00:00.00
charukaarora
True for the episode and we’ll ease into the conversation but tell me something let’s start with what was the first time you thought you knew like you you want to be an artist or you are you I think we. We just we don’t want to be an artist we all are artists. We just uncover that at some point in our life. What was that moment for you.

00:22.42
Andrea
Well I think that for me it It is connected with my view of life and my childhood memories going back to to child life and being amazed constantly amazed. By by the by the nature by details in nature by colors. Ah yes.

00:46.14
charukaarora
And yeah I think your what I can’t hear you well your wavevelands are also very low. That means your sound is not enough um, are your headphones plugged in.

00:53.00
Andrea
Okay, so what is what is what should what can I do. Yeah, they should be who yeah yes, they are They is it better if I come closer. Is it better.

01:03.30
charukaarora
Write.

01:16.00
charukaarora
Can you? Yeah yeah, yeah, sorry.

01:20.90
Andrea
Is this better. Yeah, this is better. Okay, so I will answer a question 1 more time. Ah I think that everything would you ask is probably connected back to my childhood and my childhood memories.

01:28.58
charukaarora
Yeah.

01:39.87
Andrea
Because I remember having a father who was showing me the unusual shapes or you know teaching me a conscious observation led me to to realize? ah. What amazing things or shapes or colors life can offer and I was ah I was one of this child children who was constantly amazed. You know like I was amazed by the color. It’s not working. It’s It’s not working. Okay, all right? okay.

02:10.50
charukaarora
Um I can hear you no no I can hear you.

02:13.37
Andrea
Okay, so um, who was constantly amazed by anything practically anything in life. What what was visual what was coming my way from the nature and so that way it ah created probably the moments when when I came to. My teenager age I decided or I was always you know, creating something to draw in something. My Mom was an artist. My father was ah my mom is an art teacher but she she draw and in pain and my father ah he he worked as an architect but he was working.

02:38.73
charukaarora
Ah, what did your mom do oh wow.

02:50.12
Andrea
Ah, with boot and he always does so he he created like a wooden sculptures or he was having that type of observation of shapes which actually led me to to understand understand the life better I think deeply so ah, I’m very thankful for my parents. Guided me that way ah towards my own realization. Okay so this is what I want to do I Want to express myself I Want to express myself in Color. So very early in my teenager part of my life which everyone is like discovering or rediscovering who they are. I I created a lot I draw a lot I painted a lot. You know I was part of numerous small competitions like a children or students competition and then I decided I would like to go and pursue an artist Career. So I studied art and.

03:44.62
charukaarora
And all of this while you were in Prague slow like yeah.

03:46.38
Andrea
I don’t know exactly and and know I was I was in Slovakia which I’m from Slovakia. It’s a small country in Europe in central europe which is close brac good to republic ah so I am from ah from Slovakia so I studied in pres in a faculty of arts and humanities. And then I I don’t know exactly when that came but I was always fascinated by the the world of arts and you know the artist’s life and biographies and all these things it just was always connected to to my life. So I don’t. Exactly cannot point the finger you know like there was the moment when I was I’m an artist but I always kind of you know felt that art is part of my life. Always.

04:25.25
charukaarora
Um, yeah.

04:30.51
charukaarora
But do you think that was also because like you know you were lucky enough to have creative parents and the idea because for I for let’s say for me I remember I didn’t know like I was creative. But I didn’t know I could be an artist for a very long time until my twenty s because I never had anyone in front of me who was who could like okay this was possible like this is something that people do for me art was something like creativity was something like you know women are creative like going in and I’m sure I want to hear how. You also grew up um in eastern europe because um, like growing up in India because it’s pretty patriarchal so it was pretty common like women or girls are created and then you paint and you create and versus boys are athletic so like it never.

05:16.70
Andrea
Because the most.

05:24.20
charukaarora
Felt like I had something unique or I had something special. It always felt like something that everybody had but I did I think what felt different was I didn’t know that what I how I felt I knew that not everybody felt that way with that and I felt like that.

05:40.57
Andrea
Oh.

05:42.31
charukaarora
So do you also think like your parents possibility of like they taking creative roles in their own life really made that like a strong strong grounding for you for such an early age to you know, know that? okay this is something I could do.

05:56.00
Andrea
Yeah I think I think what you’re saying it’s It’s ah um, I hear you and it resonates with me a lot because even though my parents were super creative. They both believed that I should pursue a different type of Education. Ah, also so I would have a diploma to Teach. Ah, in case I wouldn’t make it as an artist right? So That’s that’s always the parents’ worries. So Of course they.

06:11.95
charukaarora
Yeah.

06:17.65
charukaarora
Yes.

