Words by Jumana

There was once an artist of many, many hats walking by a group of girls talking. One of them during the avid conversation noted how there are so many women-riders on the streets of Male’ now. Later that night, in a darkened bedroom, an entrepreneur with the mind of a marketing genius and the heart of a creative soul full of explosive ideas sat with her ipad and drew a picture. She needs to put it on paper. Once posted on the ‘gram, about 600 people within two hours shared the same post with a sprinkle of hilarity and a touch of connection. This is the story of how one of the most culturally relevant businesses with dynamic and alive pieces of art came about. You may see it being worn by a cute kid on the road, or being carried by your favorite aunt as she enters the grocery store with a witty tote. Your boss’s keychain or your best friend’s anniversary gift for her husband. Kalhudeli is one of those pieces of art that goes hand-in-hand with daily life.

We at Kaleo sat down with Himoo of Kalhudeli to try and grasp her creative process, and talk about how she has managed to create a cultural sensation. Her works sometimes nod in the direction of the nostalgia of early Maldivian songs of the 80s and 90s while also allowing Himoo to keep her finger on the pulse of the most talked-about current conversations of the Maldivian youth.

She looked back and noted, “Drawing is something I have done since my childhood. I usually draw at night. If I have something in my heart, I draw it. For Kalhudeli before, I used to draw with an actual pen. Recently, I have been using an ipad”. Taking a look at this very young business, the massive success speaks for itself as you can see the black and white creativity of Kalhudeli etched onto relatable tote bags, hilarious kid’s t-shirts, and keepsake keychains.

“Mostly what I post on Kalhudeli are relatable things that I can’t help but overhear. I would go home from the day and get them down on a drawing. It could also be humorous and funny things. For instance, I have a friend who couldn’t usher in the motorbike even after a year of getting a license so I made a post about that”.

In the fast paced scrolling and sharing culture of today’s social media platforms, what sets this page apart is the fact that it is nostalgic, beautiful, heart-warming, funny and relatable. In a recent post on instagram about visiting Scoop for ice cream after school, many will find that their childhood school-mate has also given a like under the post. That is the kind of business with soul – a place where there is the chance to reconnect with a childhood pal where both can reminisce about the good old days.

The positive, happy vibes that leap off this page are intentional. Himoo said, “I try to draw and keep things positive, always. Very rarely would you see anything with a negative connotation there”. How Himoo got started with the particular works at Kalhudeli was initially just as a stress reliever to battle insomnia and take her mind off busy days. “I just kept posting the art and then one day, a friend approached me for an order for keychains on Men’s Day for an office. I made keychains with fun titles where I drew each member of staff. That was my first actual order. I did over a hundred keychains for that day, each with a different drawing. This was about a week after I began the page”.

With the hashtag #artiscompletebutnotcomplete , Himoo considers her works of art “not complete”. It is the whimsical strokes and lines that give her artwork their signature quirky feel. Every single work of art speaks of an instinctive approach. “I just usually do whatever comes to mind. With some commissioned works, the attention is paid to details and  corrections are made, but otherwise, I would call my style a type of instinctive ‘sketch'”.

“I found it hard to work under someone when it came to creativity. I found that I needed to work with my own rules to fully have that outlet. So when it comes to juggling it all in my own business, it’s a struggle and you have to do it all. I am just one person. The creative process and business side of everything is done by me alone and I have to put in a lot of very hard work. You will only earn when you work”.

Her advice for someone who may want to try and start their own venture? Himoo is the master of “just do it”. She said, “Don’t overthink it, follow your gut. It’s simple. If you want to get something done, just get started. Open an instagram page and keep posting. One way or another, someone who wants your art will approach you. Just start. Everything else will eventually fall into place as you keep going”.

Himoo noted that the true gratification from her work comes from seeing her work out there in the world. For instance, a tote that she might catch at a grocery store or even a tshirt that she made. “I like the high customizability of my work. Once, I made a piece for a parent who wanted to give her child a gift and said that he forgets everything everywhere. So I made a keychain and the expression on the kid’s face when he received it was everything. I was so happy”.

She appreciated that these types of creativity desperately need a friend in legal and government support. Maldives lacks a true oversight of creative products and copyright. “I don’t put a watermark or anything usually and I see my artwork being copied several times. I just think that it would really help artists like me if there was a regulatory body by the government, monitoring these things”.

As for what makes this masterpiece of an artist and business woman who she is, Himoo humbly noted that her success and progress is also in part owed to her Mother and father, her loyal base of friends, family and followers. We can’t wait to see what she comes up with next.