Art by Anrika

Art has always been part of who I am.

When my daughter was just six months old, she was hospitalized for almost a month after contracting the rhinovirus, which severely affected her lungs and respiratory system. During those long days in the hospital, there was little I could do except sit beside her and hope for better days.

To keep my hands busy and my mind occupied, I picked up a graphite pencil for the first time in years.

I never put it down again.

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Although I had sold the occasional pencil drawing before then, it wasn't until the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020 that I officially founded Art by Anrika.

When the pandemic struck and my husband lost his job, I needed a way to create and sell my work from home with minimal resources. I bought a small iPad, taught myself digital illustration, and opened an Etsy shop.

What started as a simple way to help support my family quickly grew into something far greater than I ever imagined. Before long, commissions were coming in from around the world.

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Creativity has always been woven into my life.

My father is a mouth painter with the Mouth and Foot Painting Artists in South Africa, and my mother is a fashion designer. Although they encouraged me to pursue a more conventional career, I chose to study accounting.

I have since built a career in finance, but I've learned that creativity isn't something you leave behind—it simply finds new ways to express itself.

Today I balance my work as an accountant with running my own art business, proving that numbers and creativity can exist side by side.

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Art has carried me through some of life's most difficult seasons. It has provided not only financial support when I needed it most, but also peace, healing, and purpose.

No matter where life takes me, I will always be an artist at heart.