Today we’d like to introduce you to Maysa Sem.
So, before we jump into specific questions about what you do, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
During a middle school project, my social studies teacher told me, “you have the eyes of an artist”. Something about those words resonated with me. It made me believe I could be something more.
I never took an art class until high school. I attended an arts magnet school, which was difficult because it seemed like the other students had already learned so much about art, but I was just starting out. After taking several art courses, I faced many challenges. Being an artist, we are always critical of ourselves. I would compare myself to others and thought my work was not good enough.
I was always looking for my artistic voice and wanted to make my mark. But always questioned what would make my art stand out? So, I thought going to art college would help me find the answers.
Memphis College of Art exposed me to more artistic styles. I learned more about painting, illustration, design, animation, and sculpting. Since I loved drawing in ink, illustration felt like the best way to learn.
During college, I struggled with what kind of illustration I wanted to be known for. While others were interested in book and fantasy illustrations, I just wanted to create nature drawings. Since my work didn’t look like what my classmates were making, sometimes I worried my work wasn’t real art.
The journey of searching for my artist’s voice continued after college when I had a major fear of not creating work and quitting art. During that time I was always nervous about sharing my work because I believed it was not good enough. This lack of confidence was the biggest challenge. So, I started documenting my drawings on social media as a way for me to visually see the growth over time.
This was one of the best decisions of my life. Not only did sharing my work boost my confidence, but it also helped me discover my artistic voice. Allowing me to be self-driven and it erase my fears of quitting art.
Has it been a smooth road?
Staying self-driven can be really hard at times. The use of social media really helped me get to where I am now.
During school, I wasn’t confident in my work, and I would always hide my work because it wasn’t perfect. To overcome these challenges I used social media to draw every day and to document the process. I learned the art doesn’t have to be perfect as long as you show up to share the work. Even if I didn’t like a drawing, I would share it anyways because others may like it.
I’m still posting all the time on my social media accounts.
Connecting with my audience and with other creative helps me stay motivated. It also challenge me to do things I have never done before like art shows, selling my work in person and online.
What do you do, what do you specialize in, what are you known for, etc. What are you most proud of? What sets you apart from others?
I love to create detailed ink illustrations of plants and animals. Using intricate mark-making to reflect the organic qualities of nature.
We’re interested to hear your thoughts on female leadership – in particular, what do you feel are the biggest barriers or obstacles?
Being judged too quickly before people really get to know us.
Contact Info:
- Website: MaysaSem.com
- Email: Maysa.Sem@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maysasem/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/maysasem
Image Credit:
Maysa Sem
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