Didihood ~ Issue 94

Welcome to March!

Last month we got to check out the launch of JUNN in Toronto. It was a great afternoon to reconnect with so many fashion-forward Didis and look ahead to our first in-person event of 2026 — keep an eye out on Instagram for upcoming details.

Meet the Didi

This month we spoke with Toronto-based live visual artist and fashion illustrator Anjana Arunasalam.

You do several types of painting now. How did this all start?

My creative journey began with fashion illustration, a practice that still sits at the heart of my work today. My love for fashion led me to create a small portfolio for a startup saree brand, and from there, the work organically grew. What started as one small opportunity turned into a decade-long practice. I’ve been illustrating fashion for over 10 years, and it continues to excite and challenge me. Along the way, I returned to fashion to deepen my technical skills, allowing my work to grow with both intention and confidence.

How did you know visual arts would be in your future?

For a long time, I didn’t know that art would become my future. I only knew I was drawn to it. Growing up in a South Asian household, becoming a “starving artist” was never presented as a viable option. Stability and practicality were always prioritized, so while creativity was encouraged, it wasn’t seen as a career path. It took time and courage to reframe what an artistic life could look like for me. Once I realized art didn’t have to mean struggle, I allowed myself to imagine a future where creativity and sustainability could coexist.

Outside of painting at South Asian weddings, you also focus on other cultural components of your art. Why is this important to you?

Cultural storytelling is central to my work. Creating art that connects me back to my roots feels both personal and necessary. One of my most meaningful collections was dedicated to my great-grandmother; her name in Tamil translates to “colour.” That moment felt symbolic, as though this path had been quietly written long before me. Through my art, I honour lineage, memory, and identity.

You’ve said before, “we are the dreams of our ancestors.” What does this mean to you?

To me, this phrase represents freedom, lineage, and remembrance. I was thinking specifically of my great-grandmother when I spoke it out loud, someone I never met and don’t know personally, yet feel deeply connected to. There’s something powerful about carrying the spirit of a woman whose life was shaped by limitations I will never fully understand. I don’t know what her dreams were, but I often think about what she might have loved, created, or imagined if she had been given the space to do so.

Many of our ancestors lived lives rooted in sacrifice and survival, putting aside their own desires so future generations could thrive. Today, we have the rare opportunity to live with intention, to create freely, and to choose joy and that freedom didn’t come easily. My work feels like a quiet conversation with the women who came before me, especially my great-grandmother. Through colour, movement, and storytelling, I feel as though I’m honouring possibilities she may never have had the chance to explore.

In many ways, my art is both an offering and a thank you. It’s a way of saying, I see you, I carry you, and I’m living fully because of you, a true love letter in colour. Creating boldly feels like an act of remembrance and a promise to continue dreaming, not just for myself, but for those who came before me.

How did you start painting live at weddings? What has this journey been like?

I began live painting at weddings in 2023 after asking a close friend if I could paint at their celebration. That simple yes changed everything. Since then, live illustration has become my full-time practice, bringing me into spaces filled with joy, movement, and story. Working with weddings and luxury clients has been deeply fulfilling, and even now, I still have moments where I pause and think, “Wow, this is really my job.”

What advice would you give to any Didi interested in painting or turning art into a career?

Start before you feel ready. Share your work, ask for opportunities, and trust that your voice has value. There is no single path to success in the arts, especially for women of colour. Build something that feels aligned with both your creativity and your reality.

What’s next for you?

I’m focused on expanding my live illustration practice, collaborating with luxury and global brands, and continuing to create culturally rooted experiences through art. More than anything, I’m excited to keep building a body of work that feels intentional, expansive, and deeply connected to the community. This feels like a beginning, not a destination.

What we’re reading:

— Arti Patel

Issue 94
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