Anu Kriti - Handcrafted Expresions: 2014

'Women's Day', 'Women Empowerment' sound fancy words to many. The hype and buzz at times puts me in doubt - is it just the commercialization of a very sensitive issue or is it the genuine concern of NGOs, govt. organizations and corporates because the difference is not much. Have always been of the belief that each day is my day, why restrict it to one single day or a week (it's International Women's week).

However watching programs like Satyamev Jayate's (2nd season opening episode), actually made me realize whatever the hype or buzz is, it's very little because our causes actually require attention and concern of the society in a bigger way. Whatever these organizations are doing is just a drop in the sea and this little effort is commendable.

And as luck would have it, Anu Kriti got a chance to add to this buzz by participating in a group Art Exhibition organized by Uchaan Group during the International Women's Week. The event has been appropriately named as Soul's Expression (6th - 9th March 2014). Each art piece is a story to tell. Honoured to have Ms. Shamina Shafiq (member of National Women's Commission opened the first episode of Satyamev Jayate) to inaugurate the event. She rightly added to the spirit of celebrating womanhood:

"The combination of women and art are one of the solutions to make this world a better place. And art takes away the feeling of being trivial and non-contributor from the psyche of a housewife and for that matter a working women. It gives a purpose, a meaning and an expression."

Inauguration by Ms. Shamina Shafiq, Member of National Commission for Women, and Guest of Honours Mr. Prince Mathew Thomas, Sr. Assistant Editor of Forbes India.

It has been an exhilarating experience, showcasing my work with such senior artists. More rewarding has been the association with these women of different ages coming from different walks of life on one common platform. Have been sharing experiences of life in general and our individual art styles.

More importantly celebrating WOMANHOOD! Admitting that if there is a re-birth then all of us would only want to be born as women again, agreeing that upliftment of women does not mean to weaken men's status but finding a common ground wherein we (women and men) are complementary and not competitors, enjoying the journey of being an artist and thanking the fact that a SOUL DOES NOT HAVE A GENDER!

Anu Kriti's Collection at Soul's Expression

My first blog post was an introspection - I am there, but have I arrived…

Abhi To Asli Manzil Pana Baqi Hai
Abhi To Irado Ka Imtihaan Baqi Hai
Abhi To Toli Muthi Bhar Zamin
Abhi Tolna Asman Baqi Hai

(in words of Anurag Rishi)

Look forward to many more rewarding experiences like this.

UpCycled Wine Bottles from Anu Kriti

The party over the weekend was a rocking one and what it has left is a whole mess to clean up and that includes empty wine or liquor bottles! These wine bottles usually find their way to a kabadiwala. But the creative you can actually transform these empty bottles into beautiful vases or simply deco art pieces. Believe me you won’t stop gushing with pride when your guests just can’t take off their eyes from your exclusive art pieces – the Upcycled Wine Bottles!

You can decoupage the bottles with paper or cloth or paper napkins or paint them with acrylic, spray or car paint or glass paints. Embellish them with all sorts of knick knacks lying around in your home or create your own embellishments. Here's how you can do it!

Pick up a bottle that you like the shape of and clean it thoroughly. You can take off the labels by dipping the bottle overnight in soapy water. Most of the labels come off easily. For the stubborn ones use a coarse cloth. Clean the bottles in and out with soap water and turn them upside down to dry.

I personally love decoupaging. Every piece comes out with unique effect. Another bit I love to do is to give it a washed look. Here is how I do it.

Take out any old magazine and tear out pieces of different sizes and shapes. Don’t use scissors. Don’t tear out too large or small pieces.
Now make the decoupage medium (mix adhesive and water mixture in rato of 1:1).
Start from one edge of the bottle and brush the surface with the decoupage mix and stick the magazine tear outs. Brush over with the adhesive mix. You can arrange the bits of paper in a pattern or random or whatever way you like.
Once, the whole bottle is covered, let it dry (usually one day).
Once it’s dry, coat it twice again with the decoupage medium, giving time in between to dry.

Now the fun part, how to give it a stone wash look!

Get thinner from a paint shop (a liquid used to thin paints). Dip some cotton and rub on the dried decoupage bottle. You will see the print ink coming off. The harder you rub, more ink colors will bleed. Rub it harder or softer depending on the amount of ink you want to rub off or keep on. Here is how it will look.

Decoupage bottle washed with thinner

Next you can decorate it. I have done up one with quilling.

Decorated with quilling

For the other one, have simply tied a cord around the neck of the bottle and wrapped it around the mouth.

Decorated with cord and buttons

Next technique is creating textures on the bottle like this one.

Texture created with paper napkin

Have created texture with paper napkins. Since, we are going to apply color on top of it, so you can use even a cheaper toilet roll. Start from the step 3 as above but use paper napkin. Instead of keeping the surface plain, create textures. Create creases in the paper with brush while applying the decoupage medium. Coat it twice. Let it dry completely between layers. Once the intended texture effect is created, let it dry and then apply a coat of acrylic color. If need be apply another coat.

Now take some highlight color on a sponge and rub over the raised texture. You can do this with a flat brush as well. You will get this effect.

Highlight texture with a metallic color

Embellish it the way you like. I have used some cords, buttons, cloth flowers, beads etc.

