Winter Solstice

These striking earrings are made with artisan crafted handmade lampworked glass beads that hang from a gracefully curved earwires. The beautiful orange glass is wrapped in a delicate slivered ivory glass lining.  I call this Winter Solstice because of the silvery lining over the orange orbs invoking the image of a wintery sun after a big snowfall.

It has an elegant sophistication which you can wear year round, but it can also be an out of the box choice for Halloween.

These earrings are available in my Artfire shop.

Enabling the Disabled

Beading and Stringing at the Workshop

 
During my trip to India in March 2010, I did a workshop on jewelry making to a group of physically challenged girls at the Andhra Mahila Sabha. These girls are victims of childhood polio, one of the last groups of children, before polio was officially eradicated in India a decade ago. 

These young women are not only physically challenged but also economically disadvantaged. Organizations such as the Andhra Women provide them with vocational training in book binding, sewing, computer software, which is their path to economic independence. Occasionally, someone like me will come along and teach them something that is fun. Which woman can say no to jewelry?

The workshop was sponsored by Sukriti Social Foundation, a non-profit organization founded by my sister, Sowmya Simhan, who too was stricken with polio at the age of two. She is highly educated with a career in accounting, and her foundation provides a wide range of services and programs to physically disabled men and women and, collaborates with other organizations that provide similar services.

Since I knew that these girls would not be able to buy the materials for jewelry, I took with me all of the materials from my personal stash. Sowmya felt that these girls could use some help in understanding the use of colors and design principles.  So, I made a color wheel for them. I also took several issues of Bead Style magazine with me.

I did the workshop for two evenings after their day class was over. About fifteen girls, ranging from age 12 to 18, participated. The girls were charming and were quick learners. I taught them to make the wrapped loop and showed them how to use the color wheel. I gave each one a kit for a pair of earrings and a necklace and they were quite thrilled when they found out that they get to keep what they had made. The chorus of “thank you auntie” at the end was touching. I donated a whole bag of beads, wire, the color wheel and a toolbox to the girls.

It is unlikely that the girls would ever be able to go into jewelry making business. They do not have the means. However, teaching them the techniques and, giving them the materials would enable them to make things to sell at craft shows. This condition applies to any skill they are taught. It is not enough to just teach them a skill. To enable them to use it gainfully, they also have to be provided the tools and the materials. Hence, organizations such as Sukriti, raise funds to buy them computers, sewing machines, school supplies and so on. I try to do my tiny bit. All proceeds from sales from my shop are donated to Sukriti Foundation.

More information about its work can be found at http://www.sukriti.org and  Facebook

Sowmya, the founder of Sukriti, is being honored with Ascendas Award for service

 

A Curry for the American Palate: Peanut Butter and Green Pepper

Whenever we have an international luncheon at work, I always struggle to come up with a dish that will appeal amidst all that meaty splendor spread on the buffet table. It was when I noticed Scott, my son-in-law, eating it with relish, that it occurred to me that I should make it for this year's international luncheon. Sure enough, every one liked it, wanted the recipe and here it is.

This is a variation on a Goan curry that is made with homemade ground peanut and coconut paste. One day, feeling lazy, I decided to substitute  peanut butter. I have not looked back since then :)

Ingredients

medium sized green, red bell peppers (capsicum)-- 2 or 3
medium sized red onion-- one (optional)
fresh ginger to taste (optional)
Chunky peanut butter--1-2 tablespoon
Olive oil-- 1-2 tablespoon
salt to taste
red chili powder (optional)
turmeric-- 1/2 teaspoon (optional)

Instructions 

1. After removing the core and the seeds chop the pepper into small chunks. (Cut the onion and the ginger also into small pieces, if you are using them.)

2. Heat olive oil in a skillet; add the onions and the ginger. (Note: I have also added black mustard seeds. That is the way I cook but you do not have to.)

3. Cook till the onions turn translucent.

4. Add the chopped bell peppers, spices and the salt.

5. Cook till the peppers turn soft.

6. Add peanut butter.

7. Mix it thoroughly into the cooked vegetables with a spatula till it is all melted and gooey.

You can eat this with nacho chips, pita bread, naan or roti. Any which way, it is finger lickin' good!

Three of a Kind!

As artists we are supposed to love every one of our creations, but , often , we love some more than the others. We tend to have preferences for certain colors, materials, textures and forms that we repeat over and over again. In my own work, I am inclined to use a lot of magenta, blues, oranges and other earthy colors.  This box below is a perfect example of what I mean. I have done three variations of the same color and materials but each one subtly different from the other. They also sell well at the craft shows, so I keep making more of them. I think there are more of these in my future :). You will find these in my Etsy shop and for other decorative boxes click here

Illustration Friday: Old-fashioned

This is my submission for Illustration Friday Challenge "Old-Fashioned". Writing in cursive using a fountain pen? Now, that's truly old-fashioned!

Diary 2011 Project

My Artwork for Diary 2011

It seems like it was just yesterday that I scrambled to meet the deadline for Fantazya (Lucy)'s diary 2011 project. The diary is now ready and available for purchase  here. I can't wait to get my copy to see all the artwork provided by others. The image above is my submission. Actually I wanted a different date but that was already taken, so I took the day closest to the one I wanted.

Ganesha Reimagined

Ganesha Reimagined

I took these pictures many months ago and even though I had been thinking of writing about them for a while now, I felt uninspired. A week ago, when my friend Diane Fergurson asked me if I would write an article for the Mind, Body and Spirit blog, suddenly it clicked. May be because tomorrow is Ganesh Chaturthi, the festival of Ganesha's birthday. Ganesha is one of the most adored in the Hindu pantheon of gods and Ganesh chaturthi is grandly celebrated by the natives of Indian states of Maharashtra, Tamilnadu, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. In the US, Ganesha is a familiar figure to those who practice yoga.

Ganesha is also called Vigneshwara, "remover of obstacles". At the start of any auspicious occasion, the blessing of Ganesha is sought with the recitation of the verse:

Om shuklambaradharam vishnum sasivarnam chaturbhujam

prasannavadanam dhyayet sarvavignopashantaye

(I meditate upon the all pervading Ganesha, the one with four arms and moon like bright complexion, 
clad in white, ever smiling, to remove any obstacles in my endeavor)

Yet the image of Ganesha with his elephant head and a potbellied human body has fired up the imagination of Hindu artists and has become anything and everything they want him to be. In their hands he could be a busy businessman cooking up deals on the phone or an elderly gentleman taking an afternoon nap or a percussionist in a band or a a stylish beau out on stroll swirling his walking stick or a yoda-like figure or a joyous dancer. This trend started about twenty years ago when it became a hobby for many to collect these cute and charming images of Ganesha. These images are usually made in clay but sometimes they are also made in precious gemstones for the rich collectors. My sister is a collector too and the collage above shows a few a from her collection. It is always fun to stand in front of the curio cabinet and look at her collection of ganeshas because they bring a smile to your face and joy to your heart.

Whereto?

Music anyone?

Vishnu Ganesha

Beau Brummel Ganesha

Shall We Dance?

An Epicurean

Yoda Ganesha

Taking a nap

Iconic OM (photo courtesy: Creative Commons)