Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Pooja Taneja. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Pooja, thanks for joining us today. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?

In the Summer of 2019 is when I reintroduced myself to the art of healing . I used to create a lot of art while I was in school and won interschool competitions.

Pooja, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I am an Abstract Realism artist. I incorporate different mediums such as Inks, collage, texture, acrylics and oils as I like working in layers which help me create depth while expressing my passion for art. I am spiritually connected to my paintings and feel an emotional bond with the subjects I choose to paint. My artworks have a deeper meaning and a lot of the artwork I create are through my dreams.

Born and raised in India I come from a family of 5 kids and being the middle one I always felt I had no voice. From a young age I was always spotted in the corner of my living room and could often be found coloring or painting. As a teenager, I loved visiting different parts of India and collected local arts and crafts. I caught myself visiting museums and staring at paintings for hours as I used to get so mesmerized by the artwork that was created by the Old Masters.

When I moved the United States I was struggling with the loss of my younger brother which lead to depression and in the countless therapy sessions and meditations I always looked for a reply as to “What is my purpose on this planet.” During one of my meditation session I had a vision of me creating a bold woman’s portrait and I instantly knew that it was my calling. Art connected me with my brother, as we always used to sit together when we were younger, and I would sketch and paint while he read his book. Art helped me heal myself and create subjects that helped me showcase my beliefs.

My artwork represents Strength, Beauty, and Love. I love working in bold colors and over the years I have learnt techniques to create different styles while keeping in mind the core style, so all my work looks cohesive.
I have had the opportunity to showcase my work at the New York Art Expo in 2022 and was a part of an exhibition in India which included 5 other women artists to celebrate Women empowerment.

I often deal with collectors who either need something that they need suggestions with, and I love to help them with my vision for the work they are looking for, in the colors and the aesthetic they like. I am very grateful for all the opportunities I have had so far and work towards my goals in creating 2D artwork on canvas, purses, musical instruments, murals and I look forward to using my skills to create on more surfaces.

The most honorable work I have created so far is the Mural I created for my Community which was completed in three days as the deadline was too short. I feel grateful to work with galleries in India and USA.
I believe in giving back to the world and I love volunteering every year for our local school creating on Broken Instruments which are auctioned at the school by the Orchestra team and the money collected by the school goes in for the scholarship for the students, it gives me pure joy to help in ways I can by using my talent.

My Brand is to Empower everyone to use their Inner strength and leave their fears behind. My work is usually around Animals and Women, and I create them in ways that helps the viewers unleash their story through my work, I feel blessed to touch their hearts while they narrate their stories. I love it when my followers write back to me explaining what they see and feel about the work I create.

I would love to add beauty to all my potential collector’s space.

We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?

I have always had difficulties being in the spotlight and when I started creating, I had no choice but to be in it. It took a lot of courage to start posting and showing myself to my followers. I started slow by adding pictures of the artwork and some reels showing me creating in a time lapse. I learnt over the years that showing my face each day was as important as my art for people to connect with me and my work. I saw a huge growth when I started showing up, not thinking about how I look in my reels or my post. I started to express myself by writing the deeper meaning of the piece I was creating and asking my followers as to what they saw or even thought about the piece, keeping in mind that not everyone’s comment would be a pleasure to read which in turn would help me create better.

Each of my post has a long description either about my creative process or my beliefs and it really helped me connect with my followers when they responded to my post, not just on my Instagram , Facebook or emails but in person when I would meet people after years on my visit to India or friends after a month or weeks . They all encouraged me to post more and show up.

To all the creatives reading this article I encourage you to just SHOW UP as we are all a part of each other in ways we do not understand and showing your true self will help you connect with your followers and collectors.

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

My goal is to add beauty and love into my viewers life.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.poojatanejaart.com/
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/poojataneja9
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/artisticstreak9
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pooja-murgai-63685b4/