Card Making Workshop - Miranda House

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We were invited to conduct this workshop by our landlord, who is also a professor of physics at Miranda House, a science-focused, girls-only, campus of Delhi University, one of many campuses scattered across the city of Delhi.

We were told to expect about 25 students - during one quiet moment, I quickly counted over 50 students currently seated and working furiously on this project. Many more came and went during the three hours were were there.

Overall, it seemed to be very positively received. The leadership asked us to come back for a Science & Art Seminar they are hosting in January.

More Wall Murals

These are being done on our personal living space rather than for others as with the Diversion House murals or for the public with the stairway mural outside our flat.

Here's a "before" photo showing a little of the typical brick-core, concrete stucco finished, white-washed exterior walls.










After washing the wall and painting it with an exterior white paint, Chuck painted this fish

The idea is to have guests paint sections of this wall with something of their choice...








The previous mural is on a wall of our upper balcony. This one is on the smaller balcony, just outside our living room.

Janis designed it be a simpler flower motif, resembling tiles.

Creative Friday - Sculpture

Part of the Creative Fridays activities was sculpting using "M-seal," an epoxy-like compound used here in India for sealing plumbing joints. It comes in two putty sticks, when mixed together the compound begins to harden at about 15 minutes, then completely hardens in about 60 minutes. This poses some interesting issues to deal with in molding and sculpting. Below are some of the results.

A few of the sculptures on display in the Gallery window using cylindrical tubes as pedestals.


After hardening, the compound can be painted. This is Janis' Canadian goose, whimsically fashioned as a toothpick holder...









Here are Chuck's bird's nest (sorry for the lack of focus!) and miniature garden & pond...









Vikhor has been trying to depict scenes from his native land and culture of Nagaland. Hence this very realistic sculpture....

Creative Fridays' Exhibit

The Creative Fridays event initially began quite modestly and was never intended to be an ongoing activity. However, the artists enjoyed it so much, they began to plan a regular open studio session with someone bringing a measure of their expertise in a particular medium. To our surprise, there has been quite a lot of artwork as a result. Enough that it was decided to have an exhibit. Following are some of the pieces shown

The two on the left are by Janis (top) and Chuck (bottom), and are examples of what was termed, "contemporary Mughal miniatures."


Gesture drawing in ink was one Creative Friday exercise. Below bottom is one Janis drew...











Also below and bottom is another of Janis' contemporary Mughal miniatures...


These were watercolor landscapes done as a result of one Creative Friday held in Mussoorie when we were in the U.S.












These two are outcomes of the Creative Friday on illustrating. Both Janis (top) and Chuck chose illustrations for The Blue Umbrella, by Ruskin Bond, an Ango-Indian author who lives and writes in Mussoorie...











The following is an assortment by various artists....















These two are by Chuck (both top): the first a blind contour portrait in ink, colored with watercolor; the second a sun mandala in ink on photopaper, colored with watercolor.




Another assortment of art pieces displayed on a wall...











The artist on the left is a young college student who has begun attending the adult art class and participating in the Creative Friday activities. Her mother accompanied her to the Exhibition Opening because she wanted to see where her daughter was getting such inspiration.

Six of the Creative Friday regulars - two could not attend, one ill, the other in the U.S. A number of other artists and budding artists have also attended over the months of Creative Fridays.

Charcoal & Kids' Art Class

Janis and Chuck led the Kids' Art Class this week because Vikhor was preparing the Gallery for the Creative Friday's Exhibit Opening scheduled for later that same afternoon.

These kids are always fun to work with, today they were especially so! We used charcoal - we forewarned the parents, it can be messy!

Notice the portrait below by one of the more exuberant, charge ahead, students:

We found out after the first session that this little girl is only 4 1/2 years old. She is amazing in the ability to listen and follow directions however. After the first class she went home and spent about an hour and a half telling her mom everything we did that day. Notice the placement of the eyes on her portrait - characteristic of children her age.









These two are the older students - they are beginning to grasp, and practice, the concepts very well. Notice the contemporary, and popular, anime influence on at least one of the portraits.












This young man really enjoyed charcoal! You might be able to tell from his face - unfortunately the photo doesn't completely capture all the charcoal that he managed to get on his white, British Embassy School, official, uniform shirt! Fortunately his mom was forewarned and didn't seem to mind, especially considering how much he enjoyed this project.

More on Art Classes & Diversion House Mural

Blue Umbrella Art Academy & Tikona Teacher Training Institute
Vikhor, a national artist with an interest in teaching art, assisted in teaching classes last session. This session he leads the Childrens Class and assists Janis and Chuck in the Adult Class. Here he is with his students:









Diversion House (an activity of Catalysts)
We have been collaborating with Catalysts in this ongoing project. This Saturday, 10/24, was the last scheduled session with the girls (though, we have a proposal pending that will expand and extend these times for the next six months). Below are some of the girls telling the story of their "big dream":



Two of the completed works:








Here the girls are trying out their canvases in various spots prepared for the paintings on the tree wall mural:

Diversion House Design Mural

The design-mural is in the second bedroom at Diversion House. The large dark blue swirls will have biblical promises written in Hindi.

This mural will definitely be color-full!









The girls have been very engaged in this project, and are excited to see us each week. They were also quite excited to have their pictures taken before the mural and with Janis!