Meet Alycia Rainaud | aka Maalavidaa – Graphic Designer & Digital Artist

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

Hi Alycia, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
When I started Maalavidaa in 2016, I don’t think I considered it as a business opportunity, but merely a way of expressing my emotions visually. I reckon I started taking it as a serious profession after I got approached by my first couple of clients. I was quite astonished to see how people would be willing to work with me and that I could start paying my bills from digital art.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
As a kid, I’ve always played around on my computer. I remember messing around with Microsoft Paint or Photofiltre, editing some pictures, doing digital collages, or customizing my blogs. I never wanted to be an artist, I loved art, but I merely wanted or was able to draw. The one thing I could really see myself doing all day was being on the family’s PC.

But I also didn’t know I could do all these things professionally. So at 16, after having been a hairdresser for three years, I dropped the salon and went back to school when I discovered graphic design. And I finally got my passion back.

Not only was I incredibly interested in it, but also I found out that I could actually be good at something. This meant so much to me at the time -and now still-, because I’ve always felt like a failure and suffered from extremely low self-esteem. And I needed this win so bad. I threw myself in my studies head-first. Next thing you know, in 2018, I graduated with a Master’s degree in graphic design and a thesis about the analogy between graphic design and the human psyche.

My graphic practice taught me a lot. I learned new skills and software, but also how to let go and experiment. That is when I started Maalavidaa as a persona and an exploratory outlet. During the day I was studying for my Master’s, and at night, I was creating abstract imageries to express myself. Though I didn’t know this was considered as art until I started taking it seriously and posting it online. Only then did I learn about digital art, and finally found my people.

Ever since, I focused on my creative journey and what I wanted to convey through my art. I’ve always been very open about my mental health and the struggles I experience daily. But art had this capacity, for at least a couple of hours or days, to make me feel something else. Mental health is a heavy burden for a lot of people, and I don’t wish that on anyone. I wanted to believe that sharing my art, my journey, and wrapping it in beautiful colors could make it easier not only for myself but for everyone who would resonate with it. And it did.

Whether I create a new personal piece, work with a client, or design a product, I will always try my best to shine a light on the importance of emotional intelligence and mental health sensitivity. It will never be easy, but it will align with my core values and who I want to be.

Because of that, no matter how hard it is to get my work out there for people to see, I cannot stop, nor do I want to. Even when social media -our very own art gallery- is impacting the way I feel about my work or my worth. Even when my art gets stolen online. Even when people say “This is not art, it’s so easy”. Nothing is easy, nor creating or living or being yourself. But nothing exists if we don’t. I believe that’s what keeps me going and I hope it will be enough for the foreseeable future.

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?
I’m a French-italian girl, but I’ve been living in Montreal for almost five years now. Canada and Québec are my second home-town. There is no place like here in my heart and if you visit, you MUST do the following:

– Grab a poutine at Ma Poule Mouillée and eat at Parf Lafontaine right next door
– Get an ice cream at Iconoglace for dessert
– Hike up the Mont-Royal, but you have to continue up to the Lac des Castors and chill there
– Either join me for a CrossFit or climbing session
– Get out of town for a cottage trip to the Memphre-Magog Lake
– Ice skate/ski in winter or Music Festivals in the summer
– Say hi to my dog

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Ever since I started my graphic design studies when I was 16, I have been nurturing an undying passion for digital creativity. I don’t think this would have been possible without my teachers at the time, who were so passionate about their profession, even after 20 years of work in the field. I believe that’s the power of a good mentor, someone who can convey their dedication and love to what they do, while still being humanly approachable and compassionate.

However, that was just the jump start of a plethora of gratitude along the way, and I have been so grateful over the years for the continuous support of people online/offline, who have been supporting my work for almost a decade and believed in me when I didn’t.

Ultimately, I also think I owe myself a final recognition. Imposter Syndrome can be a really hard thing to deal with, and it’s easy to award your success to others. I think creatives don’t give themself enough credit for what they do and how far they’ve come. And because of all the people in my lift who uplifted me, I’d love to thank myself for not giving up yet on something I love so dearly.

Website: https://maalavidaa.com

Instagram: https://instagram.com/maalavidaa

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alyciarainaud/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/maalavidaaa

Other: https://behance.net/maalavidaa

Image Credits
Skis – Credit to Line Skis
Lush – Credit to LUSH Shinjuku
BMW Car – Credit to LNDMRK