Manuela Gomes-Artwork.

The biggest challenge was the idea of pursuing this skill with a mindset of treating it like a hobby!

It actually took us 2 months to get an interview with her, but it was well worth it.

Humans of Goa is our original and official series that shares inspirational stories from the lives of Goans. Let’s jump right in…

Tell us about yourself…

My name is Maria Manuela Mendonca Gomes. I am a Goan artist that paints for a living and it can’t get any better than this! I live in Porvorim and have a studio in Mapusa. My Instagram handle is –@manuelarrrtista

What was that one moment when you decided that, “That’s it! I want to tell a story via a painting, especially as a Goan artist” Well, it did not happen overnight, it was a long process. Painting for me didn’t really start out as a means of self-expression but as gaining the confidence to have refined painting skills.

Why become an artist? Why not something else? I knew this is something I was ready to struggle for as compared to the regular academic options that were presented to me. And fortunately I had an extremely supportive family.

A bit about your role models. Any aspects or traits that makes them so… (can be from the art world too that many people don’t know about) I really admire the works of Paul Gauguin, I hope to someday paint like him. And I am inspired by the works of Edward Hopper.

What was the biggest challenge when pursuing this as a fulltime career? And how did you overcome it? The biggest challenge was the idea of pursuing this skill with a mindset of treating it like a hobby. I overcame it by being extremely regular, painting even during the uninspired days and treating it like a with the next one full-time job with a designated space and time to finish the tasks. Another challenge I would like to highlight is lingering too long on an artwork, because art is subjective and you can go on and on, over a painting. I had to overcome the idea of letting go of the painting once it had reached a certain stage just so I could start

What role did family and friends play? Any quick incident you recall that helped you overcome a hurdle or challenge in life?

Well I am where I am today because of my super supportive family. I try to make the most of the opportunities given to me by my family and it has helped make this journey a lot more comfortable.

What is the legacy you want to leave behind? And for whom?

Haha, well I haven’t really thought that far ahead, I just try to focus on the next week's projects, and get through one day at a time.