"Our first trip to Sundarban with
Support Elders was one of total satisfaction.
We were guided with care all through.”
– Mr. Mihir & Ms Jhunu Deb
SHOWCASE TALENT, CREATIVITY AND PASSION
CREATIVITY IS PIERCING THE MUNDANE TO FIND THE MARVELLOUS. - BILL MOYERS
Gorgeous landscape paintings
Though Ms Rina Lahiri never received any training in painting, her landscape paintings done with acrylic paints on craft papers look gorgeous.
Beautiful eco-friendly coasters
Here are some lovely coasters made by our member, Ms Mandira De. These beautiful coasters, made of old newspapers are not only attractive and useful, but also eco-friendly.
Durga Rao's achievement
Ms Durga Rao graduated with Physics Honours from Andhra University at Vizag and went to Canada after marriage. She did her Masters in Radiation at McGill University in Montreal and enrolled for the Ph.D programme. She taught at Dawson college for 25 years. With her husband she started the Sulakshana Circuits Ltd.
Eye on the sky
Our member, Ms P. Dutta, has taken brilliant images of the sky capturing celestial bodies in beautiful combinations, clouds in fascinating colours and the night sky illuminated by lights.
The Battle Begins
Rural Bengal in Watercolour
Recycled Magic: A Doll Collection
A Furry Friend
Our member Ms M. De Sarkar crafted this adorable dog entirely out of faux fur, carefully cut and shaped to bring the pup to life.
Set in Azure
Eyes of the Night – An Owl in Oil
Grace in Graphite
Crochet Cat
Folds and Knots
Handmade with Love
Fish in a Frame
A Touch of Warmth
Woollen Doily
Woollen Telephone Cover
The Panther: Woodwork
A Wall Flower
Handmade Bags: The Perfect Gift
A Gift of Love
A Mat of Quadrilaterals: Cross-Stitch on Jute
𝗦𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗽𝗶𝗿𝗶𝘁
𝗗𝗼𝗼𝗿𝘄𝗮𝘆: 𝗔𝗰𝗿𝘆𝗹𝗶𝗰 𝗼𝗻 𝗖𝗮𝗻𝘃𝗮𝘀
𝗜𝗻 𝗣𝗿𝗮𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗔𝗷𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗮: 𝗔𝗰𝗿𝘆𝗹𝗶𝗰 𝗼𝗻 𝗖𝗮𝗻𝘃𝗮𝘀
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗞𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗱 𝗕𝗶𝗿𝗱: 𝗔𝗻 𝗜𝗺𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗥𝘂𝗻 𝗦𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗰𝗵
𝗪𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗣𝗼𝘁𝘀: 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗾𝘂𝗲́ 𝗦𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝗜𝗺𝗮𝗴𝗲
𝗗𝗿𝗮𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗳 𝗗𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗚𝗶𝗿𝗹 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝙕𝙖𝙧𝙞
𝗔𝗰𝗿𝘆𝗹𝗶𝗰 𝗣𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗕𝗹𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗲
Our member Ms B. Solomon’s daughter gave her one of her blouses and asked her mother to draw something on it. Ms Solomon drew this wonderful image of a bejewelled lady. She first drew the outline with a tailor’s coloured chalks and filled it in with acrylic fabric colours, working painstakingly on the intricate details of the woman’s earring, neckpiece, and the three-walled frame.
𝗢𝗶𝗹 𝗣𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗻 𝗖𝗮𝗿 𝗗𝗼𝗼𝗿 𝗣𝗮𝗻𝗲𝗹
Our member Ms H. Sengupta likes to paint with oils, but for her canvas she chooses waste materials and other refuse. She took a Masonite board used as a car door panel and produced an oil painting of an idyllic sunset scene complete with palm trees. One can only marvel at the intricate details of the human figures and the boat in the distance.