06:24.20
Andrea
They did that so that therefore I did have a degree in ah in teaching and I am also teacher I do I do lead workshops and Arts therapy workshops as well and creative workshops. But I think that.

06:28.34
charukaarora
Okay.

06:42.24
Andrea
When I realized probably now I am actually connecting these points and when I realized deeply that I Really don’t care what anyone else is thinking and I’m going to make it is when I had my my son when I had my child and I realized um. It actually created a tremendous change in my work because I needed to you know flip from the large working canvas to to smaller work On. Ah you know watercolor when he was napping or you know like it in my practice and.

07:14.13
charukaarora
Yeah, yeah.

07:19.20
Andrea
You know it actually gave me so much confidence that you know if I can make it under these circumstances I can take any di. So um, slowly I mean yes of course as as every artist out there I had my doubts. About whether I can or cannot make the things happen for me in our world and you know even nowadays like I don’t think it’s ever. It’s ever going to stop. You know like you you were like to be fine for for a couple years or for a year for for events and then something comes up or you apply for some.

07:44.71
charukaarora
Um, yeah.

07:54.10
Andrea
Some you know, contest or a gallery presentation and they would write you back. You know and that might discourage you ah for a moment but you know I think that the art world especially for women it belongs to to those from us who actually have a strong.

08:01.81
charukaarora
Yeah.

08:12.99
Andrea
Ah, tending belief that we can make it and we believe who we are truly so we know that our value is not you know, based on external values from creators from allerists from from you know, ah judges or art critics because.

08:16.30
charukaarora
Yeah.

08:21.88
charukaarora
Yeah.

08:30.53
Andrea
Once you you truly know that and you know that you’re creating authentic art. Nobody can actually take it away from you. Nobody can take away the hours in your studio the way how you express your artistic language the way how you pursue your voice nobody can take that this is yours.

08:33.64
charukaarora
Yeah, yeah, yeah.

08:49.71
charukaarora
Um, yeah, yeah.

08:49.74
Andrea
And all the other are just external values which are great but you know then necessarily you know something what you need for your life.

08:56.80
charukaarora
But tell me something how you you just said like you know and this is something I’m sure a lot of people who are just ah, you know finding their ways and figuring things out I’m sure it would come up for a lot of us when we say like you know, um.

09:04.40
Andrea
So here.

09:13.58
charukaarora
Authentic. It’s a word that you know we use so often and I’m interested in too interested in knowing how did you find your authenticity like knowing like there’s not like it’s not like a straight answer like you know. Okay I did this and I felt like okay this is.

09:27.45
Andrea
0

09:33.48
charukaarora
This is this is true to me. This is me how as a creative person. Um, do you know? what? at what? How do you figure out like what I’m making right now feels real to me I This is not under any influence or like like. You are getting close to who you are.

09:54.21
Andrea
I Think you just you know, ah somehow feel it in your guts and whenever you copy something. You also feel it You know it’s also yeah, you know, Absolutely so.

10:00.22
charukaarora
Yes, absolutely.

10:05.58
Andrea
You know you can get inspired by others and you know it’s absolutely inevitable that you are inspired because that that visual you know, overcoming of things either. It’s on social media or in the art world or you go to exhibitions or you go to the studios of other artists. It’s. Of course it’s Inevitable. It’s going to Happen. You’re going to be inspired by either the world or other artist. But in the moment when you know that the way how you create it’s coming from you, you are in the flow you create, you can get inspired but you implement that. Part of inspiration into your own voice. You feel it you feel that this is something what is yours I think that ah whether you whether you want to admit or not you always feel whether it’s Authentic. You know you feel it in your in your heart in your gut.

10:56.33
charukaarora
Yeah.

11:00.83
Andrea
You know you feel that you are so connected to yourself while you create that there is nothing from the outside world that actually you know can achieve the connection to you at that moment. Sometimes it’s even disturbing so people would call you to eat or. Drink and you know that you don’t want to because you are in the middle of something. So I think that is important but also I think what is important and very much so and what I am talking to my students when they ask similar questions is. Don’t seek outside validation. You know, seek yourself then ah you know validation validation What you do and when you can look in your own work and say oh my God you know, really this is I This is me you know I I connect with it so much I see myself.

11:36.22
charukaarora
Oh goodness oh goodness.

11:53.69
Andrea
And it speaks to others. You also would see how that speaks to others if it pursue through the channel to others like something what’s coming across like a tente if it doesn’t then usually you know doesn’t make an impact the way when it’s real and I think. I Think you know like the good painting is always good painting Better. It’s it’s abstract painting What is a vigorative painting whether it’s whatever it taste you know, but it’s good painting and it’s if it’s not then it doesn’t speak and if it’s copy. It doesn’t speak so you know I mean the most important of all.

