Taarika John, a storyteller and advocate for mental health
Taarika Ravi John is a neurodivergent illustrator and writer from the coastal town of Kochi, India. She grew up in a home full of music, art, and books, so it was inevitable that she started drawing and writing soon after she learned how to hold a pencil. As a child, she devoured books; they helped her to navigate the world around her and feel less alone.
Taarika believes stories are powerful and that everyone deserves to see themselves and their experiences reflected in the world around them. She holds an MFA from the School of Visual Arts in New York.
When not drawing, she enjoys people-watching, swimming, Seinfeld reruns, and choosing between coffee and matcha.
What would you say is your best piece of work / collaboration to date, and why?
One of the most meaningful projects of my career has been a Migrants Day campaign I worked on for the United Nations. We created a series of animated short films, each telling the stories of 14 different undocumented people around the world. Each story I illustrated was deeply personal, and every struggle was painfully unique.
The complex, graphic, and difficult elements of each person’s story deserved to be told. But they had to be told sensitively, honoring the truth while upholding the dignity of their protagonists.
As an artist whose practice has always been driven by my love for storytelling, my favorite stories are the ones that are lived by ordinary people. And the projects most important to me are always the ones that allow me to tell these stories.
Where do you like to go to be inspired, or how do you find your inspiration?
My work is largely observational and reflects my surroundings and experiences. When I’m looking for inspiration, I usually go for a long walk, take a ride on the subway, or spend some time in a park or a coffee shop - anywhere that I can people-watch. Making art is a way for me to document life.
I visit art galleries and museums often, finding inspiration in the work of other artists, especially those who work in different mediums than I do, whether it’s sculpture, textiles, or architecture.
Is there anything you'd say you would be a good advocate for? Please elaborate if so.
As someone who’s struggled with and navigated my mental health since childhood, I believe I would be a good advocate for projects around mental health. I think it's important to address the stigma and shame attached to mental health. It can also be a very isolating experience trying to balance the struggle to ask for help while battling the fear of being misunderstood. I would love to do what I can to help others feel seen and less alone.
What would you say sets you apart from other illustrators? Something you feel is unique to you.
Growing up in India, I read many Western stories about blue-eyed children and their faraway adventures, wishing I could join them. I loved those books but rarely saw myself in them. I even gave my family brown hair in my drawings, yet still couldn’t find my place in those stories. Stories have always been powerful to me, a simple and human way to connect.
My art, writing, and comics all come from a love of storytelling and the desire to see myself reflected in it. We are all different, yet share love, joy, heartbreak, and loss. Stories remind us of that connection. Everyone deserves to see themselves in the stories around them, and that is what I aim to create.
If you have done paid commissions prior to joining the agency, what would you say is something that clients repeatedly come to you for (up to now)?
Clients usually approach me for projects that are centered on storytelling. Creating images that use subtle humor, evoke a sense of nostalgia and familiarity, and stir emotion is what I’m often asked for and what I enjoy doing most.
How would you describe your style?
I use a lot of lines in my work, whether I’m working digitally or with traditional mediums. I think my style adapts to the mediums and subjects I’m working with. When I use pen and ink, I usually lean towards black and white with a lot of tiny line detail. I enjoy playing with color when working with paints, color pencils, and digital work, and have a tendency to use saturated tones and bold colors. I really enjoy drawing people, and I always try to keep my characters loose and fluid.
Please give a scenario of a project that would mean the world to you, if you were offered it - something that connects to something meaningful to you.
A long standing dream of mine has been to write and illustrate a series of children’s books. Growing up as a nerdy little kid who never left home without a book, was frequently bullied for my eccentric interests, often wrestled with some big feelings and still struggles to feel like I really fit in anywhere, I would love to tell stories that help other kids feel less alone.
Are you working on any personal projects you can share with us?
I have a tendency to always be juggling a couple of personal projects on the side. I’m currently working on illustrating a short novella I wrote, a series of autobiographical comics, and fleshing out a few concepts for children’s books.
Finally, if you were to illustrate a book related to a real life person, who would that be?
No singular person comes to mind, but I would definitely enjoy working on stories centered around South Asian heritage and experience.
If you’d like more info, please contact [email protected]
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