Its Christmas Time

Studying in a public school or Kendriya Vidyalaya, you tend to be secular in your thoughts and hence in your approach towards seeing any religious festivals. My childhood memories of winter vacation is still fresh. The lazy days with big mugs of coffee, listening to stories from mom, reading out story books, practicing hand-writings, afternoons spent on making cards for teachers, family members and friends... The list seems endless.. Christmas eagerly awaited: when you visit some folks in the city, have cakes and sing jingle bells..!! Some nostalgic moments I still cherish..

Today when I have my own home, I still love this festival, feel excited and happy and do many of the stuffs. This year's plan was initially big, but my work pressure made me cut short the plans. Some small decorations of the last year's tree, and some gifts and of course plans to bake a cake (which didn't happen unfortunately).  I did bake my Christmas cake after 3 days. As the saying goes, better late than feel sorry..!

It was simple decoration in one corner of the living space. This year the whole idea was to use and reuse and recycle. I had bought these colourful stars from Itokri store , made of elephant poop. The pine cone is of course an natural element. The angels  hanging in air are recycled glass, created by Sarah of Maya Mosaics.

The Christmas tree, pine cones, ornaments, the Santa Claus, the tiny-winy figurines...stars, candles, gifts and chocolates make it the apt mood for this festive season.

The decorated Christmas tree and the festive mood

A Merry Christmas to you all from my home.
Stars from Itokri, made out from Elephant poop

A silver pine cone for adding the wintery dash to the festive corner..

Gift for CSH from Santa.. kept on 25th eve.
Its a box of chocolates, made in Malaysia, picked from a local store.
The caption note is made from Handmade paper tag , picked from Pondicherry.

My Blue Angel, hangs in the air...

"The angels are guarding us always.."
A gift from Switerland (the red angel),
a painted stone with an angel imprint on it,
&
a silver angel bell..

The pink and blue angels hang in front of the house,
along with a bird wind chime,
all recycled stuff.

I wish all of you a Merry Christmas and Season's Greetings for a happy and prosperous new year 2013.

Diwali Decor at Home

My idea of decor is simple~ colourful, elegant and bright. Diwali is a festival of lights, sweets, happiness, prosperity and peace. Its the victory of good over evil and darkness over light. I picked up some gerberas, chrysanthemums, some button roses from my garden.

What best to let these flowers float in an urli. First one, I had picked from Malleswaram road side and other one from Kalamadhyam Mela.

Floating some flowers and tea light candles and floating candles in urlis is the simplest and vibrant way of bringing a festive season in home, specially when there is a space crunch.

Inside home~

Gerberas, chrysanthemums and tea lights in terracotta urli

Light pink and Dark Pink button roses from the balcony garden and some floating candles (pink coloured)

Roses add a dash of glamour to the decoration

 Outside the main door~

A ceramic urli with floating flowers and candles

Every year since 2008, I pick up something interesting to my curio collection and this year's pick is Saraswati's masterpiece. I am an big time admirer of her work and what best to show it off on this auspicious time of the year..

An Om motif and a pelican figurine incense stick holder in front of my gods with burnt out green tea incense stick from Auroshika. All are my favorite picks of this festive season..

Hoping that this Diwali brings loads of happiness and peace, prosperity and health and wealth for each one of you!

Wishing you all a very happy, prosperous & safe Diwali.

A visit to No1. ShantiRoad Studio Gallery

I happened to visit No. 1 Shanti Road Studio/Gallery this week and I must agree it in on par with any famed art-house. Abhisheka's mail about pottery exhibition by a group of Aurovilleans got me excited and curious and I knew that this weekend has to be fruitful and spent at this place.

The Studio/Gallery at 1.Shanthiroad provides space for slide lectures, small conferences, installations, performances, screenings and informal gatherings for artists and the alternative art community. This studio/gallery was founded by Suresh Jayaram, a masters in Fine Arts from MS Univeristy Baroda. He is a visual artist, and an art historian. Jayaram says "Since it’s inception in 2003 1.Shanthiroad has grown to house artists from diverse countries in its residency program. It believes in fostering interaction between artists, curators, scholars, writers and young students in the local and global context. We collaborate, share and have interactions with the local artist community."

Being in Bangalore -a cosmopolitan and eclectic city that teems with  art and craft connoisseurs, and founded by a true Bangalorean, the architecture of this place mirrors this fact magnificently.

Climbing up through the spiral staircase, the studio is located on the first floor. Its simple and green environs instantly attracted me.
The entrance welcomed the visitors with floating Nagalingam flowers (also called as Cannon Ball Flowers; Couroupita guianensis) arranged on a blue pottery plate. The flowers were not fresh but their drying pale colour added a mystic charm to the entire room.

The wall next to the entrance door adorned with two ceramic face masks spoke about the place.

A dry half-pod, a brown wood-fired ceramic piece, and an incense stick holder..! Rusty look, down to earth.



Let there be light!.

A view from the inside the studio of the terrace. Check the flooring of the terrace. Circular and earthy indeed.

