Art and Soul
Born in the beach town of Goa and brought up in Muscat and Goa, Reena Maria Dsa has always been an ardent fan of all things creative. Once a little kid who loved her activity books and sketch pens, Reena grew up to make waves doing what she loves - fabric painting and nail art.
“I have always loved creativity- anything from quilling to handmade jewelry. I love photography too and exploring new art like mosaic and 3d acrylic. Art and music are my life, I can't live without them!”
The first serious piece of art she remembers creating (not taking into account all the childhood experimentation) is a table cloth and speaker cover she painted for a friend in 2010. We ask her when she realized that this is what she wanted to do. She says:
“I used to paint pillow cases and alter clothes for my family and friends as a hobby, until a friend of mine suggested I paint a t-shirt for a buddy of his. I’ve never painted on a t-shirt before, so I took it up as a challenge. The design was an eagle tearing a t-shirt. It looked quite tough, but I somehow managed it and the end result looked amazing! My friend’s buddy loved it. I took a picture, uploaded it on Facebook and got quite a lot of positive feedback. That’s how Reena fabric paintings was born.”
She cites as her inspiration renowned Goan cartoonist Mario Miranda. She keeps her creative saw sharp and her childlike wonder alive by following the work of other creative people.
We ask her about her creative process. She says:
“Creating is something that needs a lot of patience. Sometimes I get upset when the art I am trying to create doesn't come out as planned. But I keep trying until I’m satisfied with my work. And the hard work and the mess is all worth it because the outcome is more beautiful than I could have ever imagined.”
We ask her what she would say to people who hesitate to embrace their interests.
“Everyone is blessed and talented in a different way. There are many people who make careers from their hobbies, be it doodling or cooking. Never hesitate to do what you love. Believe in yourself, forget what others might say or think and just do it! You may get negative comments or feedback for your work, but don’t let that stop you. Dreams really do come true. You may have ups and downs, but you will be proud that you are doing something you love. When you finally succeed, you will be glad that you didn't give up.”
We couldn’t agree with you more Reena! Here’s hoping you continue to do what you love and inspire the people around you to do the same.
Know an everyday artist like Reena? Share their story with us by writing to everydayartists@urbanladder.com. We’d love to feature their work here!
