Artist Spotlight: Andriantsara Raharijao

Photo provided by artist

By Nafissatou Yattassaye

Andriantsara Raharijao is a creative artist originally born in Madagascar. She migrated to the United States in 2014 with family in hopes of it being a vacation, yet she stayed here. Raharijao is currently a junior at City College, majoring in art. Previously an art history major, Raharijao decided to pursue studio art and digital design while still being able to explore art history as an interest and a skill to hold on to. Instead of pursuing traditional painting, Raharijao leans more towards digital and animated drawings and designs using them as a way to maintain control and hold on to her work in a life defined by constant movement.

This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity.

NY: What inspired you to become a creator? Why did you choose art?

AR: My journey truly doesn’t have a clear start. Funny story: My mother inspired me to take art seriously, and she doesn’t even know that to this day. Although she doesn’t refer to herself as an artist, she was my inspiration to get better. My mother used art as a form of teaching me values. Whenever she wanted to have a sit down to talk about my behavior and anything related to my actions, she would pull out a piece of paper and draw me. To this day, I never really understood it. But, what intrigued me the most was how intricate the lines and shapes of her drawings were and in these moments, I was drawn to art.

NY: Walk me through your journey as an aspiring artist from elementary school, to middle school and then high school?

AR: As a child growing up, I wasn’t that social. I would be that kid cooped on the floor and drew whatever came to my mind.

Anya by Andriantsara Raharijao. Elementary School, 2015. Anya was her first official OC (original character) who wasn’t a self-insert in one of the shows she watched. She exists in her own original world. Her creation/design is inspired by a blend of Reimu from “Touhou” as well as the one doll Raharijao owned at the time.

I was really interested in anime and creating my own characters, but it really just was whatever I found interesting. Children would walk by my corner in the far side of the classroom and always compliment my drawings and tell me how talented I was. Although I was still the quiet, shy that [kept] to myself, I was known as the art kid, and that was a label I carried with me throughout middle school and high school as well. 

In middle school and high school, I was kind of the same. I was a bit more social but still known as the “Art Kid”.

Fort Dauphin by Andriantsara Raharijao. College, 2025. For a small portion of her childhood, Raharijao and her family lived on the south east coast of Madagascar in a small town called Fort Dauphin. They only lived there for 2 years, but that place holds a special place in her heart. Raharijao remembers it for its clear blue skies, quiet surroundings, mountain ranges and lonely beaches. In this piece, she drew one of her OCs on a hotel balcony by one of the beaches, reminiscing on her childhood memories.

NY: Can you speak a bit about this label “the Art Kid” and what that truly means?

AR: Wow, I never got asked this question before. I anxiously held on to this title during my early adolescence. I cared a lot about what people thought about me, and I felt as if I was going to be the quiet kid. I wanted to be known for something I was good at: art. This label is a bit complicated because it’s a title created by me and everyone else around me.

This was an identity I embodied unconsciously and consciously.

NY: Walk me through the concept, and meaning behind your art submission?

AR: The concept of my art submission revolves around identity, nostalgia, and feeling caught between two worlds. The character I created is an original anime-inspired figure that represents me. It combines both my artistic side with my personal identity. In the piece, the character is actually a male sitting in Fort Dauphin, a small island my family and I resided in for 2 years before migrating to the U. S. He is depicted particularly near the ocean I once remember visiting when I was younger.

The drawing reflects a sense of looking back and longing. It also connects to a time when life felt simpler. The character is looking out in the distance as if he is reminiscing on the past and how life has changed. As an immigrant, I've experienced my own shift in identity. I feel like I don’t fully belong in my own home country anymore, but I also don’t fully feel American. The tropical background, open space, and calm setting contribute to the nostalgic feeling. Overall, the drawing is about reflection, change, and trying to relate to who I used to be and who I currently am.

Fort Dauphin by Andriantsara Raharijao. College, 2025. For a small portion of her childhood, Raharijao and her family lived on the south east coast of Madagascar in a small town called Fort Dauphin. They only lived there for 2 years, but that place holds a special place in her heart. Raharijao remembers it for its clear blue skies, quiet surroundings, mountain ranges and lonely beaches. In this piece, she drew one of her OCs on a hotel balcony by one of the beaches, reminiscing on her childhood memories.

NY: Why did you choose digital art vs traditional art on canvases and painting?

AR: Interesting that you ask. Although I love painting and traditional art, because my family moves often, digital work allows me to keep everything in one place without losing or transporting pieces. This is the groundwork for who I am.

NY: What do you want to do as you approach your last year at City College with a degree in Art? 

AR: As my last year at CCNY approaches, post-graduation I plan to pursue a creative path as a freelance artist. At the same time, I am open to exploring different career creative roles such as interior designer, or more stable roles while doing art on the side.

I also want to eventually go back to my hometown, Fort Dauphin, in Madagascar and build an art school. Although this is a big dream, there aren’t many places in Madagascar where children are exposed to art in many forms and a way to express themselves. And I would love to be the first. 

More of Andriantsara Raharijao work can be found on instagram @pee.peew.pew

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Nafissatou Yattassaye is a freshman at City College, majoring in Communications with a

concentration in Journalism. Writing allows her to escape reality and enter a realm where

she is free to express her creativity through words and phrases with simply the ink of her

pen!