In Conversation with Mariah Javed
“Hello!!!”
Pretty smile, trying to adjust her camera, with a cup of chai, Mariah Javed stares into the big screen, looking confused in an adorable way.
“Hiii! Can you hear me?”
Finally, her audio connected!
Mariah Javed lives in Delhi, where she creates beautiful art from scraps of papers, magazine pages, old newspapers and whatnots. With an immensely popular Instagram page having a growing fanbase, Mariah influences the world with her mastery in art journalism and poetry. Under the light of books and love for chai, Mariah is here with PaperKin to talk a bit about herself and everything she loves.
“Hey! Hello! Hi!” Stupid me excitedly started waving at the Zoom Screen with a not-so-nervous grin on my face.
We exchanged our formal pleasantries, and soon the conversation was starting to feel lighter and funnier, I guess? We just started laughing for some random reasons and it felt really easy talking to her. Did I mention she had a pretty smile?
She had had a happy day, after shopping (visited a bookstore, decided against buying anything :P), and she was chilling in her room, a bit worried about the lighting. Meanwhile, I just got back from the gym, only to find the tube light in my room was not working and hence had to take the interview with Philips T bulb on. Yeah, talk about lighting. * smh *
Before getting into the questions I had prepared, I asked her if it was alright to record the meeting since it would be good to have a reference while writing it down later on. Because, obviously, consent is very important. 😊
Without any further ado, let us know more about Mariah, what she does, and how she does it!
How did you take your very first step into art journalism and poetry?
I have always been weirdly into scrapbooking. Like ever since I was a kid, I would literally just take pictures from newspapers because they looked pretty even though I had no clue what to do with them. I would simply keep these pictures in the hopes that someday I will do something with them. Also, during those times I wanted to become an artist, but I had zero artistic skills. So, it was just me collecting materials and not knowing what to do. Then, one day, I think it was either Tumblr or Pinterest, I saw these art journals posts and soon after that, I came to know about Noor Unnahar work on Instagram. I was like, I have this stuff! I can write, I have the supplies, so I might as well create something. I used to love putting effort for my friends by making them scrapbooks and elaborate birthday cards, decorating them with stuff that I already had with me, and then I realised that that was art journaling!
I couldn’t contain my excitement and had to interrupt her because of this strong relatable feeling of being obsessed with handmade birthday cards!
She continued…
I would get a whole big chart paper, fold it into two and I would write on all the sides, pasting cute little flowers on the sides, keeping a window that says, “open it to see a secret message”, and all of that. Suddenly all of that is cool and trending. Yeah, so that was the first year of my college. I didn’t get into the college I wanted to, so I was really low. So I decided to do something that makes me happy. That is how art journaling and my Instagram page were born.
She totally forgot about the second part of the question, so I asked again, “What about poetry?”
I have been writing on and off since the age of 13. I used to scribble on the last page of my notebooks and then I used to tear those pages because I wanted to keep them safe. Sometimes, I just used to throw the books away without thinking and have lost many poems like that. That is when I decided to properly write them down in a journal and keep them all together.
Speaking of journals, have you ever had a phase when you just started writing a diary?
*laughter*
*more laughter*
Okay, so I have an older sister and we never used to get along well. I used to get mad at her and whine about her in my diary and she would find out about it and she would just show it to everyone. So, yeah ever since 10 or 11, I used to write a diary, on and off.
Do you still happen to keep one?
Well, sometimes I rant to myself on WhatsApp. I have this chat with my own contact saved, and I send audio notes. So, it is like a virtual diary now.
So, what is that one thing nobody really knows about art journalism but you think everyone should be knowing about?
It is a legal hobby and it brings you a lot of joy! It’s not like just useless stuff put together in one space. Everything has a story behind it. Maybe a receipt, which shows you went for a shopping trip that made you happy, or tickets from the holiday you spent having a great time, a photo from a magazine which speaks to you, a polaroid with memories, anything which tells you a story, can be used for art journaling. It is an actual hobby! I have never seen a person who tried journaling and didn't like it. It is really fun.
What do your parents think about this?
I think my dad couldn’t care any less, you know how Indian dads are, he is just out somewhere. But, my mom, well initially I used to hide it from her. Even when she asks what I’m doing, I’ll just say, “I am not doing drugs!”
She mutters something in Hindi which I clearly didn’t understand but knew it was funny, so I laughed along with her. After listening to the recording, I still have no idea what exactly she meant, but it is definitely hilarious. She also explained the meme which revolved around reading books and drugs.
You know, I used to block people from my family, because I didn’t want anyone to know!
*more laughter*
But then you know people at weddings started coming and telling me about how much they enjoy my work and meanwhile, my mom would look at me cluelessly, wondering what work they are talking about, so I’d have to stop them from going into further details without my mom noticing. But my mom is also a reader, so she kind of gets it and I told her once how much it really calms me down, and how happy I get while doing it. So, now she’s cool with it. However, she still can’t believe people are interested in knowing more about my work.
All your work carries a certain theme. Do you have any specific reason for that?
I really like neutrals and pastels. I don’t like anything that is loud. Also, I can’t channel my aesthetics in real life, because I am too broke for it. If it were up to me I would wear pastels everywhere, all the time. So, yeah it is my way of channelling my inner French and New York vibe into the page.
