This Calgary based artist’s work is garnering attention from international publications and a wide audience on social media
A self-taught illustrator, Mou Nazia dabbled into art at a young age. Her work was recently published in Harper’s Bazaar magazine along with other upcoming artists, “Every artist has their own take and authenticity to their work which makes it notable to that individual. I believe my work has that unique sense to it as well and it can not be categorised into a specific art type. Thus, I call it Mouart.”
DivInc caught up with Mou to speak about the challenges she faced in pursuing art coming from a South Asian background and her advice for youngsters trying to achieve their dreams.
DivInc - What’s the most loved project you have worked on?
Mou — It is difficult to choose a specific one as I have put my best effort in all my artwork and I feel very delighted to grow as an artist from every project I have worked on. However, my most recent collaboration with Harper’s Bazaar was a very special one , as it discussed important topic in our culture through the eyes of an artist and I am so honoured to have been able to take part in that project.
DivInc - What’s the toughest challenge you faced in your career so far and how did you overcome it?
Mou — The toughest challenge as an artist I think I face is — fluctuation of motivation — to find the energy and the inspiration to create something amazing every time. It is an ongoing process. I overcome it by giving myself a break, giving my mind a break and take a break from art itself to do other things like travel, read , listen to music and watch other artists do their work so when the time is right, I get right back to the drawing board with more new ideas.
DivInc - Was it hard pursuing art coming from a South Asian background?
Mou — Yes and No. If you are a Bengali or from any South Asian country, it’s difficult to pursue a career in a field as subjective as art. It’s hard to trust yourself or your dreams if you don’t have the support from your family and friends. However, with the increase in exposure through social media, things have become easier and opportunities are more readily available for various creatives.
DivInc — If you were 80 years old, what advice would you give your grandchildren?
Mou — I would tell them to live life to the fullest as cliche as it sounds. I feel that is a very wise and important thing to understand while you are still young. Do everything you want to do and don’t pay attention to the people, things and reasons that tell you that you can’t do something. So always try first. Go for it. Live your life and live it with the thought that life is full of endless possibilities just waiting for you to discover.
DivInc — Lastly, what advice would you give to young entrepreneurs who are about to start their businesses or work as freelancers?
Mou — The most important thing about being your own boss and starting any kind of business is accepting yourself and accepting the success as well as failures that may come with it. In the beginning, it won’t always be exactly what you want, so you have to learn to accept all challenges that might obstruct your path and keep trying and never give up on your attempts. We may have many obstacles come our way but to reach our goal we have to trust ourselves. The biggest key to success, is to trust yourself.
