SOULFUL-LIVING COLORS

Dear Friends, Fellow Art and Color Lovers,

Happy International Color Day to all of you!

Spring has officially arrived in the west :) enjoy the slow re-awakening of nature and of all your senses.

On the road, I have been following one of my favorite rabbit holes: The origins of Color.

Instinct has been my compass during this improvised trip. As much as I didn’t have words to describe specifically all that pushed me on the road several months back (besides a non-negotiable need to finally say a big NO to a soulless, auto-pilot life we tend to live in the west). I now start to understand the meanings and treasure of each and every step I have taken so far during this journey, which somehow, brought me back to India.

I keep thinking that I have been guided through this color journey: There has been this constant feeling of being at the right spot at the right time, meeting the “right people”, where every meeting leads to the next, to the next, and the next. Kerala is one state I stayed at the longest because of such a rich cultural heritage, from traditional outfits, to folklore music and vibrant dance (and food!). Life is “simple” but so “rich” and original there. I was drawn to the locals “down to earth” personality and their focus on health, nature and education.

COLOR WITH A PURPOSE

COLOR DEGREE ZERO

Kerala carries a majestic “cradle of humanity” type of vibe. You can feel this in the air and in the way people dress, minimalistic with their white handwoven sari or mundu adorned by a golden border, known as the “Kasavu” or “Kara” (back in the day, it used to be made of very fine threads of actual gold or silver).

This in itself is a treat for the eye: a perfect balance of effortless elegance and elementary simplicity. Everything lays in the technique by which the white fabric is pleated, wrapped or tucked. Each technique has a specific purpose and meaning.

You can witness these everyday and in all its glory specifically during local celebrations at the temples in Thiruvananthapuram and Balaramapuram (one of my favorite places in Kerala).

MAKE-UP COLORS

Another part of Kerala, which caught my attention, is Fort Kochi.

There I discovered the Kathakali dance ritual which left me speechless. It is a form of classical dance and one of the oldest theater forms still practiced. The purpose is to re-tell the mythical and spiritual stories through dance-acting.

Before the daily performance, can start, the artists go through an extensive make up process they apply on themselves to channel the energy of the characters they will play. They continue to use the locally available natural Ayurvedic ingredients and powdered stones to use as make up, including Chaayilyam, Neelam an Manayola. The whole process takes about an hour!

HEALING COLORS

Since Kerala is blessed with good climate and an abundance of natural herbs, which made it the best place for Ayurveda, an ancient form of medicine, nurtured on the shores of Kerala for centuries. This form of holistic wellness and healing practice follows the Vedas principles (ancient Hindu scriptures).

Derived from it, is a technology of herbal clothes I had the chance to practice with local dyers, called Ayurvastra, born thousands of years ago, infusing the fabric with healing herbs from the region. Keralites are so in tune with their surrounding, making just one with it. They believe in local economy: Everything they consume is produced within 100-mile radius and this, for centuries.

What struck me from this long stay in Kerala is the bottomless depth of knowledge and interconnectedness of systems gathered and applied from thousands or years. But not only that, the lessons I have learned from locals and professionals Malayalis who generously shared their skills and awareness with me, is that each and every single little details of the Kairali lifestyle and rituals are thought through with a purpose. Nothing is left to chance and that was the most impactful learning about intuitiveness, intention, and quite frankly high consciousness living, celebrating and respecting all that is connected. They showed me that living in color through thoughtful and mindful harmony extends beyond I what I have ever imagined.

Personally, I think we have endless opportunities to celebrate all color forms in the everyday, whether through man-made artworks or just in the way the light shines through the window at this moment of the day. We are blessed with a non-stop show of colorful vibrations, wherever we live. Truly, each one makes my heart beat of excitement in its own unique way, and I hope this extra level of the power of color shared above will speak to you too.

I look forward to getting back to the studio soon and create more of these light phenomenon illusions through new collections and with the intention of being every day a more conscious creator than the previous. But for now, be well, living fully in HD colors, and see you in the next chapter!

Colorfully,

Caroline

INTERNATIONAL COLOR DAY PRINT SALE

SURPRISE

I got a special treat just for you :)

Dear Friends, I am aware not everyone can acquire a full size original handmade art piece at home and many of you have reached out wanting to support my practice, which I am immensely grateful for. I want all of you who resonate with my work to be able to access the power of color and have that colorful moment in your space. Hence why I developed small size prints of my artworks which are quite cute and can adorn any wall, especially of a small apartment :)

So, it’s with excitement that, in honor of International Color Day, I am offering a special discount that you've been waiting for. See below.

Make sure you make the most of this opportunity shortly since the coupon expires soon.

If you desire a framed option, please, no hesitation: contact me ;)

Enjoy 50% Off on all size prints with code

INTERNATIONALCOLORDAY

Valid until March 31

prints

Shop

MAGAZINE FEATURE

Artistic Tribe NYC, the free bimonthly print black-and-white newspaper telling the story of NYC's most inspiring artists launched their Volume I, Collector Book and the studio is featured in it amongst lots of talented artists of all kinds. Check it out and give me your feedback!

The book is available here!

BROWSE THE WEBSITE