Today we’d like to introduce you to Ameena Fareeda
Hi Ameena, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
As a child of an immigrant family, learning who I am has always been a rollercoaster of a journey. Exploring my identity has always been very crucial for me as an Indian- Asian American woman. Ever since I was little I was always drawn to creative forms of expression, whether that was painting, drawing, music, theatrics, photography, etc., I felt a spark whenever I created something! Growing up I developed a very shy and introverted personality. I found it very hard at times to express myself and connect with others. I went through my school years falling into the model minority myth and didn’t act on aspects that made my individuality stand out. Creating art was one of the few things that freed me of that mindset and allowed me to just be myself. I took classes thorughout my school years, but never took them seriously until I shifted my focus on exploring my identity, and that’s when I felt that same spark I felt back when I was little.
Convincing my family to let me persue the arts as a career was going to be a challenge. It’s practically unheard of within the Asian Ameican community to let your child persue something that wasn’t in the field of STEM. There is an added pressure for children of immigrants to commit to a field that brings stability, fortune and a badge of honor. I wanted to make my family proud with the work I was creating. I am thankful enough to have a supportive family who took a chance on me and my art.
I attended the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) in Baltimore and majored in Illustration for my undergraduate years. To be quite honest, I felt very intimidated by the enviornment and surrounding peers. I didn’t feel I was good enough to be at a school alongside such talented people, while I was still trying to figure out who I was and why I wanted to be a creative. It felt very daunting, and with every piece I made, I was both hesitant and confident. I wanted to develop my artistic voice to help me navigate my own unique story. I continuted my undergrad years creating work that I loved and didn’t love. But in the end I produced work that allowed me to grow out of my shell, and share who I was with the world unapologetically!
The post graduation transition was actually a very strange time for me as a creative. I felt as though I developed my voice and style too late and missed out on opportunities because of it. I had finally felt happy with the work I was creating, however I didn’t think it was good enough. At times I felt rejected by the standards of the art field and couldn’t reach the audience I wanted to connect with. I couldn’t decipher the puzzle that would satisfy my creative endeavors. I continued to perservere and create works that resonated with me and naturally people were very receptive to my work! Creating works that explored my Asian- American identity became intertwined with my passion projects. The culmination of working sleepless nights, harsh critiques, abandoned ideas, evolved into my stylistic approach, strong sense of identity and passion for creating!
Even though I don’t really have a “fancy professional” art job, becoming a freelance artist was one of the best things I could do to free myself of societal pressures. I created work that I wanted to make and connect with a lot of amazing creatives on this journey. Being an Illustrator and Designer has finally equipped me with the tools to uniquely communicate who I am. I now participate in art shows and exhibitions that highlight the Asian diaspora. I take part in group projects for topics that I am passionate about. I love sharing my story with different platforms and love creating fan art in my free time! I love to use bold and bright colors and shapes that ignite a sense of joy and curiosity!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The road was hard to find even with a GPS, I still got lost along the way multiple times.
One of the hardest things I had to confront and navigate was the feeling of rejection from the art field. I wasn’t lucky enough to get a job in the arts immediately after graduation, and worked in a field that was completely unrelated. It was hard not to think that you “didn’t make it as an artist” as I smiled through my customer service voice. I didn’t really get into a huge company nor get accepted into competitions or get accolades for my art. To be honest, it didn’t feel great and this feeling lasted a little too long. I would go home from my day job and work on my art all night to somehow keep that creative flame in me alive. It was exhausting, and I often would get burnt out trying to keep up with everything. Frankly, I sometimes still get that weird feeling in me, but I think now it became a sort of driving force for me to keep creating and have fun!
Another huge speed bump was managing the years of the global pandemic. Unfortunately, it was such a dark and scary time for the world. Art was one of the few things that helped a lot of people get through that time. Not only was I out of work for a period of time, there weren’t any open avenues for creative work. Right when I finally felt I developed my artistic voice and style, the world shut down. This time gave me space to heal and explore who I was at the time. I went back to finding the roots of my creative inspirations and gave myself permission to connect with myself. Throughout this time I was producing so much work that I was creating nearly everyday! I didn’t force the process nor felt as burnt out as I did in the past. I shared my work online and felt overwhelming amount of reception and love towards the work I was making!
With all that being said though, I’m anticipating the how the next challenge will elicit growth in me. It’s hard not to be afraid of changes but, embracing these unique experiences and allow them to lead you forward into new possibilities!
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I’m an Illustrator and Designer specializing in creating work that transforms everyday nuances into fun work that elicits a sense of curiosity and joy! I don’t have a specific niche, but I would describe my work as “Illustrative Design”. One of my main focuses as a creative is developing work that sheds light onto the AAPI cultural and social experiences. As an Asian American, I believe its important to enhance and highlight the voices of the AANHPI (Asian American and Native Hawaiian/ Pacific Islander) communities. Creating work that encapsulates who I am as “Ameena Fareeda” is the perdominant theme in my works. Whether it’s illustrating food I love to eat, designing a poster for a band I really like, or drawing flowers because I find them beautiful, all my works inherently represent my identity. I am known for creating work that is colorful, bold and graphic! I love to use color in my work that is intertwined with fun shapes and illustrations to evoke a whimsical spirit!
I am proud of my stylisitic approach of combining design and illustrative elements to complete a piece! Rather than only approaching works through a single lens, I love experimenting with the word “Illustration” and executing different forms of it! I am also very proud of my personal work series. I absolutely adore making fan art and create works that are basically just me expressing how much I love something with my own little artistic touch to it! I have so much fun developing different concepts and designs. Visualizing a unique interepretation of something that’s out in the world, is like a fun game!
Everyone has their own unique journey and I think by sharing my journey it allows people to connect with me in a relatable manner. Constantly being on a path to grow and explore has finally led me to being a creative that is full of happiness and curiosity. My work being representational of who I am regardless of its form, fulfills me as an Artist.
What was your favorite childhood memory?
Growing up with two older brothers I cherish the moments we bond over our favorite media! Whether that was Saturday morning cartoons, movie nights, card games or video games. We still to this day geek out over our favorite characters whenever the chance comes around! Pokemon cards sleeved in binders, a stack of old Nintendo games in a box under our beds, watching Spongebob visit Patrick as we wolfed down some Honey Nut Cherrios. I didn’t realize it then, but these memories influenced me a lot as a creative and shaped how I approach my work today. I loved that sense of joy and nostaligia that childhood brings, and wanted that same feeling in my artwork.
Another cherished memory for me is learning how to cook with my mom! Being the child of immigrant parents from India, the love language of food was very important in our household. When I was little I would play around as I smelled the mixture of aromas of rice and curry wafting through the kitchen and hallway, it smelled like home. I learned here and there how to cut or peel things when I was younger and now thankfully know how to cook more than just rice in the rice cooker. This form of creativity is something I forever will cherish as it is tied to our heritage and allows me to connect with my identity on a deeper and delicious level!
Alongside watching cartoons and eating bowls of rice, I loved helping my dad with his flower business. Though I was allergic to pollen, I loved seeing all the different bouquets and color combinations my dad would conjure up. Seeing all the different bright, bold colors, different shapes and sizes, and how they all balanced one another constantly had me in awe. Not only were they beautiful to look at but, seeing the process of how my dad meticulously put each bundle together was fascinating! The culmination of all these memories intertwined with one another has reflected itself in my own artwork and I couldn’t be more grateful for having my family inspire my artwork and journey.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.ameenafareeda.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uhmeanuh/
