Flashback!

This month, last year.... was such a super busy time. I was in the midst of preparing for my very first exhibition (you can read about that here) and neck-deep in work.

As the rains poured outside, I poured out my creative designs inside. :) Here are some moments capturing the action behind-the-scenes.

Yes, that is yours truly working on multiple bottles simultaneously. Half-finished bottles and glass pieces lay strewn around on all tables at home for a whole month.... LOL. That isn't a mean feat when you have 2 kids at home!

But when we finally lined up the finished bottles together, how gorgeous they looked...

 

As did the glass paintings...



So happy that most of my creations found new homes, and are now bringing joy and adding colour to the lives of so many others. Feel immensely grateful to have been gifted with a creative mind and an artisan's hands!

As I relive last year's journey, here is to many more to come!
 

Showcasing Bottle Art at 'Artivity'

How time changes perspectives!.... Read on to know why I write this. And yes, I'm sounding a long post alert too. So proceed at your own risk! :)


The Creative Rumblings stall at Artivity, Select Citywalk

To think that just a month back I was choosing to ignore the invitation mail from the Select Citywalk team for participating in the Artivity event. And here I am, giving you all a round-up of our experience. Yes, it all started on the wrong note.... by my not wanting to participate. But then, as they say, destiny had other plans!


View from the inside

A close-up of our name board

This was the first edition of Artivity at Select Citywalk, and it was aimed at promoting both traditional and modern art forms. There were 16 stalls in all, each giving a glimpse into a special form of art. Right from traditional crafts like wire craft, rice etching and calligraphy to modern ones like decoupage, dry flower crafts to bottle art.


At the risk of sounding clichéd, I have to say that our experience at Artivity was quite similar to our first exhibition at Gurgaon last Diwali. So many people showered love by visiting our stall, taking time to look at the pieces on display, clicking pictures (sometimes with and sometimes without our permission!), openly appreciating our work and saluting our creative thinking. Our penchant for upcycling and giving the discarded a new lease of life won us lots of accolades. 


The uniqueness of bottle art was very well received as countless people stopped by to appreciate, to ask us how we work, what materials we use, and most importantly, to show their children, family and friends this unusual form of art.

Interacting with our admirers and patrons

Many people who had seen our work on Friday came back with others in tow on the next two days, giving us knowing smiles! Sitting three whole days doing 12-hour shifts in a mall is not easy; we were dead tired by the end of it all. But such a heart-warming response made all our efforts worth it.

Loved the joy on the faces of the young and old alike

Our original concept of turning old CDs into rangoli diya trays was also a big hit, both with elders and the young crowd. Not only did the diya trays sell like hot cakes, many promised us to try out similar decorations this coming Diwali. These encouraging reactions to our endeavours always keeps us on our toes, motivating us to further innovate with recyclable materials. Must confess I felt elated being recognized for my small efforts in the overwhelming presence of the big brands surrounding us.

Discussing, explaining and conveying our thoughts

The artist as mommy on the final day :)

And of course, all this would never have been possible without the 24/7 support of my home team. The youngest ones who showed a little more independence so mom could work on creating enough inventory. The eldest one who kept his demands to the minimum so as not to burden the rest. The mother, who handled the home front single-handedly with a smile, and had encouraging words on her lips every time I had moments of self doubt. And the hubby, who stood (sometimes behind and sometimes beside) like a rock, steadying me each time I faltered. Last but not the least.... my buddies (you know who you are) who trooped in to motivate, encourage, support and lift us up. I feel blessed, truly!


Since we received a lot of enquiries, I plan to introduce workshops shortly. So keep an eye on this space and our Facebook page, and you'll see announcements soon. Till then, apart from resting my tired bones, let me bask in the glory of a job well done. Whoever heard of modesty?!?.... Modesty is out of fashion!! ;) Hope you enjoyed reading this long post.

Pattachitra Bottle

With the annual Rath Yatra (car festival) of Lord Jagannath having started in Orissa and other parts of the country this weekend, the time seemed appropriate to post about another aspect of the state - its arts and crafts. Orissa has always been deeply associated with age-old crafting traditions. Its villages of Pipli and Raghurajpur are famous for their colourful appliques and Pattachitra crafts the world over. Though I have visited the state many years back, but a visit to these craft villages has been on my to-do list for a while now.

Recently I attended a casual workshop where one of the projects was making a Pattachitra bottle. I couldn't be happier, of course! But it is only once I started painting that I realised how much patience is required to execute the intricate designs. And mine is nowhere close to what the Orissa artisans make.... I remember seeing these bottles a few years back at the Surajkund Crafts Fair when they were getting newly introduced in the market. Absolutely amazing designs and such delicate finery!

I chose to make Jagannath-Subhadra-Balram, the three gods that almost define Orissa; they are placed in the famous Jagannath Temple in Puri and worshipped in every Oriya home. Hope my bottle does justice to the images of these much-loved deities. Click on the image to see a better view of the bottle.

And next time you come across those Oriya craftsmen at a fair, don't forget to stop by, admire their creativity and pick up some gorgeous pieces for your home. Alternatively, you could commission a bottle from me by writing to me at creativerumblings@gmail.com. Have a happy July! :)