All posts tagged: artist

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“Refining my art with a fineliner is like fixing real-life issues. It’s truly therapeutic.” – Chat with Student and Artist Alexa Hojai from Haflong, Assam

Meet Alexa Hojai, a talented young artist from the picturesque hill station of Haflong in Assam. She is currently studying at Cotton University in Guwahati and has been doodling and making art since she was just 11 years old.  Alexa’s art is like a time machine; with every doodle and surreal sketch, she whisks you away to places and moments you thought you’d forgotten. It’s like stepping into a beautiful daydream. Her preferred canvas is the off-white watercolor paper, a choice that lends her creations an ‘ancient’ ambiance. With fineliners as her trusty companions, she brings intricate details to life, all while experimenting with the soothing and therapeutic art of painting. In her own words, Alexa beautifully encapsulates her artistic process “I sometimes mess my art with paint, and then fix them by adding details. It gives me an odd satisfaction when the messy part of the art is fixed; it’s like fixing real-life problems.” Over a chat, we journey through her hometown of Haflong, and explore her favorite art tools and mediums, her sources …

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“I am What I Believe Myself to Be” – An Artist’s Perspective with Ajanbeni from Small Town Wokha, Nagaland

Allow us to introduce Ajanbeni K Yanthan, an aspiring artist from the small town of Wokha in Nagaland. Despite facing numerous challenges, Ajanbeni remains determined to pursue her artistic passion. Over a chat, Ajanbeni explained why pursuing her creative passions is more fulfilling than traditional “secure jobs.” She also shares how stays motivated and committed to her art career in the face of societal expectations. “I am what I believe myself to be,” she confides, reflecting her unwavering self-belief and refusal to be confined by limitations. Ajanbeni draws inspiration from a variety of sources, including fellow artists, different art forms, movies, music, and books. Her creative process is fueled by an insatiable appetite for inspiration and a desire to constantly evolve and grow. R&L: Hello Ajan, it’s a pleasure to have you here. Could you introduce yourself and give us a glimpse into your life as a young artist and student? Ajan: Hi R & L  I’m extremely grateful for this opportunity. My name is Ajanbeni K Yanthan from Wokha, Nagaland. I am a full-time …

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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 …

Devika Sajeev from Cochin – a Poetry Busker Who Writes About Passersby & Collects Their Life Stories

Devika Sajeev, a literature teacher from Cochin, has been engrossed in books ever since she was a child. She actively searches for new ways to express herself with all the words she has yet to write and say. Recently, she joined ‘Busking Kochi’ as a poetry busker – where she writes poetry about strangers and passerby’s. “In a world that is too busy running, buskers take time to stop, sit around, speak to people and remind them of the power of conversation”, she says. Learn more about Devika, poetry busker and her love for literature as we chat with her.  Hey! Thank you so much for taking out time for us. Firstly, say hi to our readers! Hi. My name is Devika Sajeev! I live in the beautiful city of Kochi and work as a professor of literature at St. Albert’s College, Ernakulam. I’m a teacher yet I’am still a student of literature. I grew up in a world of stories and storytelling. My mother would tell me a story each night without fail – …

“I Didn’t Find Thangka Painting, It Found Me” – Sahil Bhopal, a Thangka Painter from Kullu

Thangka painting – a sort of scroll painting, is a cultural pillar in Tibetan tradition and is essential for Buddhist practitioners as it serves as recorded history. With a deep love for history and the intricate designs, Sahil Bhopal, an artist from Kullu has been painting Buddhist thangkas out of pure passion for 10 years now.  Trained in the Karma Gadri style, it is his love for art that transcends even religion. Talking about his work, he says, “Most of the time, when people look at my work, I see them be present in the moment. Nothing from the past or future is on their mind, they are fully present. I would like them to hold on to that peace and that moment of nothingness.” Read more about his fascinating journey below.     Hello Sahil, welcome to R&L! Please share a bit about yourself. Hi, I am Sahil Bhopal, a 29-year-old full-time thangka painter, trained under the tutelage of master painter Noedup Rongae in the Karma Gadri style.  I was raised in Ladakh and when …

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Chiam Shiu – A Naga YouTuber Based in Mumbai Tells Us About Her Journey

The life of a YouTuber is not all glitz and glam as we see it on our screens. There’s a lot that goes behind and Chiam Shiu tells us how. A budding YouTuber, Chiam is based in Mumbai currently but belongs to Dimapur. Her channel focuses on fashion and lifestyle, where she also gives a glimpse of Naga lifestyle to her viewers. Her aim is to ‘keep it real’ and she does that by being honest with who she is on camera. She also works as a freelance model and actor and has acted in Dreamz Unlimited. Let’s get to hear more from her.  Hey Chiam, please introduce yourself to our readers! My name is Chiam Shiu. I am 23-years-old and I’m from Khiamniungan and Phom tribe from Dimapur. Currently based in Mumbai, I’m a full-time YouTuber, a freelance fashion model and an actor. As far as my education is concerned, I am a B.Tech graduate in Electrical & Electronics Engineering from National Institute of Technology, Nagaland. What made you start your YouTube channel? Ever …

“Pottery Can Teach You a Lot About Life” – Akshaya Salin, Owner of Pottery Studio ‘The Burrow’, From Ahmedabad

Akshaya Salin was on her way to become a civil engineer when fate steered her into taking up pottery for her post-grad. She fell in love with how the calming yet exciting process of pottery truly is! Based in Ahmedabad now, she owns a small atelier named ‘The Burrow’ and works her heart out as a full-time ceramic artist. Hey Akshaya! Please introduce yourself to our readers. Hi, I’m Akshaya Salin! I’m 26-years-old and based in Ahmedabad. I’m a Malayali settled in Ahmedabad. I did my undergrad in civil engineering and then moved on to working in environmental education for a bit. During this time I randomly came across pottery and my interest was sparked. I was then led to work on a post-grad course in ceramic and glass design at IICD, Jaipur. This experience officially began my path in ceramic design. I continued my journey by working at Claystation, Bangalore. It’s been a year since I have moved back to Ahmedabad and started my own small atelier ‘The Burrow’.  What types of mediums do …

Kavya Madappa from Bangalore, an Eco-warrior Creating Tree-free Paper at Bluecat paper

Kavya Madappa is from a hill station in Karnataka, Coorg. Growing up, she was always surrounded with nature – hills, rivers and fresh air. Her love for nature has inspired many of her ideas and revelations, one of them being Bluecat Paper – a venture that makes and sells tree-less paper. It uses various by-products and textile wastes like linen, flax, hemp, coffee husk, mulberry bark, and banana fiber to make creative products like notebooks, coasters and more.  With over 650 products, a few installations and an exhibition in Dubai, she has become an eco-warrior! We were amazed to know about her venture and how she is giving her best to make the world a better place! Scroll down to read our chat with her.  Hey Kavya, thank you for taking some time out to chat with us. Please introduce yourself to our readers!  Hi! My name is Kavya Madappa, I’m 41-year-old. I live in Bangalore even though I am originally from Coorg, Karnataka. My hometown is known as the Scotland of India, with green …