𝗘𝗺𝗯𝗼𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗠𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗪𝗮𝗹𝗹-𝗔𝗿𝘁
Our member Ms. J. Bhattacharya has created this innovative metal-based art. She took metal sheets and drew the image on one side. Then with a hammer she slowly, painstakingly hammered points into the design to create the embossing on the other side, which appears in relief. She used a variety of tools such as the metal sheet, stylus, etc. The result is for all to see: a wonderful, embossed metal wall-art.
𝗗𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘁𝘆 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻
Our member Ms. A. Ray has made a beautiful asana using cross-stitch, where the vibrant red thread against a cream background creates a striking contrast that truly elevates the design. The stitches meticulously placed, has resulted in the creation of this wonderful asana.
𝗚𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗲𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗴𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘀 𝗽𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴
One of our members Ms. K. Dey, has created this beautiful glass painting that captivates with its vibrant colours. She began by sketching a number of flowers and stems on the glass base. Using glass paint, she skillfully rendered the flowers in white, accented with brown centers. Set against a backdrop of light and dark green makes this wonderful artwork truly stand out. The depth and richness of the colours add a remarkable dimension to the artwork. Once framed, this piece becomes an extraordinary decorative item.
𝗔𝗿𝘁𝘆 𝗔𝘀𝗮𝗻𝗮𝘀
These beautiful, vibrant asanas have been created by our member Ms. B. Chandra. She has used matty cloth or a jute base and expertly used different coloured threads to create attractive patterns through cross stitch. The sides have been neatly folded and sewn with cloth, sealing the edges and creating a magical finish.
𝗖𝗿𝗼𝘀𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿
Our member Ms. R. Chattopadhyay has used cross stitch to make this beautiful floral pattern on the table cloth. The bright background perfectly enhances the design created. The colour combination used for the design is sober and soothing to the eye, and perfectly complements the backdrop.
𝗔𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿
Our member, Ms. Maitra, has meticulously embroidered these beautiful designs on this tablecloth. The rich patterns and the contrasting colors elevate the overall aesthetic, making the embroidery stand out beautifully. The use of stem stitch and satin stitch adds to the intricate details, resulting in an impressive piece of work.
𝗔𝗿𝘁𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗔𝘀𝗮𝗻𝗮
Ms. M. Majumdar has made this beautiful asana, showcasing her creative talent. She has skillfully used cross-stitch on a matty cloth to create wonderful designs. The border is adorned with vibrant flowers in bright pink, red, and blue, adding a touch of elegance to the piece. At the center, a large, vivid butterfly is beautifully rendered, making the asana a true work of art.
Handmade Jute Bags
Our member Ms. S. Roy has crafted a collection of beautiful jute bags. She began by cutting jute pieces to the required sizes and then meticulously stitched them together to form the bags. She has uniquely decorated each bag, making them one-of-a-kind. One bag features unique applique work, with bright coloured pieces stitched to create these lovely characters well loved by children. Another bag showcases stunning cross stitch work, adorned by delicate roses that look incredibly sweet.
Stitched Landscape
This beautiful stitched landscape has been created by our member Ms Chandra Sarkar. The choice of design is fantastic and the colours used give it a grand appeal. She has painstakingly stitched the entire picture using long stitch. Then she framed it to be hung as a wall décor.
Intricately created idols
Our member, Mr. P. K. Bhattacharjee, has a passion for crafting idols from plaster of Paris. These stunning idols of Ganesh and Krishna, are a testament to his skill and dedication. He began by preparing a mixture of water and plaster of Paris. He then carefully immersed the moulds of the idols into the mixture, allowing it to solidify. With precision and care, the idols were delicately removed from their moulds, revealing their intricate details in their raw, untouched form.
𝗘𝘅𝗾𝘂𝗶𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗦𝗶𝗹𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗦𝗵𝗶𝗽
Our member Ms. S. Basu has meticulously crafted an exquisite silver ship using a blend of zari, coins, glass, and wood. Starting with a wooden base adorned with silver zari and 5 paise coins, each tier was meticulously constructed. In the center on the wooden base a bulb was fixed. A delicate glass was encased adorned with a chain of human figures. The ship is crowned with a roof and protected within a glass box, showcasing our member's masterful craftsmanship and attention to detail.