 

The metal lotuses... I am impressed...

And this one

The notice boards, always bristling with colourful posters -some of them creative and artistic too -attract the visitors.

 

A part of the terrace where bougainvilleas bloom and add pink to the roof. 

Here terrace is a beautiful greened space.



And we notice a tiki face statue

...and our favorite Buddha, basking in the afternoon shade.

And Kalanchoe blossfeldiana (Christmas Kalanchoe) on a pedestal

A glimpse of the ongoing pottery exhibition at 1. ShantiRoad Studio Gallery
(in the terrace)


(inside the studio)



Some more wood carvings which were attractive:
A mirror's top

A tree trunk (carved  and soaking the sunlight in the terrace)

A beautiful chair that caught my attention.. The colorful table-mat on it was indeed eye catching.

I am sure this place is a delight for anyone who is artistic at heart and has a creative bent of mind.

1. Shanti Road Studio Gallery truly rocks.

The Aurovillean Potter's Wheel Showcase

Once over a cup of coffee, I had told Abhisheka that I love art in any form and I have an inclination for pottery, ceramics and clay-art. She has such good memory. Oh yes!
Few days back, she sent me an email which had an invite:

Voila.. I knew I had to attend this exhibition cum sale. I became eager to visit
1.Shanti Road Studio Gallery.
I visited them on Saturday afternoon with my camera in hands..!

The entrance to the gallery is through a simple door on the 1st floor after climbing the spiral staircases, but what grabbed my attention was their simplicity and bonding with nature. The place, its ambiance and the simple arrangements stole my heart.

The display was a blend of tradition and modernity, sophistication and rusty hues, miniatures and largish pieces. The art-form was contemporary with a few abstract, experimental ceramic displays too. The display was wide and elaborate with diverse beautiful artifacts- both utilitarian and artistic. Works in wood fired stoneware, high fired ceramics and also in Terracotta- glazed as well as unglazed were displayed.

Artist Adil Writer was representing all the artists, wearing a striking bright red shirt adding a vibrant color to the exhibition. Let me show you how gorgeous the show looked!

Check the beautiful white table cloth, and at the back, colorful runner used as prop:



Onto more! The blue side tables and tea table have a rustic and crude look but add glam quotient to the white walls. To the side is a salad bowl. The table adorns a variety of utilitarian ceramic products. The oil dispensers, cups with elephant carvings, tea light holder, vases, incense stick holders (ceramic blended with glass) were the attractions of this corner.




And then  I noticed these different teapot designs. Some were the conventional ones, whilst a few were unconventionally brilliant! Check out this one, the wood-fired clay art masterpiece by Rakhee Kane.



And another from Aavartan Studio Pottery by Rakhee Kane..

A complete teapot set with a creamer pot, a sugar-pot and six tea cups for those who love to entertain their guests..

 

And  the usual "I'm little teapot" types kettle too!

Then comes a lovely curvy pitcher. One can use this to carry water or fresh fruit juice or buttermilk (to survive the travails of summer). I am sure such a pitcher will be a beautiful addition to anyone's dining table or kitchenette! One can be a bit more creative in using this clay piece as a vase for decorating flowers with longer pedicels (stalks) like lilies, carnations or gerberas or if you are too lazy, just use it as a decor piece :)

 

The incense stick holders and their unique design impressed me- from squarish to elongated to boat shaped to pebble shaped to some of my very favorites by Saraswati. For a moment I was confused, which one should I pick for my home...?

One of Saraswati's incense stick holders - a heart stealer!

More...

There were beverage/ wine tumblers and shot glasses. For someone who loves to dine and wine, such a set can be a treasure.

A beautiful tea-cup planter

These beautifully made multi-utility tumblers can be used as a small vase, a tooth brush holder, a pen-stand or as a plantlet holder (for those small corners at home and workspace)..I couldn't control the ecologist inside me and ended up buying one with a frog on it :) See the wide range of animals mounted on simple tumblers. From turtles to lizards to butterflies to frogs and even mud-skippers!

Check out the mud-skipper soap dish

Tea light holders and votive holders

and ceramic bells..

More of pendants resembling sea figurines and shells

Saraswati(Renata)'s Have fun pottery is really a treat for eyes and having those at home would be a delight. Her USP is colourful animal figures (made in ceramic of course) and a direct bond with mother nature.

The animal themed pendants and ear-rings of Have fun pottery

A ceramic wall-piece that is adorned with a toucan and lianas with yellow fruits of a tropical forest.

A blue ceramic mask that can be used as a wall art



My favorite was a unique ceramic pendant from, again, Saraswati. A cup and saucer with a croissant..! What a cute addition to my collection!
 I just love this piece :)

If you are in Bangalore, this place is a must visit for the weekend. The exhibition is ON till 12th January and hopefully we will get to see such exhibits more frequently.

One can get to see more works here~ Ashiwni Bhat , Renata Sidorenko, Adil Writer's latest works, Mandala pottery,  Flame pottery, Ange Peter, Rakhee Kane