Key Takeaways
- The Mission: Why April 3rd is dedicated to independent artists around the world.
- Artistry and AI: How Minted artists view technology as a tool, while maintaining that there’s a shared human perspective that cannot be replaced by AI.
- Creative Evolution: Insights into the diverse journeys of artists moving between photography, digital design, and mixed media.
- The Opportunity: Minted helps artists thrive by providing a platform to grow their business, offering a collaborative artist community and freedom of creative direction.
1. About Independent Artist Day™
Established on April 3, 2022, Independent Artist Day™ is Minted’s annual celebration of independent artists around the world—honoring their voices, their work, and their role in shaping culture. Minted was founded on the idea that the world’s best creative talent is often hidden. By holding open design challenges, we allow our global community of 20,000 independent artists from all walks of life to submit their work, which is then voted on by the community.
Independent Artist Day is more than just a date on the calendar; it’s a reflection of our mission to help artists thrive. Whether they are stay-at-home parents, full-time graphic designers, or hobbyists turning their passion into a career, these creators provide the unique, high-quality designs that our customers love. We’ve asked three of our Minted artists to discuss what creativity means to them, and the future of creativity and AI.
Credit: Minted
2. Maja Cunningham on AI and Art
AI is the moment. The cultural landscape is shifting, and our means of creative expression are evolving right along with it. Architect-turned-fine artist Maja Cunningham is offering a creative’s perspective on the matter, including how AI impacts artists and their creativity.
A child war refugee, Maja's family fled from Yugoslavia to Germany in the early ‘90s. “Art has always been my refuge,” she shares, recalling her grandmother carving potato stamps for her to paint with, a tradition that she cites as the genesis of her fascination with printing. Arts and crafts carried her through the uncertainty that loomed over her childhood and young adulthood.
Credit: Minted
As life ebbed and flowed, an element of human touch remained at the forefront of whatever Maja did, whether it was architecture—a field she eventually studied—or art. She ruminates on one of her earliest run-ins with AI: an artist whose AI-generated piece won a contest and thus garnered press attention. She felt equally unsettled and intrigued by the incident, ultimately wondering, “Can you do better than I can?” She was admittedly curious, so she downloaded an AI program and began tinkering with its output capabilities.
Her consensus? Artists aren’t going anywhere. “I see AI as a tool. Is it changing the landscape? Yes, but I think fine artists will persevere. Art can thrive in conjunction with major technological advancements,“ Maja states, adding, “there’s something to be said about the tactile nature of art; a robot has yet to pick up a brush. Art will survive.”
Then there’s human agency. “We still have free will. We can stop and say, ‘Okay, I don’t need you in this part of my life. I’ll use you elsewhere, but not for this.’ There’s a lot of responsibility on the creative,” she explains.
Even today, in the face of an AI revolution, Maja’s human-first, hands-on approach remains razor sharp. She concludes, “I’m all for experimenting and trying new things, but in the end, I will always go back to the physical act of creating art. I do it for enjoyment and personal growth—both things AI cannot give me.”
3. Kamala Nahas on the Creative Lens
Creativity is nestled in all of us. For Kamala Nahas, it doesn’t necessarily manifest as an overtly creative career or hobby, but rather as a mindset.
“I'm not creative in the traditional sense—I'm not getting out my art supplies every day,” she admits. “Creativity is a way of seeing the world. It’s a willingness to try something new—to be courageous, to be open, and to suspend common sense."
Growing up, Kamala was a self-proclaimed math and science geek. “Art was not something that I did seriously,” she recalls. “Even though I had an affinity for it, I didn’t exercise it.”
Credit: Minted
While she never considered herself artistically gifted, creative expression snuck in here and there, albeit quietly. Early on, as photos of clouds on her mother's camera. And in later years, as illustrations on her children’s lunch bags or going off-script with recipes. “I knew I was different, and I knew that I thought about the world differently than other people did, but I never considered that as talent,” she says.
Now a bona fide photographer—and artist by many definitions—Kamala's fearless approach to creativity continues to guide her endeavors. Most recently, into new territory: mixed media. Instant film, specifically. “What’s been more interesting than the image on the film is the actual film itself—the texture of it and how it moves in water,” she says, adding that she blends the film with paper scraps and snippets from early-70s Life Magazines she inherited from her late grandmother.
“I’m willing to fail and do something badly," she says. "I can create something ugly, and it’s okay. I learn something in the process, and I can apply that to something beautiful later on.”
4. Sweta Modi on Creative Expression
“Creativity is everywhere,” says Sweta Modi, founder of design studio Creo Study.
A lifelong motto, you could say. As a child, she had a front-row seat to family members—many of whom were doctors and engineers by trade—dabbling with crafts like painting and pottery. Creativity was not only ubiquitous but celebrated.
“Asian culture is rooted in studying. If you’re a brilliant student, you’re likely going to pursue one of the sciences or medicine,” says Sweta, who’s currently based in Mumbai, India. “My parents never pushed me into a field society would say I should pursue because of my intelligence. Creativity was always encouraged.”
Credit: Minted
Fast-forward to adulthood. She nurtured a decade-long stint in corporate hospitality before closing the door—to the shock of friends, family, and colleagues alike—on that chapter, citing a yearning for a profession she felt more connected to. Creativity was calling, yet again.
She enrolled at the Rhode Island School of Design to study graphic design, and the rest was history. Now, Sweta shines as an illustrator, specializing in stationery and occasionally fine art and children’s art, while remaining open-minded to new mediums.
“Second-guessing is part of my nature. There’s nothing I do without second-guessing, but at the same time, I’m unafraid,” she admits. “I don’t shy away from learning new things, and in fact, I love experimenting and learning. This bravery is what pushes me.”
Her dream mediums? Watercolor and oil paintings. Only time will tell what Sweta is capable of.
5. Join the Community: How to Become a Minted Artist
Minted’s mission is to help artists thrive by providing a platform where talent is the only prerequisite for success. If you are a creator looking to grow your business and connect with a global audience, there are two primary ways to get involved:
Participate in Design Challenges The heart of Minted is our open-call design challenges. Artists submit their work to specific prompts—ranging from wedding stationery to fine art prints—and the community votes on their favorites.
- The Reward: Winners receive an upfront cash prize and earn a commission on every sale of their work.
- The Support: Minted handles all manufacturing, shipping, and customer service, allowing you to focus entirely on the creative process.
The Maker Marketplace For those who prefer to create and ship their own physical goods, the Maker Marketplace allows you to list original artwork, artisanal gifts, and stationery accessories.
More Than a Marketplace Joining Minted means entering a collaborative community. From the annual Camp Minted retreat—a space for artists to connect and renew their inspiration—to local meetups and community Slack channels, you’ll find a support system of fellow creators.
PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER
The artists of Minted are the reason we do what we do. From Maja’s thoughtful approach to technology to Kamala’s focused lens and Sweta’s expressive discovery, the diversity of thought and talent is what makes our community so special. This Independent Artist Day, we invite you to explore their shops and perhaps even start your own creative journey with us.
