We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Sheila Karbassian a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Sheila, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?
It was 1986, I was fourteen years old and Iran was deep in a war with Iraq. It was a time of scariness and ugliness, and fear was always looming over our heads. I was about to enter high school in Tehran and I had to choose between Mathematics , Sciences, Literature or visual Arts. As far as I was concerned Math and Science were behind the planes, guns and bombs threatening our lives everyday and I wanted nothing to do with that kind of world, I longed to create my own world focusing on the beauty and harmony of things. And despite it being the unknown, I needed to forge my own path to feel a sense of control at a time of instability.
One day a big blessing came my way. My school, in order to help us decide what field to choose, took us to a high school for visual arts. There I saw the works of the first year students and they were beyond beautiful. I couldn’t believe my eyes. What I was seeing was a group of people living under the same war ridden conditions and instead of focusing on destroying, hating and fearing things they were spending their time building and creating things of beauty that uplift the human spirit. I was in love. I knew instantly that I had found my path Today I realize that immersing myself in the world of the arts was my way of saving myself from the heaviness and pain of the time. I’m glad I followed my inner guidance at the time. My art practice has saved me many times from the effects of the inevitable traumas all throughout my life.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
I was trained as a Graphic Designer but moved into the fine arts world as I grew older however I still offer design services like logo design, album cover design, packaging design for clients. I’ve have 30 years of experience in this field. I’m influenced by both western and eastern design aesthetics and strive to create something new from the two worlds, as I myself am a result of both.
Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?
Being an artist is essentially being an entrepreneur. Very often, there’s more work involved than monetary gain, especially in the early years, a lot of unrecognized effort and many hours spent alone. There’s a lot of soul-searching involved. I’ve learned to use my creative practice to get to know myself better as a self-awareness practice. I experience fear, doubt, and all kinds of inner obstacles when I’m about to create something, and that’s become my inner guide. If I’m hesitating about making a mistake by adding a specific color or texture, I know that that’s exactly what I need to do. Instead of letting it paralyze me into repeatedly producing the same kind of work, it’s helped me create a much more diverse body of work.
What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?
I’ve met many people who are afraid to pursue their artistic desires as a career as they fear not being able to make a living, which is understandable. However, I believe there’s more to life than just making a living to cover the bare essentials. While we need to pay our bills, as emotional beings, we also need different ways to express our emotions and process life challenges. Art is a healthy, safe, and satisfying way to do that ourselves. So, keep your day job if you must, and keep creating art, even if only for yourself. The rewards are immense, and the results are beautiful!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.sheilakarbassian.com
- Instagram: sheilakarbassian_Art
