Today we’d like to introduce you to Afshan Qadir.
Hi Afshan, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I am a self taught artist. Art has been part of me since my early childhood. I remember vividly spending hours with my sketch book after coming back from school. At that time my art was mostly cartoon characters, flowers, fruits or anything simple or appealing to 7 years old. During the middle and high school it was mostly Calligraphy and during college it was just pencil sketches of trees, flowers or animals.
I started taking art most seriously when my daughter left home for college about 8 years ago.To fill that void in my heart I started spending more time with my paints and brushes. It definitely helped me channelizing my emotions into something creative. I have tried different mediums but now I believe that acrylic is the one I feel more confident working with.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Mostly it was a smooth ride but I had my fair share of struggles as well. There was a time when I did not do any art at all for many years due to some family responsibilities, providing care to my three children and also some marital problems that kept me away from my passion for long.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I work as a substitute teacher with many Wake county schools. I have been working on getting my teaching license for last couple of months. Once I get that, I will be teaching science to middle or high school.
I am a writer as well. I write poetry in my native language, called Urdu. My first book is ready to be published soon.
Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
Oh there are many things that make me happy! Of course I am the most happy when I am with my children but there are tons of tiny thing that can make my day, for example a nice smelling candle in my kitchen, my clean home, a beautiful sky, a sunset , a good book, walking my dogs, a good old song, coffee with a friend and list goes on. I find joy in every moment and everything around me.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: qadir.afshan
