Getting nostalgic about pea pods

Pea Pod, Copper, torch fired enamel, pine wood
 © 2000 Nayna Shriyan

     Last few weeks have been really crazy for me with a two day exhibition featuring my jewellery and some of my metal art work. While trying to decide what to carry and what to leave behind I found this piece of art that I had created while in college. Long before I knew what torch fired enamels meant I was doing it the reason simply being, the only kiln that I was aware of was a huge old fashioned monster of a kiln in my college and whenever I wanted to enamel any small little piece at home it had to be with the aid of my trusty torch ! I also found to my amazement that while I had no idea what fold forming was back in those days, I had 'folded' the copper sheet into a pod ! Looking at this piece also reminded me of being completely fascinated by horse shoe nails  and had used them on the sides of the 'pod' to create the tendrils. 

       Cleaning and photographing this piece made my quite nostalgic for the old days when the simple act of mounting a piece meant a delightful excursion into the market place near Chor bazaar to hunt for packing material ( made of imported pine wood that did not even require cleaning !) and then carefully burning out the knots with my trusty soldering gun :)  I intend to put up this piece at an upcoming exhibition next month I really want to find it a good home as compared to just keeping it sitting in my closet, as I believe that art is incomplete until it has had a chance to interact with the world at large, what do you think?

      

        

3 Ways to keep cool in the Mumbai summer

It is Mid April and officially the hottest summer anybody can remember ! Here in Mumbai, summer means three things, more sun than you need to tan your self to crisp brown, children playing cricket and general noisy games in the street and mangoes!! 

Here are Three great ways to deal with the crazy Mid summer blues you might get.

My bird bath

• Drink gallons of water, but not from your fridge rather from a Mud pot! Yes I know most of you from the western world might wonder why in the world a mud pot, well here in India, drinking from an earthen ware pot in the summers is very popular. The water stored in the pot cools down considerably as some of the water evaporates through the pot pores. The water also for some strange reason tastes delicious , no kidding ! In fact quite a few shop owners keep a large earthen ware pot outside their stores with a steel glass attached for passers-by to have a little drink. And while you are out buying one for you buy one for the birds as well. I did and have been watching Pigeons, Crows and Mynah birds stop by for a drink all morning ! with the added bonus of a very loud bird song by the Mynah bird ( what more can you ask for ! )
• Make clay sculptures , well use this excuse and find some clay at your local potters and play around with the clay, hey you might create some pieces or might not but you will have tons of fun and the clay can get very cold helping you beat the heat!
• Buy mangoes and well of course eat them but also make a cooling drink with them. Here's how: Buy a Kg of Raw mangoes ( we call the drink Panna , so you need to get the mangoes for making Panna , your fruit vendor will know) boil them whole till the outer skin goes a dull yellow . Let them cool , then  make a little slit and pull out the seed and squeeze out the pulp from the skin as well as the seed. Mash the pulp or better yet run it through the food processor , add at least half a kg of sugar, ground cardamom and some threads of saffron, and your done ! To serve take about two large tablespoons of this pulp add water, ice and mix. Do try this it tastes delicious and an added bonus no preservatives !

Fan page cover pic

Cover photo for Fb fan page
© 2012 Nayna Shriyan

For all my blog readers, here is what my Facebook Fan page cover pic looks like :)