‘Artful Hubble’

Jan 08, 2023 News

Kaieteur News – “Entrepreneurs are considered essential to the growth and development of an economy. Young entrepreneurs bring new ideas to the table and are the ones who will bring about changes in society.”

By Allyiah Allicock

Just some of Ariana Ramanrain unique pieces.

When the pandemic hit the country two years ago, a lot changed. We were confined to our homes for some time; many worked and attended classes online, this became the new normal some would say. While many found it difficult to adjust to this new reality, others used the situation to make something good come out of it for them.

Young Entrepreneur, Ariana Ramnarain

One individual who was able to create something positive as a result of the pandemic is Ariana Ramnarain, the owner of an artistry business called ‘Artful Hubble’.

In an interview with this magazine, Ramnarain said ‘Artful Hubble’ was established in August of 2020, when she was just 16 years old. During this time she was commencing preparation for her CAPE examinations at Queens College.

Just like many during the early days of the pandemic, she entertained new hobbies like baking and jewellery making, to pass the time as the pandemic dragged on. But the one hobby that she really got hooked on was painting. “It became a great distraction from everything happening outside in the world,” she added.

Little did she know that this hobby would turn into something bigger. When asked how did this business come about? Ramnarain shared that she was inspired after her family and friends recommended that she showed the world her gifted art skills.

“I was inspired to start my business after family and friends to whom I’d gifted paintings, expressed how much they liked them and suggested I start posting them on social media for sale. This was a response I did not expect. They encouraged me to continue. After a while of contemplating the idea, Artful Hubble was born. Although I am not a professional, I turned my hobby into a business that would provide customised art at an affordable cost, so that persons can own art that possess the elements they value,” she explained.

Taking that bold step, the hard work has paid off, because she told this magazine that the support she has been receiving has been great so far. “Not only do my family and close friends support me but people I’ve never met reach out to me and interact with my page, share my work and commission their own customised paintings from my business,” she detailed.

Not only that, she had attended two pop-up events in the latter part of 2022, Fuma-Con and Upmarket, and both were met with amazing support.

The young woman showcasing her art works at two previous pop-up events.

Having been in the business arena for almost three years, the young woman described that one of challenges she faced was having to step out of her comfort zone to become an entrepreneur. “I had to put my art and myself out there in order to sell it, and as a young artist and an introvert it’s definitely not the easiest thing,” she disclosed. But having gotten accustom to it now, she is proud to say that she has improved a lot than when she first started.

“In Guyana, art is not widely appreciated in many homes. Numerous times young artists are looked down on and told that they will get nowhere with doing art. That is a challenge I also face but I am slowly trying to overcome it by staying focused on being positive and patient, working hard, appreciating the small wins and understanding that things take time and not everyone can and will appreciate what you do,” she added.

Another significant challenge she faced was balancing her school and home life with her business. She admitted that she would sometimes doubt herself and was weighed down by the great pressure and stress of completing her studies and assignments. But with the overwhelming encouragement from family and friends along the way, she noted that they helped and pushed her to continue and to do better so she could be where she is today. “These challenges are all still uphill battles that I am dealing with, but each day I get closer to overcoming them,” she assured.

With regard to the pandemic and its impact on her business, Ramnarain mentioned that the pandemic actually had a positive influence on her business. “With promoting my business by traditional methods being thrown out the window due to the circumstances, I found using an online platform to be more effective. Everything was being done online because people spent more time on their electronic devices, allowing businesses to have an easier way to find their target audience,” she noted.

Ramnarain who is aiming for higher heights, indicated to this publication that her long term goal for her business is to continue creating art that people value and to one day create a space that artists, especially young artists, so that they can feel confident and be inspired.

The former St. Stanislaus College student is of the view that young Entrepreneurs are deemed important to the development of our country. Ramnarain said “Entrepreneurs are considered essential to the growth and development of an economy. Young entrepreneurs bring new ideas to the table and are the ones who will bring about changes in society.”

Additionally, they can also be considered role-models to the younger generation as they will inspire them to also take up various roles to bring about change in society in the future.

When asked what she thinks can be done locally to boost small businesses, she mentioned that a committee should be established, whose focus will be on helping small businesses with funds/grants and organising promotional and marketing events to showcase their products and services.

If you are interested in customised art work, you can message the talented artist on her Instagram page @artful.hubble.gy or contact her on telephone number (592) 610-2852.