Anila Hetoja’s journey through the art scene has been all about hustle and heart. Starting out with an Economics degree, she soon ditched the corporate gig to chase her real passion: art. She hustled her way through the halls of Yorkville University Academy of Arts in Toronto, graduating with honors.

Back in Albania, she faced some serious hurdles breaking into the scene, especially in the cutthroat world of Interior Design. But she didn’t back down. With grit and talent, she carved out her own lane, leaving her mark on both the canvas and the blueprint. Hetoja’s art game is versatile, dabbling in everything from painting to architecture to interior design. Her style? It’s like a dope blend of old school vibes and modern flair, a nod to her roots while staying on the cutting edge.

Anila Hetoja as an artist and interior designer is known for her distinctive style that blends artistic creativity with functional design principles. She has participated in exhibitions showcasing her artwork, including the one in Kosovo on International Women’s Day, on March 8, 2024. Hetoja’s involvement in such events highlights her commitment to celebrating women’s contributions to the arts and showcasing her own talent alongside other talented female artists.

In addition to her work in the art world, Hetoja also pursues interior design projects across Europe. Her passion for interior design allows her to integrate her artistic vision into practical and aesthetic considerations, creating spaces that are both visually stunning and functional. Through her projects, Hetoja leaves her creative mark on various environments, influencing the ambiance and design of different spaces across the continent.

Overall, Anila Hetoja’s dedication to both art and interior design reflects her versatility as a creative professional and her commitment to expressing her artistic vision in diverse ways.

Can you share a bit about your journey and what inspired you to pursue a career in architecture, interior design, and painting?

The path to the fascinating field of art has been long and difficult. I first graduated as an Economist but somehow life seems to put you where you’re supposed to be and I found my way back to where my heart belongs, visual art which I enjoy the most up to a level that I do believe my passion for art was born with me. It comes to mind an old saying “The most important thing of all things in life, is choosing the profession”. After completing my subsequent university studies in the field of visual art at the Yorkville University Academy of Arts in Toronto, I returned to Albania where I had to face the difficulties of a still-developing profession/market and lack of transparency and unfair competition. In Albania, Interior Design as a profession was not practiced properly at that time. The service offered to clients as an interior designer was rather a novelty, but regardless of this, I was never discouraged. I persisted tirelessly to fulfill my goals which in return helped me to create an identity in a developing profession/market, also being known for a certain typology of art. These days, Interior Design is being practiced more and more. It is even a special branch being offered in national universities. In the end, I have to admit there is nothing more rewarding than realizing your dreams come true, especially when you have put so much into making them happen.

Managing architecture, interior design, and painting requires a unique skill set. How do you balance these different creative roles, and do they influence each other in your work?

Performing in the field of interior design and painting is among my greatest desires of mine. Despite being two different fields of art expression, while working, I cannot separate them from each other. While I do believe painting will accompany me for a long time, the Interior design profession has the widest scope with limitless imagination and the challenge remains to accomplish the unimaginable. This is the beauty of Interior Design but also being a painter helps me to accomplish any project and maintain the balance among these two disciplines of visual art.

Who are your artistic influences in each of your creative fields? How do these influences manifest in your designs and artwork?

Generally, artists are influenced by the surrounding environment, the people around them, life experiences, disappointments, achievements and much more. All of these aspects influence their artwork as well as their personal lives. My artistic creativity is influenced by everything that surrounds me, family memories, the environment, books, music, objects, nature are just some indicators that influence my imagination and stimulate me to start creating artwork. Like many other artists, my artistic journey is heavily influenced by world-class artists whose artwork is very inspirational and in some cases very genuine in their uniqueness (master Saimir Strati’s artwork which successfully debuted in the world artistic arena and marked Guinness records). I think a good artist constantly tries to create something unique and go beyond the standard frames through his inspiration from the surrounding environment, including inspiration from his colleagues’ artwork.

Can you walk us through your creative process when working on a new architectural project, interior design, or a painting? How do you approach each medium differently?

Ideation, pre-preparation, evaluation and finalization are the four stages of the creative process in my artistic work. Regardless of the various technical difficulties along the stages of the development process, these stages are united and guided by a special force that is the magic of art.

