Catching Up With Bhavya Doshi, The Doodle Artist
TheDoodleDesk is a platform to help people find beauty in everyday things. TDD’s mission is “the art of spreading joy.”
Bhavya Doshi, an entrepreneur and doodle artist visions to positivity and de-stress millennials by short and quirky inspirational stories.
BW People catches up with her to find out more about her platform and her journey as an artist.
How did you come up with the doodle platform? What transpired the idea and where do you want to take it forward?
Doodling has been a part of my life since childhood. After working in the corporate world, I realised that my actual inclination was towards making art. Doodling has always been my happy place. I’m already working on a doodle-based happy book with inspiring stories on how to deal with day to day challenges and anxieties. Also, I wish it to be a part of the mental health/ happiness curriculum in all possible schools.
Currently working towards creating an online community, for the like-minded, for people with problems, for people willing to help, share and care anonymously. It’s easier to share one’s thoughts and feelings without the fear of being judged. I think that is all we need today! No judgments!
I already have some 700+ volunteers, who are willing to contribute their time for the same.
What challenges did you come up against in your journey as an artist? How would you sum up the opportunities for doodle artists?
Coping up after the death of my parents was the biggest challenge I faced so far. As a child, I did indulge in taking art classes now and then. But as an adult, I never had the luxury of time to take classes. Most of the doodles that you see online on @thedoodledesk are self-taught digital art.
Brands & Companies nowadays are continuously looking at innovative ways of creating visual content, and love the idea of incorporating illustrations everywhere from their packaging to their social media strategy. Hence, as an artist, if you have your content right, I believe the right business opportunities will come your way.
I do get a lot of collaboration opportunities from the brands, having said that I’m still focused on building a self-sustained community as well.
What progress have women made in terms of being perceived as a leader and what more can be done?
Mission to moon or business, women are excelling in all fields of profession. Today the internet is providing an unbiased platform to all the talents. So, most importantly, if you know a talented female, don’t hesitate to support her, because with or without support, a woman surely knows how to hustle!
What are the work-life balance issues for women in the corporate world? How can they find the perfect balance?
There are so many challenges that women employees and face at a professional and personal level. However, the modern woman has scaled the peaks of corporate life and has well dug her heels there. Support from spouses is the strongest motivation for women in the corporate world.
It is essential to maintain a work-life balance with a blend of professional and personal life priorities. It is necessary, especially for women to analyse and prioritise work with a dedicated approach to maintain a perfectly balanced life.
How has your journey as an artist shaped you as a person?
As a self-taught doodle artist, what I have experienced that art is something that has helped me to express things more clearly with a broader perspective. My years of drawing, illustrating and doodling have taught me to look at things differently overall. Doodling has also taught me patience and has made me look at life around me differently.
Art helps me capitalise on my obsession with colours, positivity, and happiness. It pushes me to think beyond what others can imagine, and it just feels so good to make and share.
How do you as an artist or the doodle platform helps in relieving stress?
These days people do not have time to share their feelings with friends and family. Moreover, increasing competition everywhere has expanded this problem. Hence, seeking help can be hard for some people, especially those at the early stages of depression. My doodles are often the starting point for many to approach and share how they are feeling or how they started feeling better after waking up to something positive.
Daily, I receive a lot of messages, some full of gratitude, some dealing with depression. The one incident that moved me the most was a message from a young boy, who had just graduated. His brother had just committed suicide. The young boy was going through a rough time. After talking to him and guiding him, he started getting better. Now, he calls me his sister and has learned the technique of using gratitude and affirmations. I am so glad that the doodles reached out to him at the right time!
Sharing another instance, I received a video from a follower showcasing the reaction of his 4-year-old daughter. She had a mobile in her hand with my Instagram account open. While scrolling with immense enthusiasm, she kept saying, “So cute” repeatedly, which just made my day!
