Possibly a benefit of the lockdown was the need in me to remain positive and keep myself busy, which led to my experimenting with a variety needlework crafts. I fell in love with the whole idea of using thread to paint! My first experiment was a portrait of Ella, my daughter Nishka’s rescued and very beloved boxer. She was old and died and since she had been a huge part of all our lives, the grief was intense. In the embroidering of her portrait, I found a way to preserve her memory and cope with my sadness
Malhar is where I live, an eco friendly settlement a little outside Bangalore city. During the lockdown it was more peaceful than it normally is and there was not even a remote echo of traffic sounds or anything that did not come from nature. The bird and insect life suddenly increased, plants grew wild and life took on another dimension……and through all the horrors of what was happening around me, suddenly there was also a sense of calm and peace.
I decided to embroider a series on the birds I see in Malhar….so far I have completed 4, the green bee eater, the Indian blue kingfisher, the spotted owlet and the common sparrow. Two more to go, which I hope to get done by Christmas!