𝗘𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗲𝗱 𝗔𝗿𝘁
Our member Ms. S. Datta, has crafted exquisite wall decorations with a minimalist approach, yet achieving stunning results. She took a base cloth in a bright golden hue, and meticulously tailored it to the required dimensions for each décor piece. Next, she intricately outlined captivating images, enhancing them with vibrant colors to bring them to life. Embellishments such as sequences, 𝘻𝘢𝘳𝘪, mirrors, and pearls were thoughtfully added, to enhance their beauty. These pieces of handiwork have been elegantly framed, transforming them into captivating wall adornments.
𝗖𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗵𝗲𝘁 𝗖𝗿𝗮𝗳𝘁
Our member Ms. C. Dutta, with deft hands has created this crochet table cover. To give it a special touch she has used wool instead of thread, making it look thicker. It has been brightened using red and yellow wool in contrast with white. The central pattern looks striking due to its vibrant colours. This piece of crochet work looks wonderful.
𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝘀𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝗚𝗮𝗻𝗲𝘀𝗵𝗮
This beautiful piece of art is the handiwork of our member, Ms. R. Mukherjee. Using a jute base as her canvas, she delicately depicted the figure of Lord Ganesha alongside his vahana, the mouse, in one corner. Using intricate chain stitching, she skillfully embroidered the outlines, infusing the subjects with remarkable prominence. Even her initial was meticulously crafted using the same technique. Finally, she framed the handiwork, transforming it into a nice wall hanging.
𝗥𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻
Our member Ms. S. Basu has created these stunning crochet shoes in a delightful combination of white and bluish grey hues. The meticulous process involved, crafting the base separately, then intricately designing the sides and seamlessly attaching them together. Inside, a mesmerizing circular pattern adds an exquisite touch, elevating the shoes aesthetic appeal. The cool color palette further enhances its sophistication, making it a truly remarkable creation.
𝗔𝘁𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗾𝘂𝗲 𝗔𝗿𝘁
𝗠𝘀. 𝗖. 𝗗𝗮𝘀𝗴𝘂𝗽𝘁𝗮, one of our skilled members, has artfully crafted this attractive appliqué work. She has neatly folded a gunny cloth into a square shape to make it a canvas for her art. With precision, she illustrated a peacock on it through appliqué techniques, using vibrant velvet cloth in striking hues of blue and red. The addition of colored ropes for the outline and delicate mirrors has enhanced the beauty of this art.
𝗔𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗮 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗳 𝗮𝗿𝘁
Our member 𝗠𝘀 𝗦. 𝗣𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗸𝗮𝘆𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗵𝘆𝗮, crafted a captivating piece of art using areca leaves. Beginning with a black cloth-covered base, she skillfully drew a picturesque landscape. She cut areca palm leaves into thin strips and then meticulously arranged each piece intricately to create a majestic coconut tree, graceful boats with sails, a charming bridge, and other embellishments, resulting in a truly enchanting wall decor.
Creative Kalash
Our member Ms C. Mallick has aesthetically transformed these metal vases. She began with painting each metal vase black. This gave the vases a sleek look. Then using white paint, she had drawn intricate mesmerising designs on them, resulting in these gorgeous creations.
Woollen Pouch
Our member Ms M. Banerjee has made these wonderful woollen pouches with bright coloured wool. She folded the knitted front and back of the body and sewed the knitted sides to it. Then all the sides were attached together with a zip. For the yellow pouch she separately created ears and a tail and attached them. Eyes and mouth were stitched to give it a cute look.
𝗪𝗼𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻 𝗪𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗪𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀
Our member Ms. S. Mitra of Hyderabad has beautifully created these wall decors using wool. On a net base she has beautifully woven thick woollen strips in the shape of a horse in one and a couple of rabbits in the other. The wool was cut evenly to give it a fluffy matted look. This is a unique kind of work which has immense appeal.
