Interview with Rukshana Hooda

I'm not sure why it is, exactly, but ever since I met Rukshana in an Etsy chat room, I've felt a connection to her and her art. It's more than just liking the things she creates. A spark actually went through me...like I've known this person before. Bombay (Mumbai), India is over 7000 miles (11000 kilometers) from my home in Bangor, Maine and, as I think you'll see, Rukshana's openness and willingness to share her insights bridges that gap beautifully. So, it is with great pleasure and enthusiasm I bring this interview to you.

Rukshana is a visual artist: a simple, down-to-earth, sensitive human being in love with nature. "I love to paint with acrylics, charcoals, on canvas, thick cartridge, teak, fabric and create texture through various interesting mediums. I can always admire everything in nature." she tells me, "The simple things always fascinated me more, like birds chirping, the sunrise, the sunset, the skies with those wonderful hues, the trees, the horizon...and this is so true: We all live under the same sky, but our horizons differ."

Rukshana graduated with a Fine Arts degree (as a Textile Designer) from Sir J.J. School of Art and Sophia College. I simply love and adore the people here," she says of Mumbai, "their simplicity, their daily chores, the village life, all this has played an important role in my thinking, my paintings, my lifestyle. I would love to work and help them. When traveling, how I love to listen to these common people, their life, their thoughts, their vision (again which is so simple!)."

"My genre is very varied from abstracts, landscapes, charcoals, Moghul Art, human forms, Warli, history and always is inspired by Nature around me. Its beauty, its serenity and solitude is sometimes Heavenly to me. Nature in its own self has always stayed absorbed in my expression. Beauty has no form. Still, I try to capture and create on my canvas."

Rukshana has been painting and drawing for as long as she can remember, but employment in a totally unrelated field caused her to give up doing any form of artwork for many years. "I was a front office receptionist in a five star hotel, then worked as an honorary teacher in an orphanage, conducted classes for art, craft and calligraphy for 14 years, so did a bit of social service." In recent times, Rukshana rekindled her interest in art and, inspired by friends and family, decided to showcase some of her works online. "Painting is something I must do and it is a major part of my life. I love flowers and abstract art. Hopefully, my artwork speaks for itself. Creativity is...seeing something that doesn't already exist."

"We are learning every day," Rukshana says, "and hopefully till the last breath! Life is like a river. Life itself is a challenge. Life is knowledge. Life is a teacher. Love is life." Rukshana loves the challenges life brings. "Sometimes, I wonder how boring it would be if everything always went right. We'd have nothing to look forward to, to work for. Nothing to do. Nothing to aim for. Nothing to wish for. I love LIFE. It is beautiful. The toughness of it makes you. Though maybe some feel it breaks you, actually, I feel, LIFE shows us different roads, one more brightly than the other: new, mysterious, adventurous." However narrow or steep the road, Rukshana believes there is something to learn from moving through life; something that changes you along the way. "Change is compulsory...a necessity...inevitable." These thoughts, this vision is something Rukshana tries to capture on canvas.

Rukshana believes art is to be cherished. "It's creative," she says, "like writing a book. Like how an orator talks, a writer uses the pen...the artist paints. Each one speaks volumes about their field. Love for beauty is Taste. Creation of beauty is ART."

Rukshana also believes people should invest in art and buy original works from known, famous or new artisans. Of her own art, she says, "I feel very blessed to have this opportunity to express myself through painting. I love that people say my artwork enhances their lives and that it inspires them. I am blessed to have an encouraging family, great friends, wonderful well wishers, clients and colleagues...God bless them all!"

Reading and music, to Rukshana, is food for the soul. "Knowledge is a must and without music, the soul is dead. I can't paint if I am not listening to music. I feel something amiss, so both reading and music play a very vital role in my life." Some of Rukshana's favorite books are Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand, Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts, and these books by Brian L. Weiss, MD: Many Lives, Many Masters, Through Time into Healing, Same Soul, Many Bodies, and Only Love is Real.

For Rukshana, the most simple footwear works best...never too tight, very light and neat. She loves walking, so her shoes must be comfortable enough to walk in or stand for hours. Not elaborate or artificial. Not ornate or luxurious. Not complicated. Not flashy. But, Yes, sophisticated, elegant and not complex! "No heels for me," Rukshana says, "I've had a slipped disc--twice--and it teaches me to be down-to-earth!"

