Mixed-Media Artist Shares Her Inspirational Creative Journey

Mixed-media artist and My Modern Met Academy instructor Nitika Alé creates ethereal, vibrant works based on a harmonious blend of artistic intuition and technical expertise. Alé’s focus is flowers and portraits, often incorporating the former into the latter. Using a variety of mediums like pastel, charcoal, acrylic and watercolor paints, her artwork is multi-layered, both physically and metaphorically.

Fortunately, Alé’s knack for art has also translated into instructing. Her newest course, launching today, is Mixed Media Portrait Drawing, but she also teaches Dream Your Own Abstract Acrylic Floral Paintings through My Modern Met Academy. With Mixed Media Portrait Drawing, Alé teaches portraiture basics, as well as how to work across three different mediums: charcoal, soft pastel, and watercolor.

In this new course, students will learn tips and tricks for creating portraits in charcoal, including how to work from reference images. Students will also experiment working with soft pastels and then watercolors, learning a variety of techniques across two different drawing exercises. They will then put their new skills to use in the final project, a mixed-media portrait using all three mediums together.

Mixed Media Portrait Drawing is now available for immediate purchase at the My Modern Met Academy website. With over 70 minutes of lessons and resources, this course is a steal for its price of $34.95. Perfect for intermediate artists and veteran creatives alike, Alé’s class is an amazing chance to experiment with new mediums and develop your artistic intuition.

To commemorate the launch of our newest course, My Modern Met had the pleasure of speaking with Alé and learning more about her artistic journey. Read on for our exclusive interview.

How did you get your start with art?

About a decade ago, I was balancing a demanding corporate job with weekend work as a freelance photographer. While I was succeeding in both, the pace left me drained, struggling with migraines and anxiety. I had always been a creative child, but over the years I drifted away from art.

One day, I picked up a sketchbook and some basic supplies. I began experimenting with charcoals, oils, watercolors, and acrylics, and within a couple of years I saw remarkable progress. Friends and colleagues noticed too, often complimenting my work online.

After marriage, when I moved states and left my corporate career behind, my husband encouraged me to take a sabbatical and fully focus on art. Passion doesn’t require permission, of course, but his support gave me the confidence to pursue it wholeheartedly.

What drew you to mixed-media art, especially in relation to portraiture?

Through experimenting, I discovered the strengths of each medium: how pastels could bring softness, watercolors transparency, and charcoal depth. Combining them opened creative possibilities that a single medium could not achieve. That was when I realized mixed-media was the perfect language for my portraits.

Who are some of your inspirations?

There are countless. I feel fortunate to live in a time when women artists are increasingly recognized and celebrated. My inspirations also cross disciplines, from writers to creators to thinkers.

Two that stand out are writer Elizabeth Gilbert, who said, “You do not need anybody’s permission to live a creative life,” and late artist-writer Leonora Carrington, who expressed: “Some things are not sayable, that’s why we have art.”

What was most challenging when you began working in multiple mediums, and what challenges do you face now?

In the beginning, it was the technical side, learning what could and could not be combined. I once mixed acrylic medium with oil paint, which, unsurprisingly, failed. Another time, I tried hard pastels on printer paper without understanding blending techniques and hadn’t discovered soft pastels yet. Those experiments taught me valuable lessons.

Today, the challenges are more conceptual–navigating creative blocks and pushing new ideas forward. I have learned to manage this by stepping away, switching to another piece, or simply giving myself space to reset.

What is your favorite part of your process, and which mediums do you enjoy the most?

I love waking up with an idea and the excitement of bringing it to life on canvas or paper. Art has helped me work through anxiety, self-doubt, and overthinking, pressures I once felt in the corporate world. The difference is that creative challenges feel empowering and even healing.

As for mediums, I cannot choose just one. That is why I return to mixed-media again and again. It lets me merge the best of each.

What inspired you to begin teaching, and what do you enjoy most about it?

I started with in-person workshops, where I noticed students often struggled with the same early challenges. To support them, I created small handbooks, step-by-step guides they could take home.

When COVID shifted everything online, I embraced teaching virtually. What I enjoy most is how students can learn at their own pace while I can carefully design each lesson. I often think how much easier my own journey would have been if I had access to such resources years ago.

Do you have any advice for people who are starting out with mixed-media or expressive portraiture?

Experiment freely, make mistakes, and do not be discouraged if your early attempts do not look the way you imagined. Expressive art is about the process, not perfection. The more you let go of fear, the more authentic your work will become.

As Leonora Carrington said, “Some things are not sayable, that’s why we have art.” When words fall short, let the medium carry your emotions. It often speaks louder than language ever could.

What do you hope that people take away from your My Modern Met Academy class?

I hope they learn the fundamentals of building expressive portraits, but more importantly, I want them to feel confident to keep experimenting beyond the class. Do not stop after one painting. Let it be the start of a continuous journey.

Do you have any other advice you’d like to share?

Investing in your creativity, even in small ways, can be transformative. Whether or not you pursue art professionally, nurturing your creative soul is one of the best gifts you can give yourself, and it is something you can pass on to others.