When they say, “LIFE COMES FULL CIRCLE”, I completely agree as sometimes the things that end at one time become a beginning for you at another point in time in life.
So here I am, Chetna Mahajan, at the age of 42, beginning the second innings of my career with something that took a back seat in my life 25 years back. It is painting and sketching.
Let me take you to the flashback where a seven-year-old me used to draw and paint pictures all by myself while my fellow kids used to take help from their parents. Soon I was taking part in various painting competitions in school and winning them too. Even the kids from my vicinity used to come to me with charts and big smiles to get their projects made by me. And I was always happy to Help.
At that time, being an artist was not considered a profession and since I was good academically too, I did B.Tech and then MBA and landed a job in the banking sector. I used to write in my CV that my hobby is Painting and Sketching. So once an interviewer asked me to make his sketch. So, forget about the questions, there I was, making his sketch impromptu and guess what!! I cleared the interview.
After my marriage, I was still working until the birth of my daughter. In the absence of any support, I took the most difficult decision of my life i.e., quitting a successful career to take care of her. After four and a half years, I was blessed with my son. I have enjoyed motherhood to the fullest and have been a hands-on mother to them. Both my kids are also interested in painting and often make lovely pictures. It’s been 10 years of career break and with two kids, I am a full-time homemaker. I never regretted my decision to quit my job but yes, the financial independence as well as the urge to do something on my own was something I always missed.
So last year, I started searching for a job preferably WFH so that I can give enough time to kids too. Even after Six months of trying I could not find a suitable job. Then, my sister and cousin motivated me to start a page on Instagram and post my work as they were aware of my talent and insisted that there is so much recognition of artwork in the last 2-3 years.
Like every housewife, being too occupied with our household priorities and routines, it took me another 4 months to actually START. Yes, that’s a big word for us. I made an Instagram page and started posting pictures of hand-painted little things initially like bookmarks and fridge magnets. Even making reels and managing social media accounts was a big challenge for me. I was not confident about where this page will lead but one thing, I was confident about was the quality of my work and my dedication.
Now, after seven months, the amount of love and feedback I get keeps me going. I truly didn’t expect to grow this much that now I am getting good orders, am taking workshops also, and will be launching my own art & craft classes and that too without compromising my responsibilities at home.
My mantra for life is “Whatever you do, make sure it makes you Happy”. Even the tiniest of things that make you happy, should be part of your life. It’s the happiness that painting gives me that motivates me and the thought that one day, my kids will be proud of me.
My message to all my fellow artists or moms is to START. Take that small, tiny step to follow your dreams. One step will lead to many more steps and will take you on the right path. The journey will bring many challenges but keep on moving nonetheless how slow it may be. Believe in your talent. If not successful, this will surely make you happy. And that’s what we all want in life. Right?
You can reach me out on Instagram