12:15.52
charukaarora
Um, yeah, yeah.

12:30.78
Andrea
Is that when you don’t seek the outside validation seed in yourself and see it in a way how you pursue the the creative process. But also what is it? What is it coming back to you? What do you see in it and how you how this speaks to others. Okay, so that’s the the. The first level of it. So.

12:52.80
charukaarora
Um, and while you’re speaking of this. What do you think was your biggest biggest struggle when it came to finding that authenticity like um, what was the hardest part of it.

13:01.48
Andrea
All the hardest part was probably to get rid of all the academic knowledge. Okay, so exactly so you know like you are.

13:12.96
charukaarora
Ah, we you also because you came from the art school.

13:19.46
Andrea
So much into it and so much in that World. You speak to to the people you respect you speak to or you are actually guided or you know influenced by the people who are great right? You do the work under their supervision and Then. Ah, you have so much trouble to get rid of it because as you say you know their voice is so strong and already authentic that it’s in you and you have you know like you have to get rid of all that and so when when I started to paint in my studios I was actually feeling that there is a lot of influence of my. Ah, University professors and and people I admire as as an artist and slowly you know why? how I was working through my process of finding Really what what I wanted to say in my art they they they faded away and then I just stayed by myself and that’s. That’s you know when I knew that it’s It’s true me but it took me a while it took me I think years to get rid of it years because you know yeah I can actually feel it like like I feel it you know in my work. There was an imprint of them and even though I didn’t want that.

14:19.18
charukaarora
Yeah. I Know that voice is still like keeps coming back. Yeah.

14:36.41
Andrea
You know, but it did their voices were so strong that they stayed with me for a while and then you know I I just had to take what they said and then just somehow made it mine but in a different way. So her.

14:39.59
charukaarora
Um, yeah, yeah.

14:51.57
charukaarora
Okay, but um, how long have you been? ah be how long it has it for you being an artist. Let’s how many years

15:00.60
Andrea
I how many years I think like what since I finished university and I had my first exhibition. What’s counted from there. Oh my god ah I’m I’m 44 right now and it was when I was 18 so you can. Calculate. It’s more than 25 years yes yeah that yes.

15:21.39
charukaarora
But let’s say 2025 years right so that’s a long time like that’s pretty good time. Um, you know things have evolved you’ve seen the evolution itself like you know you you started back when there was no internet. There was um. Was absolutely nothing when it came to the connections that we have today and at that point being an artist and choosing a career that um, that’s still a lot for for a lot of people doesn’t feel unstable or stable and I do know like we all know that you know being an artist.

15:38.75
Andrea
What.

15:53.81
charukaarora
Brings a little unstability and you have to work ah smarter harder to bring that career stability in your life but did you ever think like um, did this idea of like how will you actually make a living out of this or finding a opportunity. So for yourself. How hard was. Back then versus today and how are you different? Do you think your approach has evolved. Um yeah, like from then to now.

16:20.43
Andrea
Yeah, yeah, definitely ah, very different and I see it in in ah people who actually stop themselves and to live in that you know old world and they they don’t. Um, they are not present on social media or they’re not present on various platforms. They they practically didn’t make it to a certain level of emerging artist career and I think yes, you’re right? It was very different so we didn’t have social media. We didn’t have Instagram we didn’t have.

16:53.74
charukaarora
Yeah.

16:56.91
Andrea
Book. So when we started an exhibit. It was a huge success when you have exhibit exhibition right? It was ah it was a huge thing. So ah, it was very much influenced by the way that you have to go and show your portfolio physically to a gallery or you would just send the portfolio via email.

17:00.36
charukaarora
Yes.

17:16.81
Andrea
But that was about it. You know, like most of the things were done face-to-face. It was not communication like it wouldn’t be possible you and I would have a conversation on podcast like we do today and for for me, it certainly evolved I am.

17:19.99
charukaarora
Yeah.

17:34.30
Andrea
I Always was um, would say a Cosmopolitan person I was traveling a lot. My husband is American We travel the world together and so for me, it’s not a big deal to speak ah in English or you know to be president of social media. Or to actually you know be present those social platforms or satard or you know single art or all these things which when I started as an artist to be present online for a lot of people who weren’t let’s say ah who didn’t have a language ability or who didn’t have a communication.

18:09.97
charukaarora
Um, yeah.

18:10.97
Andrea
You can you can speak English but you you might not be able to you know, do podcast right? So ah for these things I think it’s important for an artist nowdays to be a little bit of multitasker in a sense.

18:15.79
charukaarora
Yeah.

18:23.68
charukaarora
Yeah.

