MontanaCans Lookbook 2019

LOOKBOOK 019 IMAGINE THE

LOOKBOOK 019 IMAGINE THE PATH OF A FEMALE, NEPALI ARTIST 52

As a young girl growing up in Kathmandu, IMAGINE didn’t know which path her future would take her on. In a country where wealth is something only the visitors had, she grew up feeling as though the teachers at her school were actually her bullies. Not exactly a role model for self improvement or learning. But this only served as fuel to the fire for her quest for knowledge and creativity. Fast forward till the present day and what we see before us is not a victim. It is a self empowered young lady that has manage to merge her language, her culture and her creative output. With a sharp mind that can fire at will, she also has a sharp calligraphic style to follow it up. Her uniquely Nepali flair gives her a little something special that at first site can’t be understood. ACRYLIC Artist Series with IMAGINE. A Masters from the Harvard Graduate School of Education not only opened her eyes and mind to the way she see’s the world, it also taught her leadership to negotiate a path in an often male orientated, creative world. It also educated her about the business of art. Knowing how to plot a path to self sufficiency while staying true to the style of art making that she loves. We recently managed an ACRYLIC SESSION with IMAGINE and while she was making the marks, we asked her a few questions to try and get a personal insight into her life and art. Here is what she had to say: 1) When was the moment when you decided you wanted to become full time artist and entrepreneur? Everything happened over time. I don’t think being an artist happens simply by deciding. There are so many other factors that need to align for this to be possible. What I did decide on, was to follow my passion and started connecting the dots after that. 2) I understand you graduated from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. How do you combine this with your art? How does the merge between these two enrich your daily life? Yes, I received my Masters from the Harvard Graduate School of Education where I learned about leadership, technology and creativity in Education. Education is an area of interest for me because sharing, learning and teaching is so important to create better understanding in the world. Growing up in Kathmandu, Nepal, I didn’t get the best education. My teachers often felt like my bullies and I was convinced that I was a dumb kid. Good education should do the opposite. Children should be encouraged to see the world with limitless imagination. So I always wondered about how other Nepali children like me can best learn. One of the things that helped me with my education and overall development was art. And this is why I founded the Children’s Art Museum of Nepal in 2013, so that children growing up in Nepal like me have a place where they can express themselves creatively. So…long story short, Education is a big part of who I am as a person. My art is a visual representation of my voice. My voice comes from my understanding of the world and academia helps me inform my thoughts. Education and development issues are close to my heart because I know about these from first hand experience growing up in a poor country. So I find it’s important to learn about them and understand them beyond just my experience. 3) What do you think is the role of the artists in our society nowadays and specially urban artists? I think the role of artists is to make people see things differently than they would otherwise. I see my role as beautifying spaces by sharing my culture and native language through my art. Learning about a world different than yours, can improve your understanding of the world. 4) What does Montana Cans represent to you? — specially the ACRYLIC markers and inks for calligraphy. Montana Cans represents to me a creative freedom and versatility. Montana Cans has continuously improved its product similar to a creative process where iteration is a big part of the finished product. I love the chisel tip ACRYLIC Markers because it’s great to use it for my handstyle. The ink flows well and is super opaque. My work is heavily influenced by my culture and my native language. Being born and raised in Nepal, 53