Spirit of the Artist: An Interview with Nadia Janjua

Nadia Janjua is an artist and architect working in Washington, D.C. She operates her own architectural design and freelance art business called NJArtitecture. She previously worked at a corporate architecture firm and holds degrees from the New Jersey Institute of Technology and George Washington University.

Nadia Janjua

She is currently preparing to display her work at the World Islamic Economic Forum in Kuala Lumpur.

I recently conversed with Nadia on her beautiful works, her inspiration and her advice for other Muslim artists.

Q: Do you think your art and your spirituality are connected? If so, what does that look like for you?

A: Yes, art is completely connected to spirituality for me, initially and potently evidenced in the peace that comes from the process of painting, or creating art in general. I believe nurturing your creativity is, in itself, a form of meditation, which allows an artist to simultaneously confront and part with oneself, and the worlds we create.

Q: Was it difficult navigating between a career path in architecture/art and cultural expectations?

A: The only cultural expectation expressed itself through my parents expectations, and that was to do my best to become educated and independent. Beyond that, Alhamdulillah, my parents were sensitive enough to recognize that I was never going to pursue anything in my life that I wasn’t passionate about, and it was my mother, in fact, who saw my love for both art and science and influenced me to pursue architecture.

I loved everything about architecture in school, even if it was the most difficult four years of my youth; my whole being changed from the experience, and people close to me noticed it. I’m grateful I was given the freedom and independence to reflect on what it was I truly wanted to do, and how I could use my talents best.

"Newness Wanes, But I Stay Full" - Nadia Janjua

And I think that’s something so important for anyone confused about what they want to do, no matter what age you are: despite any pressures of family and/or culture, you have to demand the right to ask yourself first, “What makes you happy?” quite literally. “What, in your life, do you do, that makes you feel the most at peace, and gives you the most thrill?” And if you find it, inshaAllah – express yourself, communicate it, share your joy – when you’re content with your work in this world, it will come through and reward you in ways that go beyond the size of your bank account, or the amount of degrees you’ve achieved.

Q: What kind of community support and/or response have you received in pursuing your passions?

A: The communal support has been amazing! I tell you, art is rising up in the Muslim community – what was a slow and gradual process seems to have accelerated incredibly in the past few years. All sorts of venues and events are starting to include art components in their programs, individuals are getting funding from non-profits to show or speak about their work, and people are becoming more thoughtful about how to beautify their surroundings, all of which of course helps us artists who are independently pursuing art careers…

I remember when I first started painting to Bob Ross videos, fifteen years ago now, my father gave me a book which a colleague recommended, called “The Art Spirit” written by the late nineteenth century American painter Robert Henri. In it my father inscribed, “To Nadia, from Proud Parents.” At the time, and even now, that meant the world to me…

What I took from the book was to believe in your own talent first. You will surely feel misunderstood, and you shouldn’t expect everyone to feel the same as you do about your art, or art in general. Take yourself seriously, and others will as well.

"Mode" - Nadia Janjua

Q: Looking at your artwork, it seems you are on a journey of self-discovery and exploration through various artistic outlets. What advice do you have for young women looking for their voice?

A: What I would say to young women would be to network with others in fields you are interested in, talk to people you admire, write letters to those you want to learn from, attend lectures, read, start a website, get involved, dream big, be organized, make plans, be ready to let go of them, and most importantly, give yourself time to develop.

I have always tended to be easily frustrated with the slow pace of the system; part of why I started my own design business was so I could be the one to decide the pace at which I needed and wanted to learn and produce. However, it’s important to be an apprentice and it’s vital to have mentors; reach out to those more experienced than you and never shy away from asking questions.

One of the hardest lessons I learned coming out of graduate school and being in a male-dominated profession was to never leave the fate of your education or career in anyone else’s hands, but your own. Being young and inexperienced does not mean that you can’t be clear about your goals, pursue them with conviction, or take your own initiatives to meet those goals. And you don’t have to know everything; more often than not, it’s knowing the questions to ask and the resources to go to that will save you in any situation.

This life is a mission; even if it takes you your whole lifetime to figure it out, spend the time, with patience, to learn about yourself and reflect on how you can contribute beauty in your own unique way.

"99 Names of Allah" - Nadia Janjua

Q: Who and what inspires you?

A: For my architectural work my clients and the way they live are the best source of inspiration for my designs: the way a husband talks to his wife, the way a couple makes decisions, how they play with their child, how they cook, where they place their laundry room, how they describe their favorite part of the day, or what type of sunlight they like the best, it’s all an effort to personalize and find a design that best suits that individual, or family.

In terms of my artwork, I usually will have a deep experience or a reflection that will linger, and will be led to sketch, explore it more, and then eventually paint it on canvas to reveal it. Lately I’ve been working on a series of sketches since my recent trip to Saudi Arabia in March, reflecting on how the process and experience of performing Umrah has changed incredibly over the past ten years.

Beyond that, my colleagues, fellow artists and musicians are always most inspiring to me, along with the assortment of magazines and websites like “Metropolis,” “Dwell,” and the brilliant and unknown artists on sites like Tumblr, Flickr and DeviantArt that I follow.