𝗕𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗺𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗣𝗮𝗽𝗲𝗿
Our member Ms S. Bose has artistically transformed simple sheets of paper into a vibrant bouquet. She had meticulously drawn the outline of the vase and flowers, intricately cut and artfully arranged pieces of paper, creating a colorful bouquet. The result is a vibrant collage which is a fusion of imagination and craftsmanship.
𝗗𝗿𝘆 𝗙𝗹𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗔𝗿𝘁
Our member Ms R. Pakrashi created these wonderful wall decors using dried flowers and leaves. She collected real flowers and leaves of different kinds and kept those inside a paper to dry. Then on a white paper she pasted those in a beautiful manner. Later she framed all these beautiful creations to use as wall decors.
𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗗𝘂𝗿𝗴𝗮 𝗜𝗱𝗼𝗹
Our member Mr. P. K. Bhattacharjee has made this beautiful idol using plaster of paris. He had mixed plaster of paris with water to create a smooth paste of flowing consistency. He then poured the mixture into a rubber mould depicting goddess Durga. It was kept in a safe place for a day, till the mixture hardened and was easy to separate from the mould. He then took it out with a lot of care so that the intricate work would not be scratched, broken or affected. The white colour and intricate design look marvellous.
𝗕𝗮𝗺𝗯𝗼𝗼 𝗗𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗿
Our member Ms Sumitra Ray has artistically transformed bamboo pieces into beautiful room decorations. She has first painted the bamboos brown and then drawn the idols Durga, Laxmi and Saraswati on them with paint. The fine lines used along with the feathers and the ornaments give these idols a unique tribal look.
Embroidered Durga
Our member Ms R. Gupta has created this wonderful handcraft using khadi cloth and embroidery. She had first traced the design on cloth, then used vibrant colours making it look fantastic. The intricacy of the work is really amazing, which highlights even the weapons and the smallest details.
Stained Glass Beauty
This fabulous glass painting has been made by our member Ms Chandana Roy. She had seen this drawing on a post card. She drew it on a chart paper according to the size of the glass. Then she got it photocopied and traced it to paste it on the glass door. Using tube colours of her choice, specially designed for glass painting, she completed it.
Aluminum Painting
This unique artwork has been made by our member Ms S. Pal. First the image was drawn on the aluminum metal sheet. Then with a wooden tool with a flat mouth, the image was pressed in different places for creating specific outlines. Then hammering was done to create the emboss. Once that was done the outlines were painted with spray paint used exclusively for aluminum painting.
Fabric Fantasia
Our member Ms M. Das has used mixed art – fabric colours, appliqué and thread work to create this fantastic work of art. She has used waste cloth pieces to make the clothes and fabric colour to paint the hands and legs of the palanquin bearers and the musicians. The cloths were then stitched on the base cloth to create the appliqué work. She gave a final touch to the borders using thread work.
Threads depicting the Kolkata Skyline
Our member Ms. N. Majumdar, has created the Kolkata Skyline through stitches. On a piece of Tussar silk the basic sketch was made by her husband. She had then stitched the iconic Kolkata landscape using Anchor thread, stem stitch, back stitch and chain stitch. Her thread work depicting Kolkata cityscape is very creative.
Latch Hook Rugs
Our member Ms L. Mukherjee, had made these beautiful rugs, using wool, rug hooking mesh and latch hook. She had drawn the design on the base net and then used colourful wool as required. Then she wound the wool around a stick of ½ inch diameter. Using the latch hook she knotted a few strings of wool through each mesh square. After completing the picture, the wool on top was evenly cut to size. Then it was neatly covered with plastic sheet.
Straw Symphony
Our member Ms S. De, has created this beautiful artwork using dried straws soaked in water. She had taken a board, painted it black and drew a picture of her choice. The soaked straws were intricately cut into fine lengths and sizes to fit the picture, which were then pasted. Thus she transformed the mundane to marvellous.
Wood carving art
Our member Dr M. Basu, has created this fantastic wall mount by carving wood with a chisel. First a design was selected. Then on Gama wood the design was carved and given shape. It was then mounted on a wooden base. The entire artwork was then polished and framed and looks lustrous.
