeah, of course. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
01:16:52.53
Alessandra
It’s an issue because you know I want to see my friends and do things and have a life and I’m start getting tired then so yeah, trying to push it back. Yeah, sure sure.
01:16:59.46
charukaarora
Not that oh I have a question for you. Colors are black color. Okay, let me put this colors of black and gold. Where do you prefer your like if you were to choose.
01:17:16.70
Alessandra
Well I I mean I work with black and gold so much because I love that combo I think you know it’s like ah you know there’s like a it feels like you know, black and Yellow feels like a danger combo for the this the psyche but so black and gold kind of to me.
01:17:25.18
charukaarora
Yes, gold.
01:17:33.96
Alessandra
It it has that it harkens a little to that. Yeah, yeah, exactly it like Harns. It keeps the lot that little bit inch. Um, but it’s also beautiful. Um, but I’m also yeah I’m slowly slowly slowly very enamored with color. You know so.
01:17:36.48
charukaarora
It’s like lighted shadow. Yes, yeah.
01:17:49.62
charukaarora
Yeah, we let’s see where those goes Okay okay creativity of Perfectionism which is more important to you.
01:17:52.84
Alessandra
I don’t know ah both.
01:18:07.38
Alessandra
Creativity is the Compass Perfectionism is the tool. Yeah yeah I enjoy Perfectionism It’s fun Huh motivation.
01:18:12.17
charukaarora
I Like how with that inspiration or hard work. Ah, that is why that is why I was like I was looking forward to what you’d say because when I see people’s work. Um, who are like. So I have this thing like even though I Love looking at people who loosely draw and like you know, have that kind of aesthetic no matter how much I try that I just can never never find that in myself because I have this urge of bringing things to perfectionism.
01:18:29.63
Alessandra
Um, yeah, yeah.
01:18:36.36
Alessandra
Um, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah I insane yeah.
01:18:41.71
charukaarora
Like I can’t ignore it like that is who I am even like I can’t let go it not easily. But I’ve accepted that that I like to look at that kind of work but I may not decide to really make that kind of work.
01:18:53.41
Alessandra
I’m the same like I definitely like I love sometimes that more lyrical like just beautiful and you can do it just tell the person is just like a relaxed human being who just effortlessly makes beauty. It’s like they like yeah like they float into a room and just.
01:18:55.68
charukaarora
Yes, yes, yes, like it’s like a it’s like a rhythm. It’s like flowing like a River and like you know you can feel it. Yeah yeah.
01:19:12.26
Alessandra
Manifest Beauty like God like I I admire the hell out of it. Um, yeah, yeah.
01:19:15.97
charukaarora
I can feel that and I have such I struggle a lot with this a lot I’ve tried a lot of times I feel like like yeah I I go crazy to ah to an extent like I’ve gotten better. Definitely better. Um, but I know that I tried.
01:19:28.51
Alessandra
Um, yeah.
01:19:34.79
charukaarora
Do hard and I feel that it’s not me because then I try to do that I Just don’t resonate with it like I try myself push myself too hard So like for someone I think who has that kind of thing and I I can’t do without creativity. It’s not like my process or who am is driven by perfectism.
01:19:36.30
Alessandra
Yeah, so.
01:19:45.10
Alessandra
Um, yeah.
01:19:51.85
Alessandra
Um, and and.
01:19:53.64
charukaarora
But I just feel like I’m not like a very loose person. So like it’s It’s a hard choice like when perfect like creativity is your soul but also doing things with that spirit is also a yeah.
01:20:03.77
Alessandra
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, it’s very no I’m I’m 100% with you and 100% with you. Oh yeah, sure.
01:20:12.30
charukaarora
Okay, 1 last question, what piece of advice would you like to give to people who are listening to this episode who may have a similar path as yours or who just you know who bigening their careers in their careers or anything they would take away from this episode or this conversation.
01:20:19.60
Alessandra
Is.
01:20:28.72
Alessandra
Um, yeah um yeah I think um you know what like I think um I’ve had the privilege of teaching people throughout the years and the 1 common thing I found is um.
01:20:31.47
charukaarora
Last words of incarnment. Yeah less.
01:20:46.57
charukaarora
Yeah.
01:20:46.74
Alessandra
Don’t be so hard on yourself. You know like you’re okay, you know the people who you think are geniuses are really not. They’ve just been doing it for 10 years longer and that’s it and if you beat at a door for 10 years we may get there too. But also you know it.
01:20:56.80
charukaarora
Yeah.
01:21:04.55
Alessandra
Chase the joy in your practice. You’re not a bad person if you didn’t get to work on this this weekend. You’re not a bad person if you ah you’re not a bad person if you know you haven’t been as disciplined. You’re not as bad, a bad person if you.
01:21:16.83
charukaarora
And I.