18:27.18
Andrea
And as you know as you do? What do you do with your arts to hearts, broad podcast or arts to hearts project. It’s wonderful and it’s also fill a gap How you can be present online how you can be present for people and show your arts to the world show the way that you’re achieving.

18:33.57
charukaarora
Thank you.

18:46.74
Andrea
What your ad message is so it definitely changed I spend a lot of time doing some kind of marketing or sending you know things to galleries which represent me via email create a Pdf or. Things like that and a funny part is always when the gallery with galleries to ask your gallery assistant. So just send it to your assistant and so I don’t have an assistant. It’s me. Ah, so but I you know it came to the point that I might actually.

19:12.56
charukaarora
Ah.

19:17.66
Andrea
Consider some student of mine to help me with certain things because it’s all so you know it’s I said it’s sometimes overwhelming all this you know art art world in social media. You know you can you can relate? yeah.

19:19.29
charukaarora
Oh that’s a wonderful but you’ve also adapted pretty sorry oh completely. Yeah, like you know you you’re pretty. Good with social media. You have a good following your work creates a lot of audience today and you make like those um in situ so it is which looks like you’re technologically quite um, you’ve adapted to this change. How hard was that adapted. Ah I mean a lot of us even till today. Um.

19:48.57
Andrea
Yes.

19:56.10
charukaarora
Haven’t been that comfortable so you I think you’ve done a great job with that. How has that changed for you. How did you deal with that and did you have any stigma I really want to ask this. How is it for you in Eastern Europe um did it mean like you know the internet artist world or like um and you’ve.

20:04.74
Andrea
Um, I figure the part. Ah.

20:15.34
charukaarora
You’ve won a lot of awards you have these? Ah, you’ve shown your work at such amazing places and like you have that credibility with your work and then you also have an additional. You’ve evolved with the changing times and you’ve also taken that part in um, made a um place for yourself in. In the world um of social media. How has that been for you.

20:39.23
Andrea
Um, ah yeah I think that part of that process or perhaps you know like it changes with times is that I am super open person and i. Um I have young students which which are part of my life which are are you know with me I teach them but I would say interactively just ah, changing each other so I would hear something new from them and they. Of course they would learn from me what I can offer them with my experience or coaching but I never was someone who wanted to stop in some position and just just be there comfortably I was always ah reaching higher. Let’s say I was always trying to. move move forward but the reason with my art or with my life. Ah, you know like because I I do teach also psychology I always tell my students. It’s always great that you are a better person next day and if you fail one day there is always another day to prove yourself and.

21:36.27
charukaarora
Um, no wow.

21:42.58
charukaarora
I Love that.

21:46.20
Andrea
Actually you know make it better and so ah I believe that it’s possible I am not saying it’s perfect and I of course made tons of mistakes of course like everyone else. Ah, you know whether I it was to to. Connect with the galleries I shouldn’t for at the beginning or whether I did some you know mistakes that I you know I don’t even I don’t even know tons of it probably but I was trying to stay humble and trying to stay open to things which are coming my way.

22:17.16
charukaarora
Yeah.

22:21.40
Andrea
And whenever whenever there is an opportunity or there is a gallery who ask me for cooperation or where there is There is a student who shows me something new I I listen you know I stay open and I listen and I think that probably led towards that moment when.

22:29.48
charukaarora
Yeah.

22:38.57
Andrea
You know things can change for you or things can actually be modified or you know you motivate others and others motivate you. So it’s it’s you know, always the case like we you Okay, that’s also wonderful feeling.

22:49.26
charukaarora
Love that. Okay, something that I’d really want to ask something. This is very personal to me we we were just speaking about, Um, you know. Authenticity finding your voice and this is something I’ve had a conversation even in the previous recording today. Um I don’t make abstract art and I’m very interested in knowing how the mind of an abstract artist works like.

23:02.66
Andrea
Oh.

23:21.29
charukaarora
You know with figurative. It is still it itself even like it still says something on its own like you know you? if there’s a dog well like I’m just giving an example. Okay, but with abstract I’m interested to know like what your process looks like like you say like it’s meditative and.

23:29.26
Andrea
Yes, ah.

23:40.83
charukaarora
But when you are making that art. Do you have an idea already like like how how does it? How does your mind work. What what is your creative process like.

23:51.87
Andrea
Yeah I I think that it comes again towards what I said earlier ah to be open because when I start to paint when I you know I have. Works which are acrylics or let’s say they’re more elaborate heavier works which are let’s say larger abstract paintings on canvas and then I have a um collection of work which is more calligraphic and more light Minimalistic and in both those. Ah. Directions I approach it a little differently so when I create the large abstract scale work or let’s say I create a collection for an exhibition or for the show. So I usually carry the idea with me for a while I do a little bit of colorful sketches or I Just you know. Write down the ideas or you know like I do a little bit of preparation or brainstorming or I would you know think about things or compositions or just you know, sketch the composition or something so with the large abstract scale work I work a little differently than with the Sumi Inc Calligraphy Because the calligraph is so ink for me, it’s It’s solemnly and solely meditative and so for those works I I just started with being quiet and listening to myself and from that moment of silence I would create or execute.

