Reema Siddiqui is an artist who is chasing her dream. The artist who has a background and fashion design, has for the last few years gone against the grain to give time to her artistic calling.
Reema Siddiqui works with mediums of paper, portraits, cards and she has line of stationary items, key chains and wedding cards. An inspiration in the art scene she has also concocted a drawing book for adults, which is the first of it’s kind in Pakistan.
Today we are going to get a little more personal with the ambitious creator.
The Interview
Thank you for being with us, how are you?
I’m great! Thanks!
How did you become an artist?
Well you can say it became like an inborn talent that was recognized around the age of 6. From all the drawings on the sides of my notebooks!
When did you think about turning it into a career?
When I was in school, we lived abroad, there was a winter bazaar held every winter in our university campus, my uncle (dad’s best friend) always got 2 tables: one for selling his paintings and the other would hold my hand made cards. He would sell out most of them! So I was hooked since then. I did work from home and sell whenever I could: school, hospitals, bookshops, individual haggling elder people to buy my cards later on throughout university I would stitch bags, make cards paintings, write names etc. all sorts of creative things I could come up with. I always dreamt to have a shop but didn’t know what to put in it.
How does art help a society?
In so many ways! I always asked myself this question. Because it must and should be asked. So thank you so much for bringing it up! I find for example, a statue, is art of sculpturing we all know that. But what does a statue do for us? A passer by, a child, a parent looks up at it and reads what or who it is. Someone would be curious as to who it is. The sculpture always chooses a particular topic, person to bring importance to. As to why they may be important. Art is curiosity.
It is a simple piece of décor brought forward and then questions arise as to what it is and why placed at a particular place. The questions find answers to educate. Art helps questions to arise and the mind begins to think and find the answers and it changes way of thinking and of life even. Art is something of expression. It is every different minds way of speaking and accepting differences. Art brings beauty and beauty needs no boundary or intellect or even a specific degree from a university to be appreciated. When people come to my shop I learn that they all have someone in their lives who is studying arts or does art and think that person would understand my work better. I have to stop them there and request to rephrase themselves. That they stopped by my shop because of its bright and attractive colors and unique art work, they don’t have a degree in this line or art. Neither do I, but we all can appreciate beauty right? They agree. Unfortunately we have attained beauty of art to one aspect of rejected lifestyle. A “scope-less” field whereas in fact, it is a field within a field within a field and while it is not scope-less… it is surely endless possibilities. More importantly it captures the essence of that time period. Always part of history, so you see.
Tell us a little bit about your coloring book?
The coloring book idea started out randomly really. I had no idea about the concept back than. After I had completed my artwork and compiled it I went searching for someone to print it. I didn’t bother with big printing press. Actually I had no idea of them. I did know I wanted someone who let me have most of the control over the book and help me with sharing their skills. I wanted to learn the process. I found everything and people helped me through the whole process and we all became good friends really. The whole area knew me! The misfortune thing was I didn’t write the page numbers so I ended up compiling every page of each book myself. It took me about a week and 2000 pages later.
More than 500 copies were ready to be binned. My printer guy said he was not going to print less than 500 copies. I was shocked and thought to myself what am I going to do with 500 copies?!! Where am I going to sell them! The printing guy was honest and said that hows it done all over the market. And those who do lesser will rip you off badly. I took his word and in a month the whole book was done and sitting in my foyer at home. I didn’t know what would become of them.
A little over a year later, all the books are sold out and demand was still there for the book. Seriously all thanks to God!! Now the second edition is coming out very soon.
In our present times we see millions of people deal with anxiety with the help of slime, sand and fidget spinners, do you think it would better if they tried adult coloring books?
I think everyone has their own type of attraction towards what makes them relaxed. As far as the coloring books go it made me think about how little we all write or draw by hand any more in this day and age. So yes I encourage people to try to be more hand savvy than always being tech savvy. Coloring diverts the mind and does make you feel better. I feel like it can be a sense of achievement as well! Little achievements go a very long way.
What helped you get to where you are today?
Discipline. Integrity.
I can do about 4 projects at one time. Management and targets can only be achieved when you discipline yourself and respect those targets. When I was making the coloring book I was always running around because I had sort of set a deadline for myself. So many people around me said “it’s your own work why not take it slow?”, but that was just it. Taking it slow meant no one else was pushing me. Including myself.
Most of the times work by artists doesn’t get done because they don’t take themselves seriously but will take projects from others seriously. Meaning we mostly like to be dictated. Seesh! And than we say we don’t like our boss?
What advice would you give to a younger you?
Always speak up and never be afraid of speaking your mind. Your gut speaks your mind.
This is our last question and thank you for be with us today, what do you plan to do in the future?
I plan to have an entire creative empire and think tanks: made in Pakistan by Pakistan and export Pakistani products. Thank you so much for having me!! It was really awesome answering all your questions! J God bless. Like I have been saying since I was in school: “keep smiling or keep smelling”
To see more of her and to get in touch you can find Reema on Facebook and Instagram @Remtem
You can also drop by her shop at this address:
G-15 Ashiyana Shopping Plaza، Gulberg Rd, Block D 1 Gulberg III, Lahore, Punjab
Maheen Ahmed – Writing to make culture
@lahore_la_notte_