01:21:21.36
Alessandra
Feel like you have all of these ideas and you just don’t know how to accomplish them or make them happen. Um, you’re you’re just a human being who is dealing with the most universal struggle and that voice in your head. That’s constantly telling you you’re inadequate every single artist has that and it’s relentless and it will never go away. And your job is to Pat it on the head and then say okay and then put on and then just let it keep chattering away but don’t listen to it because it’s never goingnna go away. Um I think that it follow the love follow the joy.
01:21:47.51
charukaarora
Sit down. Yeah I Love that.
01:21:59.26
Alessandra
That voice is never going to go away Don you know and you’re you’re okay yes, honestly, um yeah I know that sounds like a kind of a trite but I having worked with a lot of artists I just am staggered by how universal the creative the creative. Ah.
01:22:03.20
charukaarora
Michael.
01:22:12.66
charukaarora
This problem is.
01:22:18.60
Alessandra
The yeah the stuff that people really wrestle with how universal it all is so yeah, yeah, great.
01:22:21.59
charukaarora
Wonderful! Oh my God I think I am so glad we have this conversation we have way past our time but I just wanted to stop? Oh no, I’m sorry I mean I kept a lot of.
01:22:28.54
Alessandra
Oh yeah, sorry this was a joy. This was so awesome I can’t like I want to come to Taj and like meet you at some point algra excuse me? Yeah yeah, perfect I dying I’m dying.
01:22:38.86
charukaarora
You have to yes and then we’ll do like a lot of gold shopping and I’ll take you like oh that’ll be a yes yes I have to I think you know when I was I decided to take this goal of setting up the student gallery and I was like you know what? um.
01:22:47.45
Alessandra
So it’ll happen. It’ll happen. It’s gonna happen. Yeah.
01:22:55.46
charukaarora
I Have this whole beautiful community and people that I love um that don’t live where I do and maybe this is my part in their lives to create something so that they can come here and we can still do the things that we’re doing right now but probably not over to screens and like really in the real life.
01:22:58.70
Alessandra
Ah, page is the.
01:23:08.23
Alessandra
Um, yeah, yeah, absolutely yeah, absolutely it’s I mean it’s It’s so important the work that you’re doing with it so keep going. It’s great. Thank you? yeah.
01:23:13.45
charukaarora
So this is one of my goals.
01:23:19.60
charukaarora
Thank you, Thank you? Thank you so much and thank you for everyone who tuned in I know this has been a long episode but I am so so excited because sometimes I feel like this is what I really love and I get into an episode and I have no clover. It’s going to go and walking out of this episode is like.
01:23:33.32
Alessandra
Um, yeah.
01:23:39.32
charukaarora
We’ve spoken about so many important things and so many like it’s like a tight piece of me like this is my art school. This is this is how I’m traininging myself? yeah.
01:23:42.92
Alessandra
Um, yeah.
01:23:46.12
Alessandra
Yeah, me too. Yeah meets yeah totally that’s good for you? No, it’s yeah 100% in you’re creating that art school for all of the listeners too and also for the people taking part you know again like I sit up in my little attic studio drawing flowers all day alone listening to you know.
01:23:56.72
charukaarora
It yes.
01:24:06.22
Alessandra
Brandon Sanderson books and which I highly recommend if anybody hasn’t listened or read missed born. You must. It’s so good anyway, oh yeah, oh yeah sorry yeah.
01:24:06.57
charukaarora
Both and ah yeah, you know we have another book recommendation. So yes, it’s It’s been a very very wonderful time I know we have some. Amazing takeaways from this episode from you know, talking about a purpose from talking about hard work aesthetics value being worthy I think one way I would really sum up this episode is about being worthy I think um, this is so much of what we deal with as artists.
01:24:24.99
Alessandra
Yeah, this. Yeah.
01:24:35.12
Alessandra
Um, yeah, yeah.
01:24:43.60
charukaarora
We feel too much. We absorb too much and we give too much and in that process we’re always dealing with who we are are we worthy enough is this worthy enough is our work worthy enough and this is a reminder you are worthy in all aspects. So thank you so much.
01:24:45.22
Alessandra
Yeah.
01:24:55.00
Alessandra
Um, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, a hundred percent thank you
01:25:00.65
charukaarora
Thank you so much Alessandra I am so so so grateful I truly you’ve summed up my day. Thank you so much 1 last thing before I’d let you go 1 last thing for anyone who’s listening to this episode where can people find you take the stage. Let them know how they can support you.
01:25:08.45
Alessandra
Um, vice versa. Okay sure sure sure yeah.
01:25:18.38
charukaarora
House You can support your work if you have anything upcoming. We want to shout on top of our white voices. So let us know.
01:25:25.38
Alessandra
Sure so right now. So I’m on several platforms. First off my website is very simple Alessandra Maria Dot Com um and it’s spelled a essandr a then Maria and they are I a.com um, my Instagram handles a little different because I couldn’t get Alessandra Maria so it’s Alessandra draws draws so Alessandra then d art draws draws I have a Tiktok now and that is yeah I’m very much new to it i’m.
