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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Jantar Mantar in New Delhi is a natural observatory that was built in the 18th century to prepare astronomical tables and calculate time based on the movement of the sun. It can be used to estimate time of day to a fairly accurate degree even today. For a photographer this is a pretty exciting building. It’s maze like design offers ample opportunities to capture the interplay of angles and spaces.

Chandni Chowk area of Old Delhi seems to be frozen in time, while the world around this island of civilisation has moved on. A visit to Chandni Chowk usually forms an essential milestone in the itinerary of a first time visitor to Delhi, especially if you’re searching for the sights, sounds and smells of India as described in the guide books of an era gone by.

On a few afternoons I went around ‘Tradespotting Old Delhi’ — documenting the life of various businesses and the people behind the trades. Much of the work is done manually; from carrying heavy loads on shoulders to ferrying people across in rickshaws.

Every year, in a remote part of Satara district in Maharashtra, peasant communities from around the area arrive in thousands for a pilgrimage to the shrine of the local deity. They come wearing one pair of clothes and no possessions. The river parts, and the riverbed island plays host to a three day long festival of fun, color, food, traveling cinema, joy rides and much more.