Introducing Nidhi Bolar, illustrator of the wattle on the back cover of our latest edition of The Digest.
We know you are over in India currently, what are you missing the most about Australia?
It\’s been more than a year since I\’ve been away from Sydney so naturally there are countless things I miss about the place. The beautiful beaches, my weekly commute to North Sydney (the Sydney Harbour Bridge never fails to amaze me), and my regular trips to soul origin.
I also miss everything about uni, the classes, the beautiful wattle tree on campus, and just the general atmosphere, the hustle and bustle of fellow students.
But most importantly, I miss the people who made Sydney my home for the past few years – my cousins, who always root for me (except on game nights), my flatmate who also plays the role of my sensei, and my friends who have made my university experience all the more exciting! Watching a movie every Monday at the Ritz Cinema, going on little adventures, and scavenging for the best dessert in town are some of my fond memories with my friends and family. This also happens to be my shortened and concise list of reasons why I’m longing to go back!
What is your artistic background?
I\’ve always had a keen eye for design but growing up I could never imagine pursuing a career in this field. Amid the chaos in high school, I was caught in a routine day after day, feeling uninspired and exhausted. It was not until I started designing posters for school events, and marketing collateral for my projects when I realised that I found solace in design. I didn\’t know better then, to hone this innate inclination to the creative world. I devoted all my time filling out my sketchbook and learning new skills online.
During my tenure with UNSW, I was able to learn the ropes of graphic design and animation. Being a part of this creative community also helped me find my creative voice and grow and improve as a designer. Most of my experience has come from several internships I had done in Australia and Dubai, my casual job with VfCA, and through freelancing.
Not everyone gets a chance to chase their passion and I acknowledge that I was in a place of privilege that allowed me to embrace the pursuit of being a creative professional. This makes me all the more grateful that every day I get to do something that I\’m driven and passionate about
What are your artistic career goals?
Well, I think I might have too many on my list. But to put my overarching goal into one short and simple sentence would be to constantly grow and evolve as a designer. I love approaching any project with high energy and I’m constantly looking for opportunities to grow professionally and creatively. Ideally, one day, I would want to see myself as a creative director but that still is a long way to go.
My aim is to equip myself with knowledge and skill to employ creativity to make meaningful change. So far, I\’ve worked on redesigning and salvaging an impoverished school library located in rural India. The more recent project was ‘Donate for a Portrait’ where I made digital portraits to raise money for grocery kits which were distributed during the pandemic lockdown to underprivileged families and daily wagers. I hope that I can leave behind a positive imprint by helping people even if it is in a small way.