25:22.92
Andrea
Brush Stroke or execute ah a gesture or and sometimes it’s just rubbish. You know I throw it away because you know sometimes our thoughts can be dest distractctive or can be celtic or and don’t concentrate or don’t speak from from the point wherever where you want them to so.

25:32.10
charukaarora
Yes.

25:42.90
Andrea
Ah, of course not all over all of the works I keep but the what the works which which work with me and the works. Ah, which I consider the best are when I are coming from the point where I was able to fully connect to myself and concentrate. That’s an abstract. Minimalistic Calligraphy work I would say and when it comes to to my acrylic works or the bigger works Large scale works I work with the idea which I carry with me and sometimes during the process of of um of creativity when when I paint I. Actually think about you know this idea which I carried but the idea might change during the process because it would you know like the process itself would lead me somewhere Else. So I would have you know? Okay, Well, this color is not working here.

26:32.35
charukaarora
Yeah.

26:38.13
Andrea
So I’m going to try a different approach I’m going to you know, ah move it to a different angle or you know like the process itself is guiding me so it is to the degree spontaneous in a way that okay fine I have that in mind and it’s still there. It’s subconscious, but the idea might change during the process and at the end. Ah you know sometimes it’s it’s coming out the right way and sometimes it takes weeks. You know it yourself and it’s not the right thing. It’s still not Good. It’s still not working. It’s still not so you’re coming back to the to the.

27:03.27
charukaarora
It doesn’t.

27:11.50
charukaarora
Are.

27:15.36
Andrea
Place where you were before and therefore therefore I always work on multiple canvases and I like the way that when I work on multiple canvases and when I work on multiple pieces. It allows me to actually you know come back to peace and and see from a distance. Okay, well this is not working or this is not. You know speaking to me or this is great or I keep that part or what would I do with that right? Yes, yes, So maybe you know that I mean this is usually how Ah how I do it? yeah.

27:40.26
charukaarora
Art. Yeah, that conversation with the work that goes on what do you say Yeah and I think I think I love for me I really personally enjoy that conversation while that. After a while in between a work is being made because it’s like I have no idea why I’m saying this but I know I’m saying this like like like it’s 2 different voice yet. It is still the same voice like you are your work a lot of times and.

28:15.16
Andrea
And yeah, so.

28:20.16
charukaarora
It’s like you’re talking to your work and like just that just that move like I would sit for hours and just look at it move or out come back to it and like it’s it’s it’s it’s like a serious discussion that you feel like you’re having with your work.

28:34.44
Andrea
Yes, yes, and I think that’s that’s so the honest thing to do to have a discussion with your pieces because then you can have practically a discussion with yourself. It’s a part of you which is.

28:47.30
charukaarora
Yeah.

28:51.39
Andrea
Ah, you know I’m badded in that piece and that piece is actually speaking the the way you speak but you didn’t know that all of these things are in you or maybe some of it. It’s conscious, but some of it. It’s not yet so it’s just it’s serious discussion. Yes.

28:53.74
charukaarora
So yes.

29:06.73
charukaarora
Love that. Okay, before we go into the rapid fire 1 last question in these 25 years what do you think was your um, biggest struggle or something you feel like you learned along the way was something that held you back for a very long time as an artist.

29:11.41
Andrea
Aha.

29:23.84
charukaarora
Like you know we all come with different notions like what was the most difficult part in this journey so far.

29:32.40
Andrea
Okay, well I will give you an honest answer and the most difficult part for me is to somehow navigate my family life and um to to live as as an artist as the way I want because it’s.

29:33.44
charukaarora
Yes.

29:48.53
Andrea
You know like it’s a constant struggle for me I I always you know, think that when I when I think that I’m good at it. Something would show me to them not and there is always this struggle between my role as a mother as an and as a partner and my role as a mother. An artist at first and sometimes I feel guilty I don’t put so much emphasis into into my family as I should with my painting for you know, couple days and I might be so disconnected from this world. So I you know I function I function I do. Do things that they require me to do and I help them to you know drive my child to work. But I my mind is somewhere else and then I feel guilty to dying exactly. Do don’t you and it’s so it’s really, ah.

30:33.87
charukaarora
I Love this like yeah I can I feel this like yeah.

