All posts tagged: art

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Meet Medophreno Shunyu, a Talented Sketch Artist From Kohima, Nagaland

Medophreno, from Kohima, is a self-taught sketch artist. Starting as early as when she was in 2nd grade, she’s honed her skills through rigorous and passionate practice. Her forte is sketching portraits but she enjoys experiment with different genres such as calligraphy as well. Talking about her work, she says, “through my art, I hope people see that we human beings are God’s masterpiece and we are fearfully and wonderfully made.” Art has been a for of inspiration since her childhood, and she hopes her art can inturn, inspire people. Medophreno had a talk with us about her artworks. Read the full interview below. Hello Medophreno. Can you tell us a litle bit about yourself? My name is Medophreno Shunyii. I am 26 years old from Kohima, Nagaland. If I were to describe myself then it’ll be in just two simple words – an ambivert and an optimist. And I’m also a big foodie. I’m trying to make a career in the teaching field. Until then, I’m doing a lot of things I like, art being …

A Chat With Ashwin Chikerur – an Urban Sketcher and a Designer from Pune

Ashwin Chikerur from Pune has always been intrigued by art. As a child, he used to flip through his grandfather’s art books and as a grown-up, his love for his daughter started an exciting journey of quick sketches. Even though he was out of touch with art for a few years, he found his way back to what he truly loves. Today he is a visual designer and every Saturday,  he heads out with his group, Urban Sketcher Pune, no matter the weather and creates lovely watercolour sketches of his environment.  Hello, Ashwin it’s great to be able to have a chat with you. Please say hello to our readers.  Hello! My name is Ashwin Chikerur, I am currently residing in Pune. I would consider myself a passionate artist, driven designer, and engineer (by mistake). I’m always drawn to things in the bracket of art and design and have been working in the creative industry for more than 17 years now. Tell us when sparked your interest in art. There were various parts of my …

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Bendang Walling – A Performing Artist, Director and Producer from Nagaland

For some, hobbies remain just hobbies, but Bendang Walling, from Nagaland, had a different calling! He took a leap of faith and decided to give life to his art and hobbies. Hardships and struggles didn’t stop him and today he is one of the refined performer, director and producers in Nagaland. He has directed a lot of plays, short films, conducted Theatre Workshops in other states as well. One of his short films, Blissful was also selected for International Film Festival 2016 at Dharamshala. We caught up with him to chat about his life and work!    Hi, glad to have you on board, please tell us a bit about yourself! Hello, my name is Bendang Walling, I live in Dimapur and I am 32-years-old. I started my career as a stage actor and now, I direct, produce and act as well. I would like to consider myself an artist, a dreamer and a visionary who breathes life to stories and folktales. After my graduation, I went to Delhi to pursue my Master in Dramatic …

Amrita Giriraj, from Chennai, Turns Botanics into Classy Jewellery With Her Venture ‘Alankaara’

Amrita Giriraj from Chennai fell in love with the art of fossilising botanics like flowers and leaves, while she was working on a post-grad project. It was in Kanyakumari, where she led the foundation of her jewellery venture called ‘Alankaara’. Her brand is vastly different from any other jewellery brand that we’ve come across — it captures the essence of a place by preserving it’s flora in jewelry pieces. Alankaara reflects her true self — humble, creative and deeply connected with nature. Since then, she has won the SISA (Start-up of The Year in Social Impact), travelled to Kenya and the Himalayas how flora can also bring you closer a place’s culture. She says, “Over the last 2 years, I’ve immersed myself in what I do and I realised I’m actually a story-teller. Each handcrafted jewellery is a story waiting to be heard and loved.” Meet our amateur botanist and jewellery designer – Amrita It’s great to have this chat with you today! We are beyond excited about your craft. First, please say hi to …

“My Art Brings Me Closer To Myself” – Nandini Nair, an Artist and IRS Officer From Chennai

Nandini Nair is an artist and IRS officer based out of Chennai. She began painting early on and found her solace in art. “I love the process more than the output – exploring myself through art has always elevated my spirits,” says Nandini. Her art is an exploration of herself, of women and of people around her.  Recently she showcased 50 of her artworks in an exhibition titled ‘Small Talk’ which took her 1 year to complete. With her work, she hopes to inspire people to delve a little deeper and connect with their true selves. Get to know her better as we chat with her about art and the inspiration behind it.  Hello Nandini! Firstly, a big congrats for your solo exhibition. Please introduce yourself to our readers. I am Nandini Nair, a visual artist based out of Chennai. I was born and raised in Cochin city, Kerala. I went to school and did my undergrad and post graduation in Economics I usually work with a variety of mediums including watercolour, pen and ink, …

“Paper Chirrups is An Artistic Pursuit & a Way to Promote Restoration and Conservation of All Endangered Wildlife” – A Chat With Niharika Rajput, Wildlife Artist

