Lost In Creativity
Hi, I'm Anila, the person behind Rayra Arts. The formation of this Etsy Shop came at an unexpected time in my life. After completing my Masters in Forensic Science, I found myself unemployed, desperately searching for a job in the Criminal Field.
Whilst stressing about my future, I would use my free time digging through boxes of Art Supplies I had gathered over the years, when I came across a set of Glass Paints. Somehow, the inspiration to create overcame me and I had created my first Stained Glass Jar, It very soon became an addiction and I had decorative jars all over the place. Very quickly, I moved onto Dot Mandalas, Acrylic Pouring and eventually The World of Resin.
There was one issue though, I felt as though my work wasn't good enough. I had items all over my house, i was giving them away to family and friends, just to make more room to fill with more creations. Eventually, reality kicked in and the idea of finding a dream job as a Forensic Scientist vanished and I knew I had to find a way to make a living through my Art.
I took the plunge and set up an Etsy Store. Deciding a name was one of the most indecisive things I ever did. I consulted with my sister and we both decided that the name should pay homage to one of our cats. Months before I had opened Rayra Arts, I had lost my Black Cat of 15 years, Sheba. As you can imagine, the name was unbelievably popular amongst small businesses and so I turned to naming it Rayra, after Sheba's son, Cairo Rayra.
My first items were Stained Glass Jars and a few Dot Mandala Canvases. It was slow at first, and just confirmed that my work wasn't good enough. Months went by, and my love of creating outweighed my failing Etsy Store so I constantly uploaded new items and eventually the hard work was starting to pay off.
I enjoy the entire creative process; from thinking of ideas, sketching in my little notebook, picking out colours and finally seeing the piece that I had envisioned. Sometimes it doesn't always work out that way though. There have been many failures and at times, pieces you didn't expect to turn out well become your favourite. I'm excited to see where Rayra Arts ends up, and every person I interact with becomes a part of My Story.