What is your favourite colour?
I think it has to be the very light pastel baby pink or black. Also, when I say pink, I am not talking about the bright ugly pink. No! Omg, no! I mean the soft, pastel pink that is easy on the eyes.
So, what else do you like to do during your “me time”?
I love to read! I love, love, love to read! Every time I get sad, I just need a paperback in my hand, and I instantly feel better. Whenever I have work piled up and don’t get time for myself, reading always calms me down. I also enjoy taking photos, editing, and making things look pretty.
Since you talked about reading, what is that one book which left you in awe? Or a book that you would highly recommend to our readers?
It has to be “A Little Life”, by Hanya Yanagihara. For me, what I liked most about the book is not just the plot, it was the characters, and the way it is written. Also, most importantly it is set in New York. I don’t know, in my head, New York is a very beautiful concrete jungle that I fantasize about and yeah, I just love the book!
In your memory, which was the first book that you had read?
I think it was something written by Enid Blyton, but before that, I used to read Ali Baba and Chacha Chaudhary. Yeah, that’s how I got into reading. I remember a friend of mine had Thumbelina, and I was like wow that’s beautiful, I want it! And that is how I started hoarding books, but now I read mostly on my phone. Books are so expensive!
Are you reading something currently?
Yeah, actually I am almost done reading Hamlet and I am also reading the Song of Acheelis or Ackeelis (Achilles), or whatever. * giggles *
Who has inspired you the most in your life?
I actually don’t like to keep any source of inspiration because, in the end, I find something twisted about them. I start following a celebrity or an author but end up finding something not very idealistic about them, and then I become very upset because I can’t idolise them. However, I do have a lot of fictional characters that I look up to. Right now, I was watching Gilmore Girls and I felt like I need to have a child just so that I can have the Lorelai-Rory thing with them.
What is that one comment or compliment which brightened your day?
You know it is when someone says that either they relate to my work so much or that they read it a few days ago and came back to it. Also, when someone recreates my work or writes my poems in their journals, and they tag me. It’s exhilarating to know that I am existing in someone else’s journal! Judy, a creator on Instagram, recently celebrated her first anniversary with her boyfriend. She made this really beautiful art piece and my poem was there in the corner dedicated to her boyfriend. I was on top of the world when I saw that.
Is there any particular writer you are fond of and would love to meet one day?
Oh wait, now that I think of it, I know who inspires me. It has got to be Jhumpa Lahiri! I absolutely love her writing. Also, I love both Donna Tartt and Maggie O’Farrell. All women! Men writers don’t work for me.
You have a growing follower base. Does that put more pressure on you to regularly put out creative content?
In college, I had a100 people following me every day and 200 people unfollowing. So, I used to have this need to post something every single day. But then, the lockdown happened and I was out of supplies. And I took a break for a while. Then reels were introduced and became popular. And my followers suggested that my posts would look ten times better if I show my face in the stories. And I said I can’t do that. Here is all the art why do you have to see me. I get why they say that, but I just can’t get myself to do it.
Also, a lot of people ask me to take time-lapse videos, but I am doing the work at midnight and I’d need proper sunlight for taking pictures. There have been days when I didn’t post even though the art was ready but not the sunlight.
So, what keeps you going?
You know I read this quote which says, you need to do that one thing which always pulls you back to life. I think that is art journaling and books for me. I am happiest when I’m learning.
Yes, you heard me right, I absolutely love to sit in classrooms and study! If it was up to me, I would keep studying forever. I am the happiest when I am either learning or creating. I am just lost when I am creating like everything is so rosy in the world.
Who is Mariah Javed apart from what we see on your Instagram page?
Mariah Javed is a five feet tall, shy and very awkward girl. I like creating, but I don’t like presenting. Like I can make chai but I can’t serve it to you. I am very awkward and I am someone who likes to be behind the stage. So, if you are someone like me, let me tell you, art journaling is just the right thing for you. Actually, art journaling is for everyone. Anyone can do that! Also, right now I just started my MA in Education at Jamia.
I don’t think she is an awkward person. And I told her that she doesn’t seem to be very shy.
You know what, I love talking to people, but it’s the part where I have to start the conversation that is scary. I just can’t start the conversation right away with everyone. I think it is all about the vibe. Also, I can imagine if I see you somewhere in a store or a mall, I would be like yeah let us have a conversation.
(I hope the editors don’t cut this part out. That pretty woman just complimented me! Yeyyyy!!!)
Is there anything you want to tell our readers?
You know there are a lot of people out there who give up too soon. I have seen many beautiful abandoned art accounts and I can’t understand why they would stop. Keep doing it. Create something once in a while if not every day. Just because you didn’t like the outcome doesn’t mean everyone else won’t. Just put it out there. We can all learn from each other. We need art, even if it’s ugly art. I think ugly art will make you feel more emotions than any perfect painting. We need art.
A little bit of mess makes the world better.
She is planning on spending her holidays with books and chai, simply existing in the soft arch of time at New Delhi.
Do check out her gorgeous Instagram page here!
And that is how we went back to another 15 minutes of chit-chat terrible screenshots and loud laughter.
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