i. I work as an: illustrator, painter, and muralist.

ii. I do this creative work because:
It fulfills me like nothing else (and it pays my bills).

iii. A ‘typical’ day for me under Covid lockdown involves:
No real plan, doing things at a leisurely pace, being more present. I wake up to cuddles from my son, Safa. We play, do crafts, go for family walks. After Safa goes to bed, I usually draw for a few hours. It’s been pretty chill.

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Rest In Power. We Need New Words. 2017

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Jayaben Desai Stories For South Asian Supergirls. 2019

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iv. Personal qualities that help me in my work are:
Dedication, focus, perseverance, patience, kindness, gratitude, curiosity, humour, extroversion, professionalism.

v. The greatest challenges around doing this work are:
Balancing my art practice with being a mother, not having a dedicated space to work, battling my inner critic and imposter syndrome, letting go of my scarcity mindset, the uncertainty of projects and paycheques.

vi. Creative childhood hobbies:
Drawing.

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Rest In Power. No One Listens. 2017

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vii. Other creators who inspire you:
Meera Sethi, Rajni Pererea, Sara Khan, Tyler Keeton Robbins.

viii. Training that has helped me in this career:
I did a Diploma of Fine Arts at Langara College and learned invaluable technical skills. I also take different workshops to expand my skill set. But, most importantly, I just experiment and play which often leads to something more.

ix. A common trap that can hurt people in this career: Fear in its many forms – fear of vulnerability, rejection, failure, running a business, and the list goes on …

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Vancouver Art Gallery Facade Fest. 2019

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Moving Still. Vancouver Art Gallery. Indian Summer Festival. 2019

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x. Some proud career moments:
My first outdoor mural for Vancouver Mural Festival (2017) and now my largest mural (1500 sf) for Nelson International Mural Festival, my first solo show, Rest In Power, at the Gam Gallery (2017), being an artist in residence for Indian Summer Festival (2018), creating six illustrations for the book Stories for South Asian Supergirls (2019), painting four murals inside the Vancouver Art Gallery (2019), creating an animated piece for Facade Festival (2019) produced by Burrard Arts Foundation.

xi. Upcoming shows or events include:
Tiffin talks | Indian Summer Festival x Surrey Art Gallery | July 4

Residency | Burrard Arts Foundation | Oct-Dec 2020 | Solo show to follow in 2021

Solo show | Surrey Art Gallery | 2021

xii. If you want to work in my field, I suggest that you:
Treat it like a business and show up every day to work, whether you want to or not. Be kind. Work Hard, Stay humble.

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Beast Lady. 2019

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Art Smash. Vancouver Mural Festival. 2018

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xiii. A professional goal I have for the future:
To have a solo show at a well-known public institution and/or paint a mural with a highly sought after festival

xiv. If you want to see my work, go to:

www.sandeepjohal.com or @sandeepjohalart (instagram)

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Tiger Man. Collage On Paper. 2020

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Final: Friend or Foe. Kafka’s Mural. Sandeep Johal. 2018

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www.creatorsvancouver.com

Header: Aparna’s Despair. She Left Only To Come Back. 2019