Rukshana is a member of the following groups:

Ryze.com - a business networking site

Care2.com - a group dedicated to green living, health, human rights and more

GoodTree.com - a web portal that helps people navigate the Web in a way that reflects their beliefs and values, join causes and share information about how to make a difference

Learn more about Rukshana and her work at the following sites:

Rukus Gallery
Ebay
Flickr
Picassonet
Yessy
Rukshana Hooda
VAST Gallery
Casapinka

What Shoes Rukshana Wears

Let Down Your Hair (by Mrs. Dragon)

Become A Well (By Mrs. Dragon)

Interview with Amanda (Mrs Dragon)

I'm happy and honored to have this opportunity to interview Amanda. She is, perhaps, the most active person with a variety of Etsy groups I've interviewed so far. I met her through the Visual Arts Street Team (VAST). She's also a member of The Fantasy Art of Etsy Street Team (FAE) and Etsy Greetings. Amanda's enthusiasm, energy and talent are evident in her work.

Amanda's the creative inspiration behind Mrs. Dragon and Ink & Vine where you'll find cards with paper flowers and dragonlings. "Although my shops focus on two seemingly dissimilar things," Amanda tells me, "I can still see a clear aesthetic running through all of my items. I love colors set against very plain backgrounds. My love of text is evident in the stampings on my cards. I frequently use my own handwriting on both my quoteable ACEOs and my dragonling items. In both cases," Amanda says of her cards and dragonlings, "I work very small. I have yet to take my dragonlings larger than an ACEO--it just seems like TOO much room!"

Amanda has been creating in one form or another for as long as she can remember. "I remember my childhood in terms of what my current artistic obsession was at the moment (drawing, sewing, perler beads, rubber stamping, card making, jewelry...)." Now, Amanda continues to craft as a form of release and relaxation from her more analytical pursuits. "I am delighted to share the results with you and hope that you will enjoy my products as much as I enjoy designing and crafting them."

Amanda's husband often inspires her work. "Every romantic or lovey piece I do is created with him in mind. He often gives me ideas of things for my dragonlings to hold or do. His enthusiastic support often spurs me to keep creating." Amanda's friends and family have a strong influence on her pieces as well, providing ideas for her dragonlings' likes and dislikes...and sometimes even names.

Amanda's also inspired by participating in group contests or challenges. These challenges focus on very specific themes or artistic parameters. "They often make me work outside my 'box' and they always give me a seed to start from, which I love. My problem is usually too many ideas, so it's nice sometimes to have something concrete to work on!"

One issue Amanda thinks about and is personally involved with is social attitudes toward women. As a female in engineering (and with many female friends in engineering), Amanda finds herself very sensitive to the social messages which suggest women are stupid or incapable of excelling in math or science. "Once I began to notice those, my radar was on. I also began to notice the prevalent attitude in advertising and everywhere of women as controlling, manipulative, needy, overly emotional, and illogical. It just makes me so angry to see such a bigoted attitude pushed as the truth. And, in fairness, I get equally upset over the stereotyping of men as crass, slow, clueless, sports obsessed jerks."

When life tosses challenges her way, Amanda uses art as an escape. "If things are going awfully, it's hard to get motivated to start working on things. But if I can put on some good music and get lost in my art, the world will seem brighter when I reemerge hours later. Sometimes, I find I just have to force myself to do things (even things I know I will like!) and I am almost always glad I did in the end."

"I simply cannot create anything without music." When Amanda gets distracted and fidgeting, music helps her find a meditative place in her soul. "I love slow, rhythmic, soothing songs with beautiful melodies and meaningful lyrics." Some of Amanda's favorite picks are detailed on her blog.

Amanda grew up in running shoes and wore those all through college. "Now that I have graduated in the 'real world,'" she says, "I am in love with heeled boots. Symbolically, I think the change of shoes represents that life transition quite well--as I've moved into more adult ways of interacting with the world and more 'girly' things in general."

You can learn more about Amanda and see her work in her both her Etsy shops (Mrs. Dragon and Ink & Vine), on her blog, and at her photo gallery.

What Shoes Amanda Wears

Morning Wash (by Majo)