Life, Values & Legacy: Our Chat with Arikka Jitendranath of Denver

We recently had the chance to connect with Arikka Jitendranath and have shared our conversation below.

Good morning Arikka, it’s such a great way to kick off the day – I think our readers will love hearing your stories, experiences and about how you think about life and work. Let’s jump right in? What battle are you avoiding?
Thank you for having me Voyage Denver! This is an interesting question as I was thinking more about this I tend to battle “avoidance” in general! I tend to be a very anxious person although I don’t come across that way. Uncertainty, is something that overwhelms me immensely. Uncertainty about my work, art, love, kids, finance’s and the list goes on and on. I think we all tend to fall into this battle of anxiety over things we are not able to control. This can cause me to go into complete avoidance. But one thing I’m learning at this stage of my life is I don’t have control over any outcomes and in a strange way I find this very freeing! Holding on to outcomes is like gripping a handful of sand as it falls from your hand no matter how tightly you hold it! Many days I feel at peace with this so called battle and other days when I’m tired and stressed it can feel so overwhelming but I chose to put one foot forward on the path laid for me!

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Arikka Jitendranath I have painted for 28 years and a proud Colorado native and proud the mother of two sons! I began painting when I was 19. I took an elective figure drawing course in college because I thought it would be easy and it was not “easy” it was challenging lol! This class awakened something in me and I continued to take more classes and nearly three decades later I’m still painting. My work has certainly evolved. I started with nudes and portraits then transitioned to abstract and collage work when I was an artist in residence in the RiNo art district between 2016-2020! I have shown my work in Denver, California and NYC. I wished I was in a studio painting all day and creating but most of us all have to work a day job and I work in healthcare! I’m currently working with texture fiber and loving it and I just completed a five week pottery course!

Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. What part of you has served its purpose and must now be released?
I have always been a big people pleaser! It has served me well in many parts of my life as I am a “helper” I want people to be taken care of but it has a sinister side to it of course. I carried a sense of deep responsibility for people’s happiness and found myself battling major depression. This will always be a part of me but as I’ve aged I realized “I cant keep all the people happy all the time” and my energy level has just not allowed this to continue. It’s a part of me that I have had to let go of for my own sanity and also it simply doesn’t serve me any longer!

What did suffering teach you that success never could?
Suffering has taught me to lean in and embrace the discomfort but one must fully feel it! It is the only way to heal and move forward! This has been the most difficult but important lesson I have learned especially this past year!

Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. Is the public version of you the real you?
I love to portray myself as friendly, stylish, fun and creative and constantly pursuing beauty and creativity! This is a large part of my personality and who I am! The real Arikka is “ordinary” cleaning the house in bleached stained clothes, running errands, laundry sooo much laundry, cleaning my car, paying bills without a shower and frizzy hair, school pick up and drop off, cooking and going to work! I think we all live pretty ordinary lives!

Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
I only care to be remembered by those who loved me mainly my children! I hope to pass on and be remembered by my good qualities and hope in some way it shaped someone for the better. As for my work I’m not interested in becoming famous in this life and after death, that is not important to me. My work will end up in someone’s home I hope or perhaps in a landfill either way I will allow my paintings to live out their own destiny

Contact Info:

• Instagram: Arikka J.