Niharika Rajput is a wildlife artist and conversationalist based out of Delhi. She specializes in intricate paper and epoxy sculptures of birds and animals. took the form of Paper Chirrups—a project where she explores various birds from all over the world, sculpts them, and also conducts festivals and workshops to spread awareness.  Niharika’s focus has always been to create awareness about the depleting numbers of birds and loss of their habitat. Although a unique art form, sculpting birds came naturally to her as she spent most of her time in nature while growing up, observing and watching birds. Being born in Arunachal Pradesh, she has always had a deep rooted connection with nature which can be seen in her work as well.We chatted with this inspiring young woman about her projects and more. Introduce us to Paper Chirrups!  I have always been a keen observer and deep admirer of all things wild. It was only fitting that I amalgamated the two – my love for the wild and my love for art. When I started …

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“My Art Is Based On Cultural And Ethnic Identity” – A Chat With K Free Themreichan, Artist From Manipur

Today, we’re presenting to you yet another brilliant artist—K. Free Themreichan from Manipur, who is painter as well as a singer! Having been gifted with such impeccable talent, his paintings have been exhibited in various art shows and he has released two gospel albums too. His artworks showcases the rich culture of his community and the livelihood of the locals. “Growing up in nature’s lap gave me an unparalleled fondness for nature“, says Themreichan. His love for nature is certainly reflected in his art. Read on to know more about him. We had a chat with K Free Themreichan, an artist from Manipur, about his artworks, how his roots and culture inspired his work, his passion for music and more! Hello! Please introduce a little about yourself and your work. My name is K. Free Themreichan. I’m a painter and a musician from Ukhrul, Manipur. I did my BFA from Imphal Arts College and went on to complete MFA from College of Art, Delhi. My paintings have been exhibited in various art shows. My important …

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“I Revisit My Fond Memories of Exploring Hidden Places Through My Art” Self-Taught Artist Srijana from Darjeeling Takes Us Into Her World of Timeless Destinations

“I picked up art again after a long hiatus – and today I use it as a form of meditation.” Self-taught artist Srijana from Darjeeling chats with Roots and Leisure about her passion for travel and storytelling – and how she welcomes people into her world through her beautiful sketches. True to this motive, we can’t help but wander into the quiet charm of the many corners, she showcases through her art. We delve deeper into her world to know more about the person and the artist behind these surreal works of art. Here is her story. R&L chats with artist and storyteller, Srijana who grew up in the misty hills of Darjeeling, West Bengal. She talks about her love for art and travel, which are now sources of meditation and calm – and how she combines the two through her series of sketches. Photo: Srijana, an artist and storyteller from Darjeeling, West Bengal. Hi Srijana, so nice to have you here with us! Please introduce yourself to our readers. Hello! My name is Srijana, the self-styled …

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Meet Daniel Rai – A Physiotherapist and Painter From Sikkim, Who Creates Breathtaking Works of Art Inspired By The Relationship Between Nature and Man

“Whatever befalls the earth, befalls the sons of the earth. If men spit upon the ground, they spit upon themselves. This we know. The earth does not belong to man; man belongs to the earth. This we know. All things are connected like the blood which unites one family. All things are connected. Whatever befalls the earth befalls the sons of the earth. Man did not weave the web of life; he is merely a strand in it.” ~ Chief Seathl – a Native American Indian Chief, in his reply to the President of the United States circa 1860. The natural beauty of our surroundings is often what most inspires all our creative passions. For Daniel Rai, a lecturer by profession and artist by hobby, it’s the relationship between humans and our environment and the elements of nature, which pretty much dates back to millions of years that fascinates him to create his stunning portrait and scenic paintings. Today, we are happy to feature painter and artist Daniel Rai who grew up in a village called Pastanga Assam …

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In Depth Chat With Koushin Yamada – A Talented Artist From Japan Who Dedicates His Life To Creating Mesmerising And Otherworldly Art

With a passion like none, Koushin Yamada from Japan has made a name for himself in the world of art. After dedicating his life to art, he has found peace in creating work that satisfies himself, no one and nothing else. He’s always searching for something different and shows us that different can be better instead of  ‘following the crowd.’ 日本のファインアーティスト山田耕臣は、たぐい稀なる情熱で、世界のアート界に名をなした芸術家である。彼は、生活をアートに捧げ、何よりも自分自身が満足出来し、自分の心を癒すことが出来る作品を創作し続けてきた。いつも、新しいものを探求し続ける山田耕臣。彼の作品は、大衆に迎合し、既存のものを追い求めるより、何か、新しいものを見つける方が面白いことを、見る人に思い起こさせてくれる。ルーツ・アンド・レジャーは、耕臣の作品、インスピレーション、生活に共感し、彼にインタビューした。  Roots and Leisure talks with the hyper-creative Japanese artist Koushin Yamada from Tokyo. Read on to know about his life, his art and his source of inspiration for his wacky pieces! [Japanese text and translation by Koushin Yamada and Sachiko Imamura D’Souza.] Konichiwa Koushin San! Tell us a bit about yourself, your work and your background. こんにちわ、耕臣さん。まず、耕臣さんご自身について、どの様な創作活動をされてきたか、また、生い立ちについて、簡単に教えて下さい。 Konichiwa! My name is Koushin Yamada. I am 33 years old and was born and raised in Tokyo, Japan. Growing up, my family always struggled both financially and physically. My father, who was a clay model artist and art dealer, left my family when I was still a teenager. I didn’t particularly have many close friends and …