Isa Obradovich’s art is everywhere. Walk through the halls of the Miami University Art Building or step inside the Oxford Community Center, and Obradovich’s art is hanging on the walls. Open any social media app, and it won’t take long to find her work.
Her signature distinguishes her vibrant self portraits, written with three capitalized letters: I. S. A.
With over a million followers on TikTok and 930,000 subscribers on YouTube, the Miami University sophomore has captured her drawing processes, evolution in her art and her accomplishments on video over the past seven years.Obradovich started off by drawing colorful portraits of celebrities, eyes and flowers under the username @isabella.drawsss. Now, Obradovich makes mixed media work that features gold flakes in portraits, rhinestones in fantasy pieces and oil paint for still life.
Her work is displayed in Miami President Gregory Crawford’s living room and the Boomer Gallery of London.
Obradovich has worked with brands like Crayola and Instagram. One of her most notable videos, made for Amazon, got nominated for a Shorty Award and racked up 9.8 million views.
She said the proudest moment of last year was when she was invited to President Crawford’s house, Lewis Place, to deliver a speech after a drawing she made in ART195 was chosen for representing Freedom Summer. The drawing showed James Chaney, Andrew Goodman and Michael Schwerner, who were murdered in 1967 while registering Black voters during the Civil Rights movement.
“It’s still so surreal, like oh my god, you guys like my work?” said Obradovich. “I struggle a lot with imposter syndrome, and it always feels like I don’t deserve it or somebody else deserves it more, but then, it keeps happening, like wait, maybe I do deserve it a little bit.”
In between her classes, students would approach her and ask to take pictures.
“People were coming up to me multiple times a day and they were like, ‘You draw on TikTok and YouTube right?’ And I’m like ‘I do!’” Obradovich said.
Associate Professor of Art Education Stephanie Danker said that Obradovich makes a good recruiter when prospective students visit.
Danker said that once a prospective student recognized a print by Obradovich on the drying rack when while on a tour.
“She was like, ‘Um, isabella.drawsss?’ and I was like ‘Yeah?’ and she [said] ‘I follow her oh my gosh!’ And then we saw Isa outside,” Danker said. Obradovich got a picture together, and the student ended up coming to Miami.
To Obradovich, Danker is one of her closest mentors. Both are from Virginia, and they instantly connected when they met on recruiting day. Now, one of Obradovich’s prints hangs in her office space, along with another photo that she stuck on her door without her knowing. Despite joking about it, the photo is still there.
Although Obradovich was born in the U.S., her primary languages were Spanish and French. She said she remembers how isolating it was to learn English, yet it was the teachers who made her feel included.
Obradovich’s 7th and 8th grade art teacher, Charles Raubacher, paved the way for her growth. “That man has changed my life for the better in every way possible,” she said. He saw that she cared and was passionate about her art, pushing her further to gain confidence and skill as an artist. His influence was what made school a safe space for her.
When she goes back home, she makes sure to visit her middle school to bring supplies from her PR packages to donate to his class.
Obradovich said that after completing her degree she wants to be that type of teacher in another child’s life.
For the next few years Obradovich plans to collaborate with another student to create a resource database for artists who want to be successful on social media. Her research will be on strategies, tips for success and how to make social media into career opportunities for students like her.
Obradovich said she is satisfied with what she has accomplished.
“Isn’t that what life’s all about? Doing something you like because it makes you happy?”
