We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Bub a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Bub, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.

We welcome you to the bubble—this is where the real magic and meaning bloomed for us. It all started back in 2014, and now, 11 years later, the bubble is still going strong and this bubble ain’t gonna burst!

I’ll let you in and walk you through its genesis.
Bub was born from a childhood obsession with cartoons and a desire to build a world I never saw in real life. To weave what didn’t exist, to sew the unseen, to give my thoughts a safe space—to feel the power of creation, to let the soul do the talking. It began when I was young—too young to realize that even the grind of following the map of everyday life wouldn’t be enough to take it away from me.

As kids, we feel free. We are blissfully unaware, ignorant in a way that protects us. The world we know is smaller, and maybe that’s why the mind has more room to wander—and in wandering, it discovers wonder. But as we grow, life throws a lot at us. Every interaction molds us in small ways. The world expands and shifts, and in a million little moments, it shifts us, too. That happened to me—but what stayed the same was the world I had built inside: the world of Bub. Back then, it didn’t have a name—just a face I kept drawing on every piece of paper I could find.

I’ve always loved and appreciated art in all its forms. I started off in fashion school, only to realize it wasn’t for me. Fast forward: four years of fashion school, two years pursuing a master’s in graphic design, multiple internships, and three years of trying to fit into the conditioned 9-to-5 template. Eventually, I had to ask myself—where does my heart sing?
And here I am, back to where it all began. I came home to the scribble—and called it Bub.

Bub has always been a work in progress. It has always been my safe space. My go-to, every single day, for as long as I can remember. There hasn’t been a single day I haven’t picked up a pencil—sometimes to scribble, sometimes to sketch—but always, it’s gotta be a Bub.

It didn’t start with ambition or intention. It started as a haven. But as I grew, Bub grew with me. It became a way to channel my perspective on the world—a way to participate in the kind of dialogue I wanted to have with it. Bub is kooky. Bub is goofy. Bub is full of quirks and communicates through humor and lightness. For me, this character represented a deep desire to find brightness—to seek optimism at a time when the world around me felt dim.

Did I give Bub a voice, or did Bub give me one? I still wonder. What I do know is that Bub opened a door to a side of my personality that rarely showed itself on the surface—maybe something buried deep in my subconscious, waiting to be invited in.

Over time, I began to see how integral this character had become. What started as a simple doodle eleven years ago now holds an entire universe. We are born into this world—our existence preceding our essence or purpose. But with Bub, it was the opposite. Essence came first. Then, existence followed.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

In the wise words of Bub: “With no responsibility comes great power—to choose!” haha

Bub was never a plan—it simply walked hand in hand with me at every step of life. Through the process of growing up and shedding the excess, through elimination and rediscovery, Bub remained. And in the end, Bub stood as a light—of meaning, and of more.

I was always fascinated by artists and cartoons from a young age. I watched Pokémon day and night, devoured all kinds of anime, and had the best kind of unhealthy obsession with toys. These interests invited me into their worlds—and I beamed with joy. I think that feeling has stayed with me, and it’s what brought me here today, to Bubs.

Do you know that feeling—when you want something deeply, but there’s no clear or accessible path to it? You start to rethink everything, because the first thought never felt tangible. I took the traditional route of becoming a Graphic Designer hoping to find stability but little did I know about the cloned clowns and the circus in my head but Bubs was the answer to it all – It was never meant to be a product or a service… but clearly, life—and my subconscious—had other plans.

Bubs is still a toddler in the commercial world. But this young, charming bub has already made appearances on numerous digital platforms, participated and won at the Pin-Up Show Atlanta 2023, and was even displayed at the Museum of Design Atlanta, where it won the People’s Choice Award.

Bub has always loved being part of campaigns and projects that center around social responsibility. Bub was featured in the selected artworks for the Type For Kindness Gallery 2025 and the Artists for Climate: Climate Collection 2023.

Right now, the love language of Bub is collaborations. We’re always on the lookout for curious, love-driven, passionate DMs and emails from individuals or brands who dare to make eye contact—and share a smile—with us.

We’ve collaborated with brands on clothing and beer bottle labels—honestly, we’ve got an infectious smile, and the world could always use more of it.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

The goal is clear: to always be a child at heart, with the mind of a toddler—full of curiosity, and a love for art in the way it captures all that there is to life, as well as all that it can give life to.
In a time when the map of life is, in many ways, defined—yet still unfolding—the mission is to be present, the mission is to look at everything around with wonder.
To fill the busyness of each day with intention, with kindness, with smiles, with love—
and to always find fun in the fun-damental, and even in the dys-fun-ction. haha

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

There are many rewards to being an artist, but the one that stays with me most is this:
Watching the world shape its own meaning from what you create.
To see a single moment hold space for many —
To witness connection bloom from a shared experience.

And how could I forget the smiles?
That quiet magic — the sudden joy,
The way a face lights up when it meets your work.
That is the most special of all.

As an artist, I feel true to the words of one of my favorites, Henri Matisse:
“There are always flowers for those who want to see them.”
And for me, In the very act of creating — That’s where the path to the garden begins.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://nityabellani.com/character-design:-bubs
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/be.a.bub/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nitya-bellani/
• Other: https://www.instagram.com/itsajpeg/

Image Credits

All of the artworks have been independently created by me.