What motivated you to become an entrepreneur OR take your career in the direction you did? Is having your own business OR this role you are in something you always wanted?

What motivated me to take my career to the direction I did was to make something of my own, being an artist let alone an independent artist was never what I envisioned, growing up I saw myself either in fashion or in journalism.

I grew the passion of visual arts from watching my brother draw and from learning the history of art through art projects and studying printmaking. The direction of my career also stems from wanting to provide for myself and my family, the same way I saw my mom and siblings do.

Which woman has positively impacted you in your career/business? And what is the one lesson she taught you?

There are many women that have positively impacted my career, including my mother, in different ways, from facilitators, mentors, artists I look up to, to woman who collect my work, the lesson I would say that has been common throughout is to stay true to myself, my story and my values as that will always drive the course, changes will happen but values and principles remain the same.

How do you define success?

I would define success as ‘progress and not perfection’, success to me isn't the same every day and there is so much greatness in that alone. The idea of always measuring success by the scale of the achievement is not what I aspire to be.

One insight for anyone interested in the industry you are working in?

The one insight I have is to not be so closed minded, be versatile, explore mediums and different ways of telling your story, example is; I only used to using a limited amount of materials/medium in the beginning, until I discovered other mediums such as painting, printmaking and collage, pastels, fabric which are now the defining mediums of my practice.

What is your one key guiding principle in your work life?

Humility has been one of the key principles that guide me in my work life, it has taught me to be observant, respectful and creative.

What do you believe is the most impactful and immediate action your industry can take to Accelerate Gender Equality Through Economic Empowerment. (this is the theme for INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY in 2024)

I believe that there are already some brands and companies working with certain galleries and project spaces to accelerate gender equality through economic empowerment, such as all expenses paid residencies for women in the arts with an exhibition at the end of the residency, a space with enough materials to create work for group shows, whether it be for curators or visual artists. I believe in more commissions by women in the arts, more visibility and projects of women in the arts in different spaces that are connected to arts and design such as the entertain industry, beauty & fashion, health & wellness, digital etc that way the women in the arts are not only connecting with those in the arts but also other fields. I also believe that with these same spaces and projects in place there should be more transparency around legal protection and financial education.

The three books that changed your life