Bolt

My favourite athelete, triple Olympic champ Usain Bolt was in London on Friday at the London Gran Prix. And he won. In such style! , His laid back attitute, the way he simply enjoys himself on the track , his dance moves, his open delight at winning and his energy are such a far cry from tense faces one usually sees on the track. It's just such fun to see him in action. More power to him!

Usain and his golden shoes at Beijing Olympics

I have been lusting after these spikes since Beijing

For those of you who'd like to watch it again, here's a link to his London GP race.

http://www.usainbolt.co.uk/usain-bolt-london-grand-prix-high-quality-video/

Anita Klein

Small Angel-Stars

Pyjamas-with-stars (This one reminds me of my mum)

Nige-free-toy ( I love this one.! It makes me smile).

How I love Anita Klein's work!

"At a time when the art world seems to be full of artists attempting to shock and denigrade, Klein's intimate, life affirming work comes as a welcome breath of fresh air. Her works convey a unique pleasure in the everyday moments that make life special.

Vincent Eames, The Fine Art Partnership

So true! Just looking at Anita's work is an uplifting experience for me. Her simple lines, beautiful colours and composition and most of all her intimate subject matter are a joy. I am so cross with myself for having missed her exhibition at the Bankside Gallery last month.

Can't wait for the day I will own one of her heart warming paintings.

Dilli

Strains of the latest Bollywood number "Yeh sheher nahin hai mehfil hai...yeh Dilli hai mere yaar" (This isn't city, it is a party. This is Delhi my friend.) floated from the radio in my car. Smiling at my beloved Neem and Gulmohar lined Lodhi road, I couldnt agree more.

The city is indeed an exciting party for me. It's home, comforting in its familiarity and yet exciting because the city lives in several centuries at the same time. So one minute you would pass by a 13th century tomb and the next, a glistening metro station. Delhi never fails to enchant me.

On my last visit a couple of months ago, I decided to take a walk with Art Historian Navina Jafa to know my city a bit more intimately. The walk focused on Sufism in India. Walk began at the Humayun tomb and took us to the Nizamuddin Dargah (A dargah is a Sufi shrine built over the grave of a revered religious figure, often a Sufi saint) and Humayun's tomb.

Here are some pictures of our walk

Dr. Navina, our walk-leader introducing us to Sufism, the architecture and how the idea of being buried close to the the durgah took root and the became the preferred burial spot with graves of a Mughal princess, poets, musicians and royalty buried around. the shrine

I loved the tacillations on the Roof. The place was an oasis of calm in the midst of a busy bazaar

The tomb of Delhi's famous poet Mirza Ghalib- he's one of my mum's favourites

On the way to the Nizamuddin Durgah. People selling offerings for the Saint like rose petals and chaadar ( a richly decorated piece of cloth offered to cover the grave as a mark of devotion and often as thanks for a blessing)

Tomb of Mughal Emperor Akbar's wet nurse

And suddenly a group of pigeons swooped across the terraces, followed by another group from the terrace opposite. Ishq-baazi! Ishq-baazi (literally love-play) is a pigeon flying game that has been played in India since the Mughal times and contitues to be popular even today in some parts of Delhi.

Ishq-baazi

And finally the Nizamuddin Durgah

Sufi music lovers and devotees gather every Thursday evening to listen to music performances at the Durgah. The Quwwals (Quwwali is a form of devotional Sufi music; singers are called Quwwal) sing the same compositions they have been singing since the 1200s. We were treated to an amazing performance by the Nizamis at the Durgah. They invited us to their house where they have lived for generations and sang the most beautiful Sufi compositions I have ever heard. It was magical!

Website troubles

My website is off-line at the moment due to some technical issues. We are trying to fix the problem. Hopefully it would be up again soon.

Please come back to take a look later. :)

Origin 09

I will be showing at Origin in week 1 i.e. from 6th-11th October 09! I was thrilled to bits the day that I got the much awaited letter from the Crafts Council saying I'd been selected. Origin as you might know is the London Craft Fair organised by the Crafts Council of England showcasing the very best of contemporary designer makers from the UK and abroad.

With a great sense of excitement I began my first drawings for the new body of work for Origin yesterday. I am thinking dazzling colours, wandering lines and sensual textures.

Yummiliciousness!

Showing At Contemporary Craft Fair, Bovey Tracey

Tomorrow morning I am leaving with my friend and fellow exhibitor, Claire Loder for Devon. We will be showing at the Contemporary Craft Fair at Bovey Tracey. The show is regarded as the best Craft Show in the South West and enjoys a great reputation of presenting really interesting, inspiring makers. The show runs from 5-7 June 09.
For a map to the location, click here.

For those of you who can, please do come and see us.

A Perfect Summer Day

It's nearly midnight and the sky is still faintly blue. 

Is this what they call midnight blue?

It is a warm night. I can hear snatches of coversations through the open window, laughing couples, belligerent teengers, all a little drunk on what was a perfect summer day.

AK and I drove Stroud and Painswick this morning, to pick up my work. It was such a beautiful day! We walked a bit in Painswick, a charming little village with houses that look straight out of a picture postcard. On the way back, I saw mustard fields and emerald grass glowing in the sun and wondered how nice it would be to just lay in the grass there and sketch.

It's going to be another sunny day tomorrow. I can't wait!