Meet Laika D. Chery | Illustrator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Laika D. Chery and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Laika D., why did you pursue a creative career?
I did pursue an artistic career because it’s mostly the only thing I love and good at at the same time lol. Creating art allows me to express my emotions and ideas in a way that nothing else can, and it’s incredibly fulfilling to see my concepts come to life and to connect with others through my work. I believe art has the power to inspire and bring about change, and through my work, I aim to challenge perceptions and encourage people to see the world from different perspectives. And since the beginning I had my friends support, they hired me and encourage as much as they could.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Talking about my art has always been a challenge for me, because I don’t quite know/understand it myself. I usually start with a character and let the little mistakes here and there do the rest. My brain is not what I would say well organized, I always think that there is something too much or not enough. Creating art allows me to express my emotions and ideas in a way that nothing else can. It’s incredibly fulfilling to see my concepts come to life and to connect with others through my work. And as an Haitian artist I always try my best to add a touch of my culture in it. My art celebrates black people mostly.

Professionally, I got there thanks to my friends, they were the first one hiring me. From designing dresses to cover arts, logos and flyers. And even costume designing and posing for their brands.

Honestly it was not easy but I always had their support, so it was neither difficult. I was afraid to try for a long period of time, thinking I couldn’t but it was all in my head. Thanks to their words of encouragement, I overcame my own fears and limits and was able to do better than I thought I could.

Along the way, I’ve learned to be more open to new experiences, to step up and leave my comfort zone, to adapt and not limit myself.

I just want the world to know that I’m just getting started.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I want to give a big shout out to all my friends from my high school who always believed in me. And also to the ones I found along the way. If I start naming names, I won’t be done anytime soon, and I don’t want to miss anyone. But all I want to say is thank you from the bottom of my heart and I’ll be grateful for you.

Instagram: laydelay__ / lay_ika

Linkedin: Laika Darphtercie Chery

Twitter: layiiiiiika

Image Credits
Photo Credit

Photographer : Pyelila / Pierre-Richard Raphael

White dress : echoesofpassereine

Red Dress: me