Meet Kahkashan Ansary | Muralist, Graphic Designer & Photographer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Kahkashan Ansary and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kahkashan, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
In the words of Yvan Byeajee, “Risk and opportunity are two sides of the same coin.” Risk has played a very crucial role in my personal life as well as my career. I took a risk to move to the US by myself five years ago to study art and pursue a career in it. Ever since, every time I’m faced with a situation or opportunity, I take a calculated risk and more often than not it worked out in my favor. Not to say things never went wrong but because I didn’t go into it blindly, I was more or less prepared for it. Every time we take a risk, we move forward in life. If we never took chances, we’d be stuck and that, in my opinion, is way worse.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Every artist is unique in their style and creative process. I believe what sets me apart from others is my story of resilience. It’s been a very long journey of fighting against everything and everyone to get to where I am today. There were times when I thought I should give up, but I kept going. I think I’m most proud of pursuing my passion even though I’ve been mocked for it. When I first came to So.Flo, I was taken to Wynwood walls by a group of friends I met in college. Something about stories painted on walls captured my intrigue and I wanted to paint one mural at least once in my life. I painted my first mural ever in 2018 for the Riptide Music Festival. The fact that it happened even before I graduated, strengthened my belief in manifesting what I wanted. I’ve painted about 20 murals since, and there’s more in the pipeline. It was hard for an introvert like me to socialize, network and put myself out there but I pushed myself to and now you can say I’m a social butterfly LOL! I believe what helped me the most is never or rarely saying no to an opportunity. Whether it was painting live at a show or a mural for a coffee shop or a logo/branding project or a fashion shoot, I would say yes then stay up and learn how to do it. It’s helped me grow as a creative in ways I never would’ve if I had waited to learn before agreeing to do a project. If there’s one thing I want the world to know about me, it’s that I may slow down, but I will never quit and I will breathe life into your vision.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
This one is easy, I’ve actually hosted a few friends and the following places are my favorite: Breakfast at The Grove Coffeehouse in Davie. They have so may different options to choose from and their service is amazing! Then I’d take them to Oleta Park in Miami so we can kayak to the sandbar and have Ceviche in the water. You have to experience it. Lunch at the Alchemist Coffee Shop in Miami is a nice mid-day break. It’s so beautiful there, you’ll have a tough time leaving the place. One cannot visit Miami and not head over to Wynwood Walls. But Miami is the heart of art in So.Flo. There are too many museums to see, that’s a 2 day thing in itself. Heading back up north, there’s the Wine Garden in Ft. Lauderdale, my friend Rebecca Marie performs live music there every Wednesday. Beautiful place, delicious food and beautiful music. It’s the best way to end a long day out. If you’re into open mic nights, I know of two that are amazing. One is held in Riverside Market Plantation every Monday and the other in Brew Urban in Ft. Lauderdale every Thursday. The local talent is brilliant and you always leave the place making new friends! My favorite waterhole is The Field Irish Pub & Eatery in Ft. Lauderdale. It’s a cute little place and their live music makes you feel like you’re in the most fun part of Ireland. If you’re into Caribbean Food – you have to try out the restaurant in Sunrise called Choublak. The owner is super sweet and warm. The food is delicious. Rainy days, which is almost every other day in FL, call for some delicious hot Pho, Pho 79 in Davie is THE place to get it. For a night out, I suggest the Rooftop Live at the Guitar Hotel in Hollywood, Beautiful view and the fun of a club without feeling like you’re in a cave.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Wow! So many people come to mind. They say it takes a village to raise a child and I believe it’s the same with a career. Shout out to my mom for supporting me every step of the way, whether it was pursuing multiple degrees or breaking down South Asian cultural barriers, she helped me become the independent woman I am today. Shout out to my brothers, Ibrahim and Tariq, who stood by me no matter what the circumstances, you guys are my rock. Shout out to my professor and mentor, Mrs. Kandy Lopez-Moreno for showing me tough love and pushing me out of my comfort zone that made me a better artist. Shout out to Al Huggins who saw potential in this intern and helped my art career in so many ways. Shout out to my chosen family, my friends who never let me doubt myself ( Treycy, Lizzy, Andres & Rebecca – Thank you for being the light during my dark times). Last but not the least, shout out to my fiancé, Daniel – who has shown me so much love and support, it sometimes feels like a dream. They say ambitious women only have two options – a super supportive partner or no partner at all. I’m blessed to have a partner who shows up every day in every way.

Instagram: @Kkays_art, @Kkays_photographie

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kahkashan-ansary

Facebook: @kkaysart