We all know that professional journeys are never a straight line. Sometimes life takes us in unexpected directions. But at A Lot Studio, we believe those unpredictable paths are the biggest boosters of creativity. This is why we are excited to share a bit about Mariam Khalil. Mariam was born in Egypt and immigrated to the US when she was about 5 years old. She has always been passionate about arts, but she decided to study electrical engineering to create a technical foundation for herself. Interestingly enough she believes that studying engineering only allowed her to expand her approach to art.
While in college she also discovered that her imagination works a bit different from most of us. Around the same time that she was pursuing her studio art minor, she discovered that she has Aphantasia, which means that she can't visualize images in her head. While this news could have been discouraging, she understood that she would only have to take a different path to creativity. At the same time most people visualize their ideas, she experiments with the outside world until she uncovers beautiful images, like the ones she took for us.
Great results seem effortless, but the process behind the results is complex.
That is why A Lot Studio values the process as much as the result. Even the most talented of us experience challenges. It is normal to self-doubt and to be creatively stuck. Being challenged is part of the process, but the most important thing is to learn how we can overcome those challenges to keep growing as artists and creatives. Mariam told us that it took a while for her to accept that her photography work was worthy, but while she is still working on shedding those insecurities she found people that are supporting her to find a path to follow her passion and develop her talents.
Although we are not in an ideal world where everyone gets the support they need, we believe that if we do our part, A Lot Studio will be able to help a lot of creatives to develop their careers and pursue their dreams.
Written By: Jaadi Fonseca