Your vernissages are highly regarded. What role do these events play in your artistic journey, and how do you select the pieces for exhibition?

As I have been creating artwork for nearly decades, with my modest experience still, I can confidently admit Albania’s artistic richness where senior and younger artists adequately debut represent their artistic values both inside and outside Albania. I believe that in the mind of every artist there is a desire to share their creations with art lovers and what could be better than exhibiting them in a gallery, a place where the artist’s soul finds peace. I like to participate differently in each exhibition and present art-work based on social themes from everyday life. This is where the selection of my artworks begins, which I exhibit in different galleries, invitations which are not lacking both inside and outside the country.

What architectural and design philosophies inspire you the most? How do you incorporate these inspirations into your projects?

As mentioned earlier, I often look for inspiration in anything and everything that surrounds me: shapes, volumes, works of art, music, nature etc. The inspiration and the neat vibe I get from all these elements, I tend to naturally incorporate them into an artwork project which -after several iterations- turns into an artwork piece.As I mentioned before, our classrooms are very diverse. The students’ ages vary from 18 to 50 years old. We have mothers with one to three children, and there are cohorts where a vast number of students are immigrants, just like I was when I started school. I always share my story with my students, showing them the place where I was sitting when I was a student.

Throughout my artwork experience of nearly two decades, I have realized works that still give me a special pleasure. I like interior design, because it gives me the opportunity not only to create, but also to continue learn as I work every day and build my skills in many areas, inside and outside of design. The traces I leave in every environment are works of art, made by me and adapted to any design. The elements I use in most interior design projects are color, lighting, balance, harmony, natural lighting contrast and details that always make the difference.

How do you see the intersection of art and design in your work? Does your experience as a painter influence your approach to architecture and interior design, and vice versa?

It often happens that visual art is mixed with interior architecture: an interaction that you see from the brushstrokes on the canvas to the intricate lines of an architect’s plan. Such an interaction between art and design, materialized in many projects, I believe has been the source of results in some successful projects that I have realized. In quite a few cases, the opposite has also happened to me, i.e. the other way around. When I finished an interior project for a residential building, I was inspired to create paintings which are naturally interwoven with the interior design of the residential building. For me, both lines have worked: painting in some cases has helped me for the interior of an object, and in many cases, the interior of an object has inspired me for the development of painting in unison with the warmth that the interior conveyed.

What advice would you give to young architects, interior designers, and artists who aspire to have a diverse and successful career like yours?

 I would say that the most effective way to gain a healthy sense of design is to be open-minded and believe in the impossible. Learn to appreciate criticism and use it to your advantage. There is nothing wrong with following great artists as your role models, in the country, as in my case it proved to be rewarding and accomplishing. Even the best artists have had their models. It’s fine to be inspired by some great design concepts/ideologies and incorporate them into your designs, as long as you demonstrate where your inspiration comes from. Create your own style, be creative, and always be surrounded by positive people.

Photocredits: Gerhard Progapuca (@gerhard_pregapuca_photo_)

Anila Hetoj’s participation in the exhibition in Kosovo on International Women’s Day, March 8, 2024, highlights her commitment to showcasing her artistic talents alongside other talented women artists. Her involvement in such events not only celebrates her own work but also contributes to the broader recognition of women’s contributions to the arts.

Moreover, Hetoj’s concurrent pursuit of interior design projects demonstrates her versatility and dedication to merging her artistic vision with practical and aesthetic considerations. By undertaking projects across Europe, she has the opportunity to leave her creative imprint on various spaces, potentially influencing the ambiance and functionality of diverse environments.

Overall, Hetoj’s active engagement in both exhibitions and interior design projects underscores her passion for creativity and her ongoing commitment to artistic expression.

How do you personally connect to the spaces you design and the paintings you create? Is there a particular project or piece that holds special significance to you?

Well, I think I leave a part of myself in every project I finish. The artworks I leave behind in each project are like my creatures that I brough them to life to represent my emotions and self-being.
One of the artworks that I have the most in my heart is a project based on traditional motifs and patriotic themes, where the focus is on our two countries, Kosovo and Albania, where they are woven together in a canvas and I focused on the monuments of the cultural heritage of both our countries. This is a piece of artwork that took me a lot of time and that I worked on with great care.