Born in Montreal, Opola Karim is a Toronto-based fine artist and crafter. She’s an acrylic painter who has recently been incorporating embellishments into her work. Here, Opola shares her creative journey through her Bengali roots and her aspirations to bring change through creativity.
I’ve been a painter for a while, but these days I’m shifting into textiles, sculpture, 3D art and mixed media. I work mainly with acrylics and gouache, but as of lately I’ve been incorporating fabrics and embellishments such as sari borders, sequins, and mirrors into my work.
My shift in media is connected to the 2013 Garment Factory Rana Plaza collapse in Bangladesh. I was really emotional over that catastrophe, as a relative of mine owns a factory there. At this point, I came across mandalas (spiritual, ritual symbols in Indian and Buddhist religions, representing the universe and self) and I loved the patterns and experience. I realized I needed to express myself in new ways. I was trying to grasp a closer connection, so I found this medium that shows the importance of an individual’s experience.
My creative process is half-planned, half-spontaneous. I just go with the flow. Typically, I have a plan in my head, and then I take it from there. For my purple piece [pictured in top photo], I knew I wanted a decorative piece, so I started with a primer, then chose a colour that would add vibrancy to the other set of mirrors, and then I added henna patterns, naturally.
I heard about SKETCH through a friend who comes here, and then I saw a post about Indie Studio through its Facebook group, which I love following. I’d been looking for a residency opportunity and I came across the Indie Studio post, I applied and got in! This is my first residency. In addition to meeting other artists here, getting inspired is what makes my Indie Studio experience here worthwhile.
In Grade 10, my parents thought I should become an engineer or a doctor. But they soon had the realization, that what I want to do is express myself through creativity and my passion in the arts. The arts help me express my anxiety and depression. I have the support of my family and friends and that means the world to me. The arts also help me face the many challenges of growing up or coming from a lower-income community, and it also helps me share my cultural experiences.