Hi, I’m Akshata Lotekar, an artist based in Mumbai, India. I have always been a mix of a perfectionist & an overachiever. I believe these traits existed in me to constantly be a better version of myself. I believe everybody goes through a phase in life, which takes a dimensional shift in the way life did operate earlier. I chased the idea of "good" a lot. I always wanted to be "good" or rather “best” at everything I did - the way I drew, the way I looked, the way I communicated, what content I read or watched – everything! The happiest, lowest & most frightening point in my life was when I realized that there is no need for you to put yourself in so much pain and self-doubt by always questioning your quest. The questions like you cannot be an illustrator or designer just because you don’t have an art background or a degree, kept haunting me until one day when I decided to give everything that it takes and to make it possible. I took a stand and decided to put in all my efforts in the work that I did, mostly what gave me happiness & importantly mental peace. That is how the illustrator in me did emerge. Otherwise, today I would have been playing with numbers, maybe. I do not have any specific degree in arts, neither do I come from an art background family. I am completely a self-taught artist, for you know, now -a-days, you need a strong will to do anything, and rest everything takes care of itself. Today, I practice as an illustrator, graphic designer, and type designer. I enjoy documenting my thoughts & daily observations in my public journal – Instagram. There are no rule books to follow, there is no ultimate definition of "good", there is no race to be won. There are only moments to be enjoyed, there are only relationships to be lived & there are dark times to endure. While this was a beautiful realization that felt very liberating, it was also a very scary realization because there isn't any rule book to follow! I've come a long way from being terrified of the uncertainty of life to finally embracing it! With this I also admit, there’s a long way to go!