Alpana painting
This beautiful painting was made by our member 𝐌𝐬. 𝐌. 𝐁𝐡𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐲𝐚 using alpana designs. She had first taken a black paper and divided it in three equal parts. Then she traced 3 designs on it. Using acrylic colour and with thick strokes she made this wonderful painting. The colour combination used is also wonderful. The entire painting was then mounted on a white board.
Elegant Embroidery
Our member Ms. J. Sengupta had completed the first stitch work more than 35 years ago in three days. It was framed with Aluminium beading. But with time it got faded and she recreated it on raw silk base. The same picture was drawn once again. Due to arthritis, it was painstaking to complete the picture, but she did it. Using anchor skeins, she stitched this intricate design and the end result looks fantastic.
Brilliant Bedcovers
Our member Ms.B.Guha has made this bedcover in an innovative manner. It is a recent creation of hers. She had taken three old sarees and cut out the borders neatly. She placed the borders side by side and stitched them to create a nice pattern. Then this sheet of cloth was placed on an old bedsheet and stitched from all sides. At the end, a nice lace was attached on all four sides of the bedcover to give it a brilliant look.
Cute and cuddly
These cute soft toys have been made by our member 𝗠𝘀 𝗣. 𝗠𝘂𝗸𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗷𝗲𝗲. First, the tracing was placed on the reverse side of the fur cloth. Then the fur cloth was cut according to the shape. Three sides of the edges were neatly stitched from the reverse side. It was then turned inside out. The cover was stuffed with cotton, small pieces of sponge or any other soft thing which could easily provide shape to the soft toys. Once the shape was ready it was decked with clothes, eyes, nose and other embellishments.
Transparent Gel Candles
These amazing gel candles are made by our member 𝗠𝘀 𝗞. 𝗗𝗮𝘀𝗴𝘂𝗽𝘁𝗮. For the adornments she had first melted coloured wax. While it was soft, she transformed them into flowers of different shapes, sizes and colours. Then she added leaves and stems or pebbles of her choice in the glasses along with the flowers. For the candle she placed a wick in the centre of the glass and held it in place with a tong while she slowly poured melted gel wax into the glass. The wick was not moved till the entire wax solidified.
Sand art
This beautiful work of art made by our member Ms A. Ghosh Roy has a unique feature. It has been made with coloured sand. She drew a design on a cloth, making the outlines bold. With a brush she evenly spread gum between the outlines, and then filled the parts with coloured sand. Bit by bit she completed this beautiful piece of art. The colours look natural yet gives the picture a distinguished look.
Creative Cutwork
This cutwork embroidery has been created by our member Ms D. Chatterjee on a table cloth. The beautiful design and the intricate stitches, indicate her love for needle-work. She drew the design on a coloured casement cloth of her choice, and then used a thick brown thread for the stitches. The entire design was outlined with run stitch from which buttonhole stitches were made. The enclosed material of the leaves was then cut away with a scissor.
Sprig of colours
This bouquet of flowers, created by our member Ms J. Dutta is a perfect example of best out of waste. She has created roses, tulips and other flowers by cutting petals out of discarded cloths and colourful papers. She has stuck these flowers on real dried twigs and sprinkled some cut papers on gum, in the centre of each, making them look realistic.
Endearing Earthenware
Our member Ms A. Bose has transformed a simple earthenware into a beautiful artifact. She used zinc oxide and water for the base paint and kept it for a day for drying. She then created a floral design out of plaster of paris along with stems and leaves. It was made vibrant with oil colours and stuck neatly on the pot with gum. The rim of the pot was further decorated to enhance its beauty.
𝗕𝗿𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗹𝘆 𝗕𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗱
These rare bead toys have been made by our member Ms G. Basu Mondal. She has used small shiny white beads along with a few coloured ones to create different animals. The beads were strung together using needle and nylon strings and given shape by stuffing them with cotton and silver papers.
