The Indian Artist: The Last Hoorah (For Now)

Hello everybody! I hope that you are all doing well and that final exams are treating you all well. This past year of blogging has been an amazing experience, something that I plan to continue during my time at the University of Michigan and even beyond. Who mighta know!

I truly believe that blogging and writing about my art has helped me to reflect on my culture and feelings towards my upbringing. Not only was it a beautiful experience for me, but it also was a wonderful way for me to spread Indian culture. The biggest goal of mine coming to Arts, Ink. was to find a way through my art to spread an amazing culture and set of traditions to readers and students at U of M. Growing up in a predominantly Caucasian society, I didn’t have much exposure to different cultures, traditions, or diversity in general. So, coming to U of M, I wanted to do my part to spread awareness about different cultures and diverse groups.

Art has been one of my truest passions from a very young age. My mother likes to joke saying that I came out of the womb holding a paintbrush in one hand and a surgeon’s scalpel in another. I knew that I wanted to pursue a career in helping others while never letting go of my art. So, during this past year of staying at home and stuck in my room, I sought to find a way to hold on to my art in some way while opening up conversations about diversity, equity, inclusivity, and unique cultures.

I wanted to thank you all for giving me the ability and platform to speak about my beautiful culture and demonstrate it through my art. This past year has been very difficult for me, but being able to openly write about my art has been so cathartic. I hope that you have gained something from my writing and articles each week! Thank you so much for taking the time to read my words. I look forward to coming back next semester with new ideas, outlooks, and thoughts. For the last time this semester, if anything that I discussed in this post stands out or if any questions arise please comment and share your thoughts!!

Good luck with finals! Looking forward to next semester!

~ Riya