01:25:43.46
charukaarora
Next.
01:25:49.10
charukaarora
Alexander. Oh wow.
01:25:59.30
Alessandra
Still kind of bad at it. But I’m learning um I only have fifty followers. So definitely follow me on there if you can. It’s some at Alessandra Maria Art airt um so Alessandra Maria art so those are the main areas that you can find me I’m trying to think if there’s anything else that I should be mentioning. Um.
01:26:08.47
charukaarora
At.
01:26:18.56
Alessandra
I have oh I’m represented by gallerylater mouse which is um, you know, ah that’s galleryleter mouse which is a Chicago -based gallery and he has me coming up for some group shows and you know seattle and the hamptons and miami and you know I don’t know where else but you know bunch he always has a bunch of art fairs. Um, and I also have a show in coming up in seattle with rock laroe gallery which is wonderful and a show coming up in know that 1 already happened in san francisco that one just no wait. Oh my god I’m losing my mind I’m sorry. Okay, so there’s one in seattle.
01:26:53.82
charukaarora
I.
01:26:56.77
Alessandra
Ah, my work’s currently on display at in Los Angeles at Corey Hellford gallery and we’re just going to leave it at that because there’s another one and I am forgetting it right now. So yeah, sorry very very professional. Yes, sorry.
01:27:06.69
charukaarora
You can send me all details on unbely.
01:27:16.75
Alessandra
Ah.
01:27:17.14
charukaarora
I Mean yeah, that’s that’s legit I mean when you have so much work you’re doing so much work. You can’t you can’t you know, but memorize all of it. Ah.
01:27:23.48
Alessandra
It’s great. No that sounds really obnoxious. No no, it’s all really good things. That’s very unprofessional I should be a little bit more organized with that I apologize. So oh I got it Zach Tudtor a sorry supersonnic electronic blog online gallery exhibition with him so that’s it. That’s this month.
01:27:29.15
charukaarora
Um, yeah, 9 Yes.
01:27:39.43
charukaarora
Yes, you yes yes and I’m going to list so anyone who needs this at 1 at all at 1 place you go to our website look at Alexandra’s episode
01:27:41.41
Alessandra
That’s the one that I wanted to mention all right now I’m done sorry.
01:27:48.94
Alessandra
Okay, that’s.
01:27:52.79
charukaarora
We’ll find our work all the galleries all the links. She’s mentioned all of it at 1 place. Yes, sorry do you not want to add your print shop.
01:27:56.73
Alessandra
Yeah I’ll send it to you? Okay, thank you great All my print shop I do want to add my print shop of course almost because I’m putting it under construction right now. But I’ll send you I have a shopify. Um.
01:28:09.86
charukaarora
Ah, oh.
01:28:13.50
Alessandra
So I currently have a temporary print shop with shopify up and you send send in the orders. Um I currently will fulfill. You know the order So it yeah it comes to me I have my printer right there but I promise it’s very um, you know the prints are super high quality. They’re on.
01:28:25.25
charukaarora
Um, ah yes, not a beauty.
01:28:31.42
Alessandra
Ah, hundred percent cotton rag they’re designed to last for upwards of 500 years I’m working with only the finest materials. You know I wanted it to be something that is a super is a real value. Um you know and I’m color correcting all of the prints. Um making sure that it’s good. So I will link that as well.
01:28:33.89
charukaarora
Map.
01:28:46.28
charukaarora
Yes.
01:28:48.21
Alessandra
Um, so yes, that’s the that’s the shot that’s available right now I am moving it over to my website but for the next month or 2 It’s there. So definitely. Yes, great.
01:28:53.19
charukaarora
Perfect I Hope by the time we put this out in the world. We have your shop ready if not this is still going to be out there forever and ever so we yeah so thank you.
01:29:03.10
Alessandra
Um, no yeah, definitely Yes, Thank you.
01:29:07.90
charukaarora
Much. Thank you everyone. Thank you for tuning in. Thank you Alexandra I I’m so glad because when we started your room was dark I could see nothing through your windows apart from a little sky and I see yes, oh wow.
01:29:14.40
Alessandra
Oh yeah I know here I know I shouldn’t be moving in. Yeah, you can see all the trees and things so we’ve got the light now we got sunrise. So.
01:29:23.85
charukaarora
Yes, and I’ve I’ve literally throughout this conversation I’ve had I’ve seen your light coming into your you know through the windows to your work. The lamp I Like you know it’s It’s been a. It’s it’s It’s nice. It’s wonderful. Thank you, Thank you.
01:29:28.92
Alessandra
Um, it’s nice. Yeah, yeah, if it’s a wonderful start to my day. So thank you so much I appreciate it and looking forward to it. Thank you all right.
01:29:42.94
charukaarora
Yes, you have to stay.
