This illustration series began with a quick character study and unfolded into a memory of childhood dance — dress-up sessions with my sisters, 90s Bollywood nostalgia, and the confidence and community that dance gave me. It’s the first thread in my new illustration portfolio, rooted in childhood memories and emotional storytelling.

I didn’t choose illustration just to get hired. I chose it because I’ve always loved stories — in every form. It’s what carried me through years in research and nonprofit work. Illustration was supposed to be an extension of that. Not a reinvention of the rat race.