Daily Inspiration: Meet Raj Naik
Today we’d like to introduce you to Raj Naik
Hi Raj, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I was born in Bombay (Mumbai), India and spent most of my childhood attending a boarding school in the foothills of the Himalayas where I was able to nurture my two passions – the game of cricket and painting/fine art.
Following boarding school, I had a five-year schooling chapter in Switzerland, after which I came to Los Angeles to pursue a career in art, photography, and design.
To my surprise, I found cricket being played here in Los Angeles at Woodley Park in the valley. I started playing in the league almost two decades ago and am still participating in games along with my son, who has also been bitten by the bug. The games are long, and most of our weekends are spent on the picturesque fields. The memories created there provide the inspiration and backdrop for my paintings.
The compositions often come from photographs I have taken during games. The works are filled with vibrant hues reflecting the colorful personalities who play the sport. There is also a healthy dose of humor that is communicated in the works in the form of text. Typography has naturally played a key role in my design projects over the years and is also evident in the paintings.
These works fuse my love for art, photography, design and hopefully radiate the joy that I feel while I’m playing or painting.
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?
I’d say there’s never a smooth road for a painter. There’s a constant battle between confidence and self-doubt. The other challenge has been procrastination, which is something I’m still working on to keep in check. In the past, I’ve waited until the last minute before a deadline to create work. The longer the deadlines, the slower I’ve worked. These are personal traits and not external factors, but they have presented significant challenges, which I believe stem from a fear of failure.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I’m a painter, designer, and photographer. My paintings require with all three disciplines. The actual photographs that I take provide the inspiration. This is where the composition comes from. The painting is created along with text, which is also painted on.
The crisis has affected us all in different ways. How has it affected you and any important lessons or epiphanies you can share with us?
Around a decade ago, I broke my left hand into several pieces. The road to recovery was a long and painful one. I wasn’t able to paint for several months due to the sheer pain. Opening paint jars was impossible, but I had to continue to create. Therefore, I started working with ink and paper which was a far more manageable medium. During this time, I made hundreds of smaller minimalist works, just black ink on paper. I came to understand the power of perseverance and to not give up no matter what.