30:45.27
Andrea
And I mean it’s really hard to express it. It’s really hard to ah navigate that and it took me a while not to feel guilty that I am actually disconnected from my family at this point So I can’t be.

30:59.36
charukaarora
Do you think 2 things. This disconnection is also because like like I feel like there are two sides to this because I think as artists we get so immersed in this visual world that we create for ourselves in this world. We create in our head and specifically in a time like and we all crave for that and. Sometimes life comes in the way and that does not happen as often as we would like but I see this as a very common thing also because um I just feel like with artists. The thing is that um you know if you’re ah in a regular 9 to 5 Job we feel compelled. We know that they like.

31:20.84
Andrea
Yes, yes, yes.

31:37.78
charukaarora
You’re getting paid to show up there and there’s a routine and there’s a patent versus the work that we do is also is very self-imposed like you have to make a pattern for yourself. You have to set deadlines for yourself and you have to do and I think the difference is we so many times feel like.

31:48.96
Andrea
Isn’t.

31:56.70
charukaarora
We make that conscious choice and I hear that from a lot of artist mothers like where I think the guilt comes in where we feel like okay I’m choosing this time to make my art versus being with my family versus if we were had to go to some like if you were going to work and you had to like it’s still.

31:57.43
Andrea
So.

32:14.50
charukaarora
Had to I don’t know if I’m putting this right I don’t know you know what I mean.

32:18.13
Andrea
No I think you I think you are right? and but I think it’s not only ah, the physical absence like because physically I’m most of the time here, but it’s it’s the it’s the the different world the dreamy world we live in you know, like.

32:23.60
charukaarora
Yes.

32:35.99
Andrea
The way how our partners or have our children couldn’t access us sometimes because we have such a strong ideas that it would occupys the inner space of us. You know the entire soul and body. So.

32:48.35
charukaarora
Um, yes.

32:52.77
Andrea
Actually I think the most importantly is this and we have a tremendous amount of discussion with you know about this with my partner and he keeps telling me like there is nothing more important than your art. You know like I sometimes feel like I am not that important.

32:58.94
charukaarora
Okay. Oh wow.

33:10.89
Andrea
And I would tell him you know don’t compare these 2 things this is incomparable but you know so he he feels you know as a man he feels like there is a disconnection between us based on being an artist being an artist and pursue your dreams or carry your dreams.

33:22.71
charukaarora
Yeah.

33:29.75
Andrea
Constantly within and I don’t think that I can get them out. You know it’s super honest, though you I might listen to it and but I.

33:36.30
charukaarora
I love your honesty about this hundred person I’m so grateful that you’re talking about this because this is something I think mother artist or anyone like like we all feel this guilt at so many places and especially like. But it comes to marriage and children because I think also mothers are primary primary caregivers and as artists and I also think as I think art I believe artists are also givers in the sense that I think it takes it takes a lot of courage.

33:54.57
Andrea
Yes.

34:07.47
Andrea
Yes, exactly? yeah.

34:13.38
charukaarora
To feel whatever you’re feeling and put that in a creative out in the world in a form of creativity and then separate yourself from it because once it’s out. It has a life of its own and this this balance of like how how have you was.

34:22.33
Andrea
Yes, exactly.

34:31.42
charukaarora
The transition of being a mother of hard for you and taking your practice alongside all these years. How hard was that.

34:35.41
Andrea
It was hard. It was I would say it was hard for for a long time I had doubts that I could actually make both to work. You know I had and as as you mentioned there is a lot of us who. Actually would dare to be mothers and artists at the same time and a lot of us who said I have a lot of friends who just gave up and say okay well I’m not going to pursue further I’m just going to paint some few of my stuff once in a while and send you know early on the local markets. Yeah.

34:54.92
charukaarora
Yeah.

35:01.30
charukaarora
Yeah.

35:08.13
charukaarora
Um, yeah, yeah.

35:10.99
Andrea
But that’s that’s not what we do and and I had these discussions with all my friends artists when I was ah in France in residency in chateau orchivo last year and you know like all the male artists say okay well.

35:21.70
charukaarora
Yes.

35:29.12
Andrea
We didn’t have that problem and I said oh no wonder you know because you never had to decide that way and they you know the difference is that there were a lot of them who were so saying you know like my vive is helping me with my career. My wife is doing. You know me my male friends.

35:30.60
charukaarora
Yes.

35:47.57
Andrea
And they would say my wife is doing like the Axl program for my paintings and helping me with that. Well there is none of our husbands who did this for us nothing zero. You know all of us we had to do it for ourselves or we had to hire someone to do it so there is this.

35:57.80
charukaarora
Um, yes, a room.

