I (Pooja Nimavat Mehta) grew up in Ahmedabad, India surrounded by its vibrant colors, festivals, languages, and flavors — experiences that continue to inspire my artwork. Art came naturally to me as a child, a legacy passed down from my father, who is also an artist and my most honest critic. 

Many years spent in the corporate world left me restless, kept searching for deeper meaning and once I moved to Chicago a few years ago –  being away from my homeland made one thing clear: Art is where I find myself again! It’s my way of reconnecting and giving back to others on similar paths. After nearly two decades, I returned to creating—transforming memory, culture, and nostalgia into visuals that speak to every desi heart!  That’s how Cadira Art & Design was born. Cadira—a Sanskrit word for elephant — my spirit animal, symbolizes wisdom, strength, spirituality, resilience and it felt like an inner guide for this creative path.

Being an autodidact artist living in an ADHD mind inspires me to experiment freely with techniques, mediums, and ideas. Currently my focus is on acrylic painting, laser engraving, murals, and digital patterns—while trying not to dive into too many projects at once!