Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in graphic arts but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Jag Nagra, visual artist based in Pitt Meadows, Canada.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

I'm a Visual Artist creating art for brands — big and small. My artwork often features heavily saturated colours. I focus my practice on South Asian concepts that depict a sense of confidence and fearlessness— I unapologetically celebrate darker skin tones and South Asian garments and motifs.

I've had public art initiatives on display, including in front of the Vancouver Art Gallery with LunarFest's Lantern city, an art installation and street pole banners in Punjabi Market, a vinyl mural at Metropolis at Metrotown and Guildford Town Centre, and three artworks in Eihu Lane between Burrard and Bute as part of Canvas Corridor.

I love bringing art to the public realm for people to experience and interact with outside of gallery spaces which aren't always frequented by people in BIPOC communities.

Tell us about yourself

Ever since I began volunteering with the Punjabi Market Collective (a non-profit founded in 2020 to revitalize Vancouver's historic Punjabi Market), my career and life began to change. I began to identify with my culture for the first time in a meaningful way, which directly impacted the kind of art I make. I began to find my voice, what I stand for, and who I am through this work. I'm proud of my identity: I'm a queer South Asian woman—and those intersections have helped shape the kind of work and advocacy I want to do.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

My biggest achievement in 2021 was that I got to create artwork for the Vancouver Canucks on two occasions, most recently for their Diwali celebration game, where the players wore warmup jerseys featuring my art. Being able to represent our community and our culture on such a huge stage was incredible. The outpouring of love and support I received from so many people left me speechless. Representation is so important to me. Often we’re underrepresented in the arts. If I can give one brown queer person out there hope…if they can see themselves in me and if it gives them one ounce of hope, I’m happy.

What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?

For me, it's staying organized with my bookkeeping and receipts. I have a drawer full of receipts, and I dread tax time every year.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

  1. You have to put in the time and effort to evolve your practice. Make the kind of work on your downtime that you want to get paid to do.
  2. You're going to get hired to do the kind of work that you show in your portfolio. Curate your website to show your best work.
  3. Develop your artistic style/niche. There's so much competition out there, and people are constantly bombarded with content and imagery. Find and celebrate what sets you apart.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.jagnagra.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jagnagra/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jagnagra_

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solopreneur that you'd like to share, then email community@subkit.com; we'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

Feel inspired to start, run or grow your own subscription business? Check out subkit.com and learn how you can turn "one day" into day one.