Author Archives: urvi

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A Series Of Small Things

“Great things are done by a series of small things brought together.” – Vincent Van Gogh

So, Day 3 of Art In The Park and the workshop participants seem to be enjoying pushing a few boundaries. If you haven’t already, check out the posts about Day 1 and Day 2 sessions.

As usual, things start with a nondescript line or a splash of paint.

And then stuff starts happening fast.

Forms appear, elements get added, more paint gets splashed around.

Characters get life.

“Caterpillar”, by a 6-year old:

“Butterfly”, by a 3-year old:

“Dancing Person”, by an 8-year old:

“Ipad & Sticks”, by a 2.5 year old:

Things seem to be warming up. The neem tree is, as usual, keeping it cool for us.

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A Receptacle For Emotions

”The artist is a receptacle for emotions that come from all over the place: from the sky, from the earth, from a scrap of paper, from a passing shape, from a spider’s web.” – Pablo Picasso

Today we carried forward the theme from the first session of Art In The Park initiative for young children.

The children explored shape, structure and dynamics of natural elements through a mix of materials.

The outcome was amazing.

Art works produced by 2.5 to 3.5 year old children out of their own spontaneity and volition, with a bit of encouragement and guidance.

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The Influence Of Nature

“In the beginning you must subject yourself to the influence of nature. You must be able to walk firmly on the ground before you start walking on a tightrope.” – Henri Matisse

Art In The Park series for children aims to explore this beautiful philosophy. Today was the very first session. A few sights that greeted us when we entered Lodhi Gardens:

Majestic trees, vibrant green grass, the chirping of birds – could be a perfect day for picnic. And we were carrying a picnic basket as well.

We explored around for a bit: seeing, smelling, listening and touching; singing and telling stories at the same time. Then we just went and splashed it all out on our art-boards.

This was it, today:

Had fun today. See you again on Friday!

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Art In The Park

Finally looks like we are going to start again with a new season of Arty-doodle-do! Last time we did 4 sessions in Nizamuddin Community Center and had a blast.

This time we’ll be holding the sessions outdoors at Lodhi Gardens. Art in the Park, that’s what it is! Beautiful atmosphere, fresh air, lovely light, children, some art and loads of fun.

Art in the Park

There are 2 time slots to choose from:

Slot 1 (9.00 – 10.00 AM on Wednesdays): 9 May / 16 May / 23 May / 30 May / 6 June
Slot 2 (9.00 – 10.00 AM on Fridays): 11 May / 18 May / 25 May / 1 June / 8 June

Venue: Lodhi Gardens (near the pond, under the group of old trees)
All materials will be provided. Limited class size.
Workshop is structured as 4-sessions.

Notes:
- The age group is right from 2.5 to 6 years, so siblings can join together… and yet do their own thing.
- Children should be accompanied by a care giver.
- They may carry a water bottle, a small snack, and a picnic mat.
- Clothes may get stained or dirty during activities, children may wear something accordingly.

For any queries / suggestions or registration, please email urvikhanna@gmail.com, or use the comments form below.

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In the Thick of Paint!

Paint, paint and more paint, on little feet, hands, faces and some on paper. They simply love it, there are some who take their time to get into the thick of paint but once they overcome their fears there is no stopping them. We all had a blast and my son just can’t get enough of these classes. Over the four weeks they experimented with various mediums and experienced art together. One child’s words can start a chain reaction of events, they act and react to all that is around them, its so unpredictable and creative! Their minds are buzzing and hands itching to do, its a challenge to keep up.

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Arty-doodle-do for Toddlers

Arty-doodle-do:  the art experience program for learning and expressing through art for toddlers from 1.5 to 3 years of age is open for registrations. Each session is designed to stimulate their imaginations and promises something new and exciting. It aims to create a friendly, supportive environment for self expression through art. They will experiment with various art materials, art processes develop some skills and have fun while doing so!

All materials will be provided, either a parent or caregiver can accompany the toddler for the duration of the session.

Currently the sessions will be held at Nizamuddin East, New Delhi Community Center.
Once a week
Duration: 1 hr
Total 4 sessions

For any queries / suggestions or registration, please email urvikhanna@gmail.com or post a comment or registration request here.

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Children’s Art Program

Arty-doodle-do™ is the name of a new art experience program I am designing for preschoolers and toddlers. It’s a kind of art initiation program that deals with experiencing art in it’s various forms and not just concentrating on creating objects.

Art can be a powerful tool for self expression while being total fun. Children can learn about their environment and share their experiences through art and learn to cooperate and collaborate. The program also aims to develop communication and motor skills; fuel their imagination and expose them to the various possibilities with art.

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Mobile Creches

Amidst roars of construction machinery, a small group of children walking in a single file make their way to a makeshift compound surrounded by corrugated tin sheets. This is going to be their haven for the remainder of the day. This place is run by an NGO called Mobile Creches and is more than a day care center — it is a functioning school to a large extent. None of the kids are carrying schoolbags though — indeed, several of the older children are carrying their infant siblings in their arms. Their parents are daily laborers working at construction sites nearby.

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Ikat: The Way Of The Weaver

A magazine assignment has taken me to Nuapatna, Orissa – home to hundreds of traditional Ikat weavers. These weavers live extremely fulfilling lives in spite of surviving by modest means. Ikat weaving as a craft has been handed down generations, and is under threat similar to many other cottage crafts. “The times they are a-changin’”, so said Bob Dylan.

The village surroundings are picturesque and easy on the eyes. Both the houses and common spaces of the village are usually kept clean. Adults and children likewise seem to be in a cheerful mood. It does feel like they love what they do. Oh, and there’s cricket!

The challenging part has been to photograph the workspaces where the actual weaving is done. The rooms with the looms are only dimly lit because the weavers can’t afford the power. Getting the right exposure to catch the rhythmic motion of a weaver’s loom was difficult. Some of the images below have been shot in near dark conditions.

The whole process of creating an Ikat sari is lengthy and complex. You need to make the yarn, dye it, dry it and then weave it.

The weavers are a passionate and proud lot. Sometimes, a sari may take years to complete. The devotion to the craft is inspirational. This is the way of the Ikat weaver.

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In Perspective: Jantar Mantar Revisited

After photographing Jantar Mantar over the course of many days, I sat down to review the ton of images I had collected. The more I studied the pictures, the more intrigued I became by the complexity and character of the space. My mind was awash with creative imagery and it became fairly obvious to me that I needed to express some of these ideas through a physical medium.

Some of the results of this ongoing work using mixed media on paper are presented below.