36:05.38
Andrea
Very different ah polarity question which we talk a lot with my friends artists, friends women, friends. Um, there is a lot of these ah women who have husband artists who would actually help the man to pursue career. But there is almost zero man who would say oh my beautiful wife I’m so happy you’re an artist so you know like there is there is a difference and I think it has something to do with that part of our souls which is actually not belonging to them and they know it.

36:28.58
charukaarora
He yeah.

36:39.71
charukaarora
Yeah, yeah.

36:42.86
Andrea
And that’s something what we cannot have differently It’s not that we actually choose it. It’s in us and they just you know like the our partners just have to somehow accept it. But sorry my dog is making noses here. And so I think ah for me it was it was difficult when I had Liam my son I was you know doubting that if I can make it but you know eventually I I have just decided yes, this is what I want to do and I I I can’t leave without it.

37:11.69
charukaarora
Yeah, and you’ll have to make certain sacrifices. You’ll have to be okay with them and it’ll it’ll pinch you it’ll pain you but then in I be I think being stuck is painful. Moving forward is also painful like.

37:25.48
Andrea
Oh yeah, yeah, oh sorry my talkma do you hear it. So I have to I you know what I have to let him out. This is is it. Okay, if I let him out. Okay.

37:28.29
charukaarora
The kind of pain you choose is the question.

37:35.31
charukaarora
Ah, yes is I can hear you but no problem. Yeah.

37:43.54
Andrea
Pick figure.

37:56.14
Andrea
Come back.

38:17.46
Andrea
I’m back when you were.

38:17.80
charukaarora
Amazing. Yeah, and do you? How do you think your children look at you I think truly I think having creative parents and specifically artist mother father of Paris at least 1 it’s it’s like I feel like it’s a very different way of growing up. It’s a very different way because as artists I think we think differently. Um, we we I just feel like it’s a very different way of living that we choose and.

38:49.50
Andrea
This is.

38:52.44
charukaarora
Raising children like that I think it’s a very different experience. How do your children look at you today like um, how what are their views and be having an artist mother. How how has that dynamic worked for you.

39:08.88
Andrea
I have a son a only son he is 11 and he is incredibly creative. Ah he you love his. You know I own ideas he creates his own comic book and what I’ve actually always.

39:09.70
charukaarora
Okay.

39:20.99
charukaarora
Wow.

39:26.24
Andrea
Try to support in him is to to let him do his um think you know like when he was younger, he used to paint with me in ah in my studio he was as a little boy, you know he was painting with me or we were doing like a bigger paintings on canvases and now he. Ah, he’s you know he’s a teen so he moved from from painting towards drawing so he he can draw for hours literally. Ah but you know like I was trying to inspire him to come back to studio sometimes with me and paint he doesn’t want to he wants to do his own thing. So. I am fully fully supportive of that and I think it’s great that he creates he he you know he has all these crazy ideas what he wants to do or creates his masks. Um costumes and um, he he actually is. Is very good in observing a movement movement so he when I see his drawings. They are very elaborate and the the movement is so precise and I’m I’m stunned so I think he’s very talented and I think that I don’t only think it as a mom and a proud mom.

40:38.81
charukaarora
Oh wow.

40:39.97
Andrea
But also like other people from galleries would spot him that his his talented so it inspired some gallery to take him in and represent his work so he has already some way to the gallery. Yeah, so yeah.

40:48.60
charukaarora
Wow lovely Andrew this was so fun. Thank you so much I really really had a great time talking to you but I have a little rapid fire before we go are you ready? Let me just pull out my questions.

41:00.58
Andrea
Okay, yes, okay.

41:07.71
charukaarora
Okay, here we go.

41:17.40
charukaarora
Um, okay so let’s start with a this or or that okay creativity versus Perfectionism which is that calls you more.

41:27.75
Andrea
Totally creativity. Absolutely.

41:33.70
charukaarora
Okay, morning or night. What is your zone of creation night you night. Oh Wow. Okay, um, what kind of is your zone music.

41:35.82
Andrea
Night night and

41:50.50
charukaarora
Ah, silence when you’re creating.

41:53.65
Andrea
Depends on on the type of work when I do calligraphy it’s silence when I do big abstract work is music.

42:00.42
charukaarora
Music I like that. Okay, what is the worst piece of advice you’ve ever heard worst. Yes.

42:08.78
Andrea
Worst The worst. Ah, ah it No I don’t I don’t recall any like I I didn’t really have anyone who given me like a bad advices. Maybe I gave Well I mean there are there are some people who advised me to work with different galleries I didn’t want to but I mean that’s not nothing major so lucky enough nothing major best piece of advice always work.

42:33.92
charukaarora
Okay, best piece of advice you’ve ever heard.