Highlighted with metallic copper and embellished with cords, flowers and beads

Highlighted with metallic silver, embellished with cord and decorative buttons

Don’t forget to seal your art piece with a sealer (two coats). Do it before you add the embellishments.

So, it’s time for your imagination to run wild, create your own masterpieces and bring joy to your living space with your own creations like these.

Check out Anu Kriti's collection of Upcyled Wine Bottles here.

63794FVYRDEX
Crayons are one of the easiest colour medium to use. No mess, no bleeds, all too smooth until I discovered a way to mess around with them.

And this mess looks so beautiful!

Threesome

The background of this painting has been created with crayons and the colourful flowers in the foreground are done with acrylic colours.

The crayon background is not the usual technique of colouring with crayons. The crayons have been shredded and melted!

The Process

Get crayons of the colours depending on what you want to create. Like for this one, to create the sky, I shredded around four shades of blue starting from the darkest to the lighter blues. For the foreground cover, I used bright yellow and shades of green.

Each box has 12 different shades. So for larger number of crayon of the same colour, you got to buy multiple packs :-)

Crayons

Remove the paper cover from each one of them. Now that’s the boring part.
Shred the colours. You can use a sharpener or a shredder, whichever suits you. Shred each colour separately.

Shredded Crayons

When you are ready with all the colours, spread them on the base (I have used a canvas board). Mixing shades here and there as you would do while painting with water colours or acrylics.
Next step is to take a butter paper and cover the whole spread with it.
Switch on the iron (warm worked for me) and start from one corner and you will see the magic. The colors will start mixing. Move the iron lightly.
When yo are satisfied with the effect you want to create, switch off the iron and wait.
When the crayons solidify, remove the butter paper and there you go!

Crayon Background

Finally, I created the flowers with acrylic colours, using colours directly from the tubes on to the background.

Acrylic Flowers

Things can really go out of hand at times that is the colours mix too fast and you dont get the intended mix of colours, the base becomes uneven and so on. The mantra is patience, especially when you are melting the crayons for the first time. I would suggest don’t start straight away on the actual base you wish to use.

Experiment a bit to decide

how many crayons are required to fill
how warm or hot the iron should be
what amount of pressure to apply

So, hop on the CRAYON CARAVAN and have fun!

P.S. This crayon acrylic mix is one of paintings from the set ‘Threesome’. The collection is ‘Gardenia’.

Threesome

Till the time my son was 4, we were like nomads! Shuttling between India and Muscat, we couldn't really have a nursery for him. Finally, when we settled in India, he got a room of his own. He was very excited and even wanted to paint the walls himself! The main wall has his favourite bright orange colour.

I looked at it for days together and thought what should go on this – something unique that belongs to him. I was split between some interesting nursery wall hangings and nursery wall art. Finally, we (my son of course), decided to do some wall art. Next I was split between jungle safari theme and a car race track! Jungle theme was plainly rejected by him, “I am not a kid anymore.” Point taken!

One day, I took out all his cars and thought of creating a race track and sticking these racing cars on the track. In there, was an aero plane, with one wing broken and a little dummy boy sitting inside. I knew what I was going to do next!

And this is what followed!

Nursery Wall Art

My sunny boy’s first solo sortie! He simply loves it. Many of his friends are envious and my little monster can’t stop telling everyone, “My MUM DID that and that’s ME in the clouds!”

It did not ‘strike me as a lightening’, as the cliché goes but it was definitely a trigger that set off the ‘Nursery Prints’ series.

Nursery Wall Painting - 'Family'

Nursery wall painting 'Family' is my favourite! It is the shortest story about a loving family. There have been many repeat orders of this one and I love recreating it. Clearly it touches the heart and personalizes the feelings.

English Alphabet

Others in the series are ‘English Alphabet’. The baby animals have the English alphabet - a great way to introduce the Alphabet.

Jungle Safari

And ‘Jungle Safari’. This set of three definitely adds colour to the kid’s room decor.

Wall hangings, paintings, wall art or wall decal, all of these give a character to your child's room, generate a sense of belonging and most importantly bring smile on your little one’s face.

And you as parents are agog with a feeling 'Now we have EVERYTHING!'

Anu Kriti - handcrafted expressions

63794FVYRDEX They say better late than never. I started painting pretty late in life… well at the age of 35+ and I am simply loving it. I had it in me… always! My mum was really good with colors and drawing. When we were young, all our school projects had her impression on it, especially my bro who could never draw a straight line (not a crooked one eitherJ I was the one who was more like her. My graduation exposed me to some more experiments with art but never had any formal training. And then I got MARRIED, blessed with a son and got busy with life!

However there was always something amiss and I always longed for something more gratifying. Did a few bits here and there and gifted them to family and friends. Never thought of doing it on a larger scale and letting the world know about my skills. All this while had a few friends who insisted on doing it on commercial scale, hold exhibitions… persistent they were!

Finally I put my act together and launched Anu Kriti – Handcrafted Expressions!

Anu Kriti is my window to the world as I see it. It’s like meditation and quest of self discovery. I love working with textures and mixed media and each piece is a work of much deliberation and hard work.

Now the question is I am there, but have I arrived… or is it a continuous journey of learning and discovering a new self with each art piece and mural.

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