Thiviyaa is a Toronto-based artist and painter with a passion for evoking emotion through her artwork. She works with private and corporate clients to create custom paintings that reflect their unique story and aesthetics.
What made you start Art By Thiviyaa?
If you speak to many artists, we have been artists much longer than the outside world comes to learn of us. For me, my love affair with art began over 15 years ago but Art By Thiviyaa only became a reality in 2015. Five years ago, a close friend of mine pushed me to apply for a juried exhibition with my artwork in Toronto. I had only ever shared my work with my family and friends and applying to a public exhibition was nerve-wracking but it set in motion the confidence to share my art with the world.
I was accepted to the exhibition and since then, exhibited my work at 16 exhibitions including Toronto’s largest art event Nuit Blanche twice, and was published in two books. I develop custom paintings for corporate and private clients in Canada and internationally and sell my artwork on my shop online. All it took was that first step to live my dream.
I think a lot of creators have trouble monetizing their content. I believe this is the “Golden Age of the Creator Economy” where it’s become much easier to do so (given you put in the work). What steps did you take to monetize your creative work?
Digital marketing and e-commerce play a huge role in how I have established my brand and developed my clientele and collectors of my art. Growing my business through diverse marketing tactics and e-commerce platforms helped me reach clients globally. Brand development was integral to my growth. For me, my art is an extension of who I am, and my brand stands by that. This was integrated into my strategy across all my marketing online.
How has social media impacted your business?
Social media has had a huge role in reaching people globally and sharing not just my artwork but more about my brand and the artist behind the craft. Thanks to platforms like Instagram, people can shop my artwork, see the process, and get to me all on one platform. I have been able to expand my clientele across the world through my social media presence.
