Life & Work with Trishita Ahmed

Today we’d like to introduce you to Trishita Ahmed.

Hi Trishita, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Nawal Canvases was established in June of 2019. I was newly married and was happily stepping into a new chapter. As I was transitioning, I started to realize my daily life was not the same as it used to be. I now have new responsibilities as a wife and a daughter in law. The only stable activity in my life was my day job as a construction project manager. I started to lose my self-identity while searching for a balance.

I was looking for the purpose in life apart from serving the expected roles. Growing up, my parents enrolled me into art classes in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Luckily, I won my very first painting award in a Turkish Art Gala. I still remember my parent’s glowing faces out of excitement and I am forever grateful to my parents for introduce me to colors.

In my early twenties, I re-found the passion to paint with my grandmother. We shared our intimate stories and relieved memories through our paintings. On December of 2017, she passed away and I felt a huge void. Couple of months later, I started painting again to lift myself up. I also spiritually connected during the time. Fast forward to January of 2019, I got married. I moved out of parents with the essentials and my beloved paints were part of it. In the whirlwind of finding balance post-marriage, one summer day I was invited to a friend’s house warming party. I wanted to gift her something meaningful. One thing leads to another and I unpacked my old paints. I made an Arabic Calligraphy canvas for her new nest. The joy I felt while making it was something I didn’t feel in a long time. I found my purpose in the joy of creating and giving.

This time around, I wanted to consistently continue painting and give back to those in need with my painting. The name “Nawal” which means gift in Arabic seemed appropriate as I started the journey. My goal was to create to give. I started promoting on my personal Facebook and some kind friends started to show support. Nawal Canvases made its first donation to Islamic Relief USA in August of 2019 from portion of the sales. October of 2019, I began branding and establishing on Instagram. During the day, I did my 9-5 and at night, I promoted the business page. In between it all, I practiced day and night on calligraphy and experimented with different painting mediums. Positive responses from family, friends and new followers started outpouring. That fall, Nawal Canvases contributed to provide meals to families in need via Islamic Relief USA.

On November of 2019, I visited my friend for whom I made the very first canvas. I saw my canvas on her wall and I recapped the past six months in my head. I was grateful and thankful for every bit of the journey. Now in current time, let me reintroduce myself. My name is Trishita Ahmed and I am a proud self-made, small business owned woman. I find joy in giving back and spreading kindness through art. My dreams are more than my roles. Sky is the limit and no one can tell me otherwise. I encourage anyone and everyone to follow their heart. Find joy within yourself. Pause and reflect. If you don’t have faith in yourself, then who will? Be kind to others. Be kind to yourself. Be thankful. We are capable of doing so much more than we know! So, keep going.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
By God’s grace, the journey for Nawal Canvases has been smooth. I owe it to my family, friends and Nawal Family for that! The only downfall of a small business owner who also pursues a full-time job is finding the right balance. The demand for handmade crafts is high and the customers need assistance all throughout the day and night. I started to manage my hours better and split it between my day job and my business. It is still a learning process, to be honest.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
Nawal Canvases is a personalized art business that contributes donations towards helping those in need. We are constantly experimenting and bringing in new products. There is something for everyone!

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/nawalcanvases?igshid=zx2zg9xh77lp

Image Credits
Nawal Canvases