42:43.40
Andrea
Nobody is going to take the hours from in the studio away from you and once you realize that they are there. You can always come back to it.

42:52.89
charukaarora
Lovely I Love that? Okay, what how has technology helped or hindered your process as an artist.

43:05.34
Andrea
It helped me with my ah marketing and visibility for sure and it helped me to connect with people all around the world. Sure yeah.

43:15.54
charukaarora
Okay, 1 last question what is that 1 piece of advice would you like to give to anyone who’s listening to this ah episode who wants and I think specifically I think I would ask ask you an advice for people who are actually struggling with managing their personal life.

43:18.15
Andrea
Listen.

43:34.97
charukaarora
With their with their autistic aspirations I think I would take that advice for the last two years I think that has been my biggest struggle as well.

43:45.76
Andrea
Ah, what I would say ah you know like it’s It’s always ah, it’s always time for for things to come your way. Um, be patient and again come back to to your studio and work. And the things would appear on the right time and the right direction for you Ah, doubting yourself. It’s completely normal and it’s Natural. So accept that the doubt and then just push it away and come back to your work.

44:17.47
charukaarora
I love that that’s a wonderful advice. Thank you so much Andrea thank you so much. But no so anyone who’s listening who sorry so for anyone who’s listening to this episode of watching this episode I think.

44:20.62
Andrea
See I don’t know readings. But that’s what I do. Thank you very much.

44:34.61
charukaarora
This is a great episode. We’ve talked about quite a few things. But I think my biggest takea away from this episode personally is ah something I feel like very few people actually talk about I think I’ve had a one hundred to one hundred fifty guest and ah, very few people actually talk about the struggle that um. Being an artist we feel when it comes to our personal and professional lives and I have talked I’ve I’ve shared this in the past few episodes on the podcast at how much I have personally struggled in the past two years um um you know, um, feeling like life has gotten so much in the way of my creative.

45:08.46
Andrea
Listen.

45:11.59
charukaarora
Ah time how much I feel like I want to get into the studio. So definitely your your words were so comforting for me because ah, knowing that you know when you hear from someone else. Also so yeah for anyone who’s listening to this episode if you’re there I think this episode is a reminder for you that you’re not alone.

45:19.10
Andrea
Isn’t.

45:30.73
charukaarora
We’re all here with you and if you like this episode and you think this would support someone in their journey specifically who are currently having these struggles and need some comforting words I think Andrea has some excellent advices for all of us.

45:44.28
Andrea
Systems.

45:46.82
charukaarora
So make sure that you share this episode support. Um your community by sharing these resources and if you liked what he spoke about make sure you subscribe on Youtube Spotify Apple or wherever you listen to your podcasts. And make sure that you tag us in this episode share this and support before going Andrea I just want to take this moment to again. Thank you and where can people who are listening to this episode right now where can then find you support you? um. You know if there is any other project that you’re working on that we should you know, check out use this space. Let us know what’s up.

46:23.97
Andrea
Me. Okay, so I would like to thank you for inviting me as well and for being able to share my ideas of the world I am very happy to to be present online on Instagram as undress circles. But. For my next upcoming projects which are super important to me as an artist but as also as as a woman artist and as a mother is you can find me ah and follow my projects with art connect society. But is the project. We create a wonderful exhibition pro exhibitions with Valentin Biha like ah but also with other artists women artists and she is the Ceo of that of that project. Ah, we’re creating the project. Um. For a women’s shelter in berard right now and we’re creating a lot of charity orientated project with doctors without borders Aml Foundation I’m going to be part of this March um.

47:26.56
charukaarora
Wow.

47:40.85
Andrea
And having my like um life painting performance. There. It’s a 24 of March for people who live in our part of the world I’m going to be performing there also pro bono but most of my projects are accessible. Online you can see them. You can you know see if there is anything happening right now and I would be very happy to hear a feedback from from all of you and and from you as well. Personally? So thank you very much for all you do and for for the voice in the world. You’re creating.

48:15.70
charukaarora
Thank you so much. That’s very nice of you and for anyone who wants to go deeper ah for this episode, you’ll find actually not only a transcript but we will be converting like by the moment you would be hurting this there is an article on Andrea with this conversation in a format of q and a. With a lot more pictures of Andrea’s work her studio process I’m going to ask Andrea to send us some you know videos or something in sight like for our readers only so we will be putting up a resource focus on Andrea and our work that you can dig deeper. And thank you so much for tuning into this episode make sure that if you like this episode you give her a thumbs up subscribe and just thank you so much for tuning in and I’ll see you in the next episode. Thank you Andrea.

49:01.90
Andrea
Thank you so much. Thank you, Thank you was a pleasure. Thank you.

49:06.91
charukaarora
Thank you.