Posted by The eldest of three siblings, Louise (@louisarrts) has always been fond of the arts—indulging in crafts and drawing as a hobby, as well as pursuing further studies in Advertising Arts. “I started freelancing in 2018 for extra income and to build up my art portfolio, but my father asked me to stop and focus on my studies first,” said the 18-year-old Filipina.
However during the pandemic, Louise thought about restarting freelance work again. “I kind of felt useless here in our home, because of the long and unexpected quarantine period. My parents are still working amid everything, such as employees getting laid off. I thought to post my art services on Carousell again to help with any additional fees needed, like for groceries and tuition for my siblings who are 10 and 11 years old. I also needed money to buy my art supplies without bothering my parents, since they can be expensive and aren’t really in our budget,” said Louise.
Louise offers a wide range of services from poster design to presentations. Since listing on Carousell over a month ago, she has had a few clients approaching her. “Business has been kind to me so far. The first client to reach out to me has actually offered me a part time job once their business is better, which is great for me as a student. I do feel sad when a potential client stops the job discussion, but that’s just how it is. It’s better just to remember that I have clients right now and I should be thankful that they chose me amid the other talented artists out there,” said Louise.
The hardworking teen honed her skills by practicing through two school organisations where she attended workshops and events to showcase her art. Louise shared, “those organisations really helped me to broaden my views and creativity. I also learnt to become more professional and see what it is like in the business when I became the Internal Vice President of one organisation.”