Alina is a painter, a film maker and a free spirit at heart. With an academic background that boasts the prestigious Tisch School of Art at the University of New York and SAE London, Alina remains a Karachi girl at heart. Having graduated this summer, she recently had her first exhibit.

While she excels at painting, she is also an accomplished film maker having produced documentaries and has recented forayed into fashion photography and films too. But what sets Alina apart? Not only does she have her heart in the right place, she is also a savvy businesswoman.

What is your creative super power?

Making it to the end without all the stressing and panicking.

And what feeds your creativity?

Not being tied down to a specific art form or a specific style, I feel free to use the various creative tools at my disposal to produce new things and express myself in different ways.

Do you feel like pursuing your creative field may not give you the kind of financial freedom you want?

As I grew older and money transpierced my reality, I realized I might struggle in terms of having a consistent pay and chose not to pursue fine arts as a career and decided that I much rather not extinguish this passion of mine by calling it “work”. And funnily enough, in the past year when film work came to a halt due to Covid, I sold more paintings than I ever imagined!

So while I used to believe this, at the same time it didn’t matter because I knew that there is struggle in the initial stages for any creative field that I would choose (and I wouldn’t choose otherwise). Then eventually you reach a point where you’re known for the work you do and achieve that financial freedom.

What drives you to pursue a career that is more passion and even more difficult to explain in terms of what you do for a living?

You naturally tend to learn more about the things that excite you. I wouldnt be able to get myself out of bed every morning to do something I’m not passionate about. And you excel in whatever you love. It’s really that simple.

What are you reading/watching/listening to right now?

I’m really into discovering new Spanish films and tv shows these days. Their story premises can be so new and interesting sometimes!

Alina represents a bold new generation of artists - one that is not afraid to take calculated risks while remaining true to their art.