Illustrator Pooja Venkatachalam Kumar was drawn to visual thinking

From the ancient temples of Tirupati to the vibrant classrooms of the University of Arizona, Pooja Venkatachalam Kumar’s journey is a testament to the transformative power of art.

Born and raised in the culturally rich town of Tirupati, India, Pooja’s early exposure to art and architecture shaped her creative sensibilities. However, her path to becoming an artist was anything but conventional. First, she earned a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering, then she made the leap to the world of the arts, earning her MFA in illustration at the Maryland Institute College of Art.

Today, Pooja is an assistant professor of practice in the Illustration, Design & Animation (IDA) program at the University of Arizona School of Art. Her work blends traditional art forms with modern design principles, exploring themes of decolonization, environmental justice, and cultural preservation. Through her teaching and creative projects, Pooja inspires her students to think critically about the role of art in society and to use their craft to address pressing global issues.

From Engineering to Art: A Journey of Discovery

“I’ve always been fascinated by colors, textures, and patterns,” she said. “Even as a child, I remember constantly rearranging spaces, sketching designs, and observing how different elements could come together to create something beautiful.”

Despite her innate passion, pursuing design professionally wasn’t always an obvious choice. Societal expectations led her to chemical engineering.

“Coming from a background where stable, conventional careers were encouraged, choosing a creative path required a lot of conviction; not just from me, but also in convincing those around me,” she recalls.

However, her passion for creativity never waned. During her engineering studies, Pooja found herself drawn to visual thinking, often translating complex scientific concepts into visual forms.

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