People’s attitude and art and artwork has undergone a tremendous shift in recent times. Owning an artwork is no longer seen as a luxury, but as an essential aspect that will make the place more aesthetic. Today’s youngsters too are inclined towards art more than ever, and many are even quitting their regular 9-6 jobs and taking-up artistry as a full-time profession. One such passionate individual who has today been one of the well-renowned names in the Indian art space is Reena Surana (Founder, ARTYFACTS By Reena). Being very keen about art & artwork since her childhood, Reena is a very creative individual at heart and has always been involved in learning, experimenting, and making her own artwork. Women Entrepreneur magazine recently got a chance to interact with Reena about her leadership journey so far and various aspects about her art studio. Below are the excerpts from the exclusive interview.

Tell us about your educational background and professional journey so far.

I am an Economics graduate and have completed my MBA as well from the Jai Narain Vyas University. My professional journey has been nothing short of a rollercoaster ride, wherein I kept switching jobs. I have worked in many corporates and even worked as a teacher across many schools. After a lot of shifting between various jobs, I found my solace in art and have been in this area for the past 15 years. I am an artist, an art educator, and an art therapist & healer. I believe that art in any form has immense healing power and the ability to keep us fresh & energized, thus enabling us to discover ourselves and live a peaceful, calm, and loving life. Thus, I always encourage people to find themselves through art, as I feel this would be a very strong step towards taking care of oneself.

What are some of the major factors that drive you in your daily life?

I look forward to getting back to my painting each day, and that is one factor that drives me on a daily basis. Waking up every day, working on my paintings, meeting my students, and interacting with other people during my meditation & energy healing sessions enables me to have a different level of peace and connection with myself. Since I am passionate and love the work I am doing, it never feels like work to me.

Tell us about ARTYFACTS By Reena and the factors that inspired you to start an art studio of your own.

When I was working in a regular normal job, there was no satisfactory feeling in what I was doing. Thus, I had the urge to do something of my own where I can have my own space. I feel this was my destiny, and my life always wanted me to be here and take art as my full-time career. This is because despite getting multiple chances to take up art as my career, I was hesitant about it and always doubted myself in this regard. It was like the universe telling me this is where I belong.

"I believe that art in Any form has immense Healing power & the Ability to keep us fresh & Energized, thus enabling Us to discover ourselves & live a peaceful, calm, & loving life"

Thus, I started working as a commissioned artist, and I slowly started my own art studio where I started teaching art to people again. At ARTYFACTS By Reena, we offer multiple art and craft forms where people can learn fine arts. We also cater to people who just want to relieve themselves from stress and thus seek solace in art. We have therefore created a conducive environment where people can both learn and enjoy art. Through an intensive and extensive application of different mediums, we offer diverse styles of paintings and artworks. This luxury of people being able to explore so many different types of art styles enables us to have a stronger connection with them.

What are some of the major challenges that you faced during your journey so far, and how did you overcome them?

No matter what we do in our lives and at what point in life we are in, there are always challenges. There have been many moments when I have thought about getting back to having a normal job. This is because setting up your own company, that too in the middle years of one’s life, makes the person fearful and skeptical about whether they will be able to achieve their goals & ambitions. Despite all these confusions, I stuck to my gut feeling and chose to stay in this field. I strongly believe in a ‘Never Say Never’ attitude, and thus through strong will and perseverance, have been able to overcome any challenge that I faced and be the successful leader I am today.

What is your advice to individuals aspiring to be future art industry leaders, especially women?

Art being a subjective field, every person sees a painting or an artwork from a different perspective. Thus, take every kind of feedback positively and never get deterred. Self-belief and self-confidence are the biggest strengths that any entrepreneur can have. Thus, always believe in yourself, and be honest. There is immense potential all around you; so learn from anything & everything you come across, and move forward in life.

Reena Surana, Founder, Artyfacts By Reena

An Economics graduate with an additional MBA degree, Reena is passionate about art and has been in the industry for 15 years now. She strongly believes in the healing and therapeutic powers of art and has thus conducted many Art Therapy and Corporate Wellness Art Workshops so far.