𝗦𝘁𝘆𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝘱𝘰𝘵𝘭𝘪𝘴
Our member Ms M. Purkayastha, has made beautiful 𝘱𝘰𝘵𝘭𝘪𝘴, which can be used in any occasion, especially for parties and marriages. She has used bright silk cloths, fancy laces, saree borders and decorative 𝘥𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘴 to make these amazingly stylish 𝘱𝘰𝘵𝘭𝘪𝘴.
𝗖𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗵𝗲𝘁 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗽𝗲𝘁
Our member Ms K. Das Paul, is a versatile artwork creator. She is fond of making beautiful woollen stuff. This carpet has been aesthetically created using scrap wool. She has blended bright colours and crochet pattern into a circular design to make it look completely different and attractive.
𝗔𝗿𝘁 𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗽𝗮𝗽𝗲𝗿
This lovely painting has been made by our member Ms M. Desai. She has made it vibrant with her choice of colours. These flowers look bright and beautiful on art paper painted with water-based colours. The contrasting background has made the entire painting prominent and beautiful.
𝗕𝗮𝗯𝘆 𝗯𝗲𝗱 𝘀𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱 - 𝙠𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙝𝙖
Our member Ms I. Narayan is very fond of needle work, and has beautified many sarees, shawls and baby bed spreads with her stitches. She has transformed this Assamese 𝘨𝘢𝘮𝘤𝘩𝘩𝘢 (soft towel) into a 𝘬𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘩𝘢 or a baby’s bed spread, using various colourful embroidery threads. She has used 𝘬𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘩𝘢 stitch or short run stitch making the designs look lovely. To make it thick and prevent the stitches from hurting the baby, she has used fine quality white cloth to cover the stiches from the back.
𝗗𝗮𝘇𝘇𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘂𝗿𝗻 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗯𝗹𝗼𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗺𝘀
This beautiful urn with blossoms is made using flexible plastic yarn by our member Ms P. Mukherjee. A hard plastic base is used to keep the vase in an upright position. Meticulously the yarn has been woven to create the urn and the bright colour used for the blossoms make them look attractive. This had been created long ago, but the washable quality of the yarn has kept the colour and brightness intact.
𝗘𝘅𝗾𝘂𝗶𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗖𝗹𝗼𝘁𝗵 𝗗𝗼𝗹𝗹𝘀
These exquisite handmade dolls are created by our member Ms D. Chatterjee. These beautiful dolls are made of cloth except for the face. They are stuffed with cotton and straw to give it a human shape. To keep the dolls upright, an iron stick has been inserted in it which is attached to a wooden base. The face is then stitched and the hair is fixed to give it an identity. The dolls are adorned with handmade dresses replete with 𝘻𝘢𝘳𝘪 and 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘬𝘢𝘯 work, and embellished with ornaments.
Sequined embroidery
Our member Ms P. Banerjee has magic fingers. This Saraswati idol stitched with white thread on a red piece of cloth, beautifully decorated with sequins is her magic creation. She has used run stitch to create this idol, and the ornaments and borders of the garment have been decorated with sequins to give it a rich, shiny appearance.
𝗘𝗺𝗯𝗿𝗼𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗧𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿
This intricately embroidered table cover had been made by our member Ms S. Bhowmik, while studying in school. On a cotton cloth she had first traced the drawing with the help of her convent school sisters. She used coloured embroidery skeins to embroider the pattern using lazy daisy and chain stitch.
Art and artistry
Our member Mr S. Chanda, an accomplished artist, created this wonderful painting on canvas. The choice of light toned colours in the background has beautifully enhanced the presence of the lady sitting on the edge of the stone. The demarcation of the water and the sky and the splashes of the water have been depicted fantastically. The ripples in the water and the near original skin texture demonstrates the talent of the painter to make this realistic.
Colours on canvas
Our member Ms M. Mukherjee never had a formal training in drawing. She has created this beautiful painting from her imagination on canvas paper, using water colours. This vibrant bird holding a straw in its sharp beak, looks fantastic.
Flared Skirts
Our member, Ms N. Nath, had stitched these lovely skirts for her granddaughter, years back. These skirts have extra flare, due to the umbrella cut design, which look gorgeous. There’s a special way of stitching, to add more flare to skirts, which need a lot of patience. The vibrant colours used for making these skirts have further beautified these handmade garments.
𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗼𝘁
Our member Mr K.K. Roy, has a knack of creating something new from discarded materials. He created this beautiful Rath for Lord Ganesh with some materials that are normally cast-off when they are unwanted. The colourful halo is created using an old CD and the base is made with the CD cover. The four pillars are made of used eye droppers. He collected the wheels from broken toys to create the chariot wheels. This idol of Ganesha, shows our member’s fantastic aesthetic sense created with unassuming materials.
𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗿𝘆 𝗯𝗮𝗴𝘀
This mat is a unique creation with plastic carry bags, by our member Ms N. Chakrabarty, which apparently looks like a crochet table mat. She collected a variety of coloured plastic carry bags, painstakingly rolled each one of them to bind them together and weave them in a pattern, to make this extraordinary mat.
𝗕𝗿𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝙗𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙠 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗹𝗲
Our member, 𝗠𝘀 𝗥. 𝗕𝗮𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗷𝗶 had created this brilliant 𝘣𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘬 stole, on cambric material, in her early twenties. The cambric fabric, having a glossy finish, has added a shimmer to her creation. The combination of bright colours along with white, in a fabulous, imaginative pattern, has made the stole look gorgeous.
Magic lines
Our member, Ms I. Majumdar, loves to utilise her leisure time to express her feelings through pencil sketches of different kinds. But the most expressive ones are the portraits that she has sketched, like the beautiful sketch of the woman with a pitcher, the dancing figures and the mother child bond, speak volumes. The fine line shading used by her has added depth to the sketches and have made them more attractive.
Painting on oil paper
Ms K. Chakrabarti painted this beautiful picture on oil paper using oil paint, about 10 to 15 years back. The 3D effect of the painting with the mountains in the backdrop, provides a special effect. This idea came to her after she had visited Darjeeling and witnessed the beautiful houses of the Llama. She expressed her memories of the hill station through this painting.
Chic Crochet
Our member Ms T Bhattacharya has beautifully created the handmade crochet table covers. The simple, elegant and stylish crochet patterns transform anything that they are spread on. The white table spread has a rich and close-knit design while the one knitted with pink has a delicate look. Both look splendid with their intricate designs.
Vibrant Coverlet
Our member Ms B. Dasgupta was very innovative in creating this beautiful bedspread from pieces of old unused cloths. She cut the cloths into even sized squares and placed them in a pattern. She then sewed the pieces together and made small delicate designs with Gujarati stitches in the middle of each square to give it an ethnic look.
Designer doormat
This fabulously designed doormat is made by our member Ms I. Sengupta. The use of remnant wool for this doormat is praiseworthy. This awesome doormat is a remarkable combination of creativity and vibrant colours.
Batik on canvas
This quaint piece of oil painting of Tribal ladies is uniquely portrayed on canvas by our member Ms S. Ray. The unique Batik like effect in the background and the same texture used for the attire with contrasting colours gives it a rare look.
Dull to Dazzling
Our member, Ms Mandira De, transformed a plain table surface to a colourful and vibrant one with her creativity. The lovely geometric patterns in oil paint and the choice of colours gave the table a rather bold and attractive look
Emotions captured
This pretty thermocol artefact, made by our member, Ms S. Moidu, has been aptly named “Devotion” by her. It beautifully captures the feelings in the loving embrace, that draws attention to their love and bonding.
Transformed by talent
Our very talented member, Ms Gopa Basu Mondal, enriched a simple shawl with her creativity. She transformed it to an elegant and beautiful piece of garment with applique and needle work.
Nature craft
This marvellous technique of artwork by our member Ms R. Pakrasi, lets us have a peek into her hobby of collecting tree leaves and petals which she dries and preserves to use in her artwork. The petals and leaves used in these pictures were collected in the course of her morning walk, during one of her visits abroad to her son’s place. The white canvas has been aesthetically transformed by her fantastic nature craft of affixing the dry leaves and petals on it.
Threads of tradition
The immaculate Kantha stitch in this lovely wall hanging by our member Ms Ratna Chaudhuri, has brought alive the beautiful pattern of flowers, birds and fish.
Gorgeous landscape paintings
Though Ms Rina Lahiri never received any training in painting, her landscape paintings done with acrylic paints on craft papers look gorgeous.
Beautiful eco-friendly coasters
Here are some lovely coasters made by our member, Ms Mandira De. These beautiful coasters, made of old newspapers are not only attractive and useful, but also eco-friendly.
Durga Rao's achievement
Ms Durga Rao graduated with Physics Honours from Andhra University at Vizag and went to Canada after marriage. She did her Masters in Radiation at McGill University in Montreal and enrolled for the Ph.D programme. She taught at Dawson college for 25 years. With her husband she started the Sulakshana Circuits Ltd.
Eye on the sky
Our member, Ms P. Dutta, has taken brilliant images of the sky capturing celestial bodies in beautiful combinations, clouds in fascinating colours and the night sky illuminated by lights.
The Battle Begins
Rural Bengal in Watercolour
Recycled Magic: A Doll Collection
A Furry Friend
Our member Ms M. De Sarkar crafted this adorable dog entirely out of faux fur, carefully cut and shaped to bring the pup to life.
Set in Azure
Eyes of the Night – An Owl in Oil
Grace in Graphite
Crochet Cat
Folds and Knots
Handmade with Love
Fish in a Frame
A Touch of Warmth
Woollen Doily
Woollen Telephone Cover
The Panther: Woodwork
A Wall Flower
Handmade Bags: The Perfect Gift
A Gift of Love
A Mat of Quadrilaterals: Cross-Stitch on Jute
𝗦𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗽𝗶𝗿𝗶𝘁
𝗗𝗼𝗼𝗿𝘄𝗮𝘆: 𝗔𝗰𝗿𝘆𝗹𝗶𝗰 𝗼𝗻 𝗖𝗮𝗻𝘃𝗮𝘀
𝗜𝗻 𝗣𝗿𝗮𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗔𝗷𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗮: 𝗔𝗰𝗿𝘆𝗹𝗶𝗰 𝗼𝗻 𝗖𝗮𝗻𝘃𝗮𝘀
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗞𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗱 𝗕𝗶𝗿𝗱: 𝗔𝗻 𝗜𝗺𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗥𝘂𝗻 𝗦𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗰𝗵
𝗪𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗣𝗼𝘁𝘀: 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗾𝘂𝗲́ 𝗦𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝗜𝗺𝗮𝗴𝗲
𝗗𝗿𝗮𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗳 𝗗𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗚𝗶𝗿𝗹 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝙕𝙖𝙧𝙞
𝗔𝗰𝗿𝘆𝗹𝗶𝗰 𝗣𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗕𝗹𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗲
Our member Ms B. Solomon’s daughter gave her one of her blouses and asked her mother to draw something on it. Ms Solomon drew this wonderful image of a bejewelled lady. She first drew the outline with a tailor’s coloured chalks and filled it in with acrylic fabric colours, working painstakingly on the intricate details of the woman’s earring, neckpiece, and the three-walled frame.
𝗢𝗶𝗹 𝗣𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗻 𝗖𝗮𝗿 𝗗𝗼𝗼𝗿 𝗣𝗮𝗻𝗲𝗹
Our member Ms H. Sengupta likes to paint with oils, but for her canvas she chooses waste materials and other refuse. She took a Masonite board used as a car door panel and produced an oil painting of an idyllic sunset scene complete with palm trees. One can only marvel at the intricate details of the human figures and the boat in the distance.
𝗘𝗺𝗯𝗼𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗠𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗪𝗮𝗹𝗹-𝗔𝗿𝘁
Our member Ms. J. Bhattacharya has created this innovative metal-based art. She took metal sheets and drew the image on one side. Then with a hammer she slowly, painstakingly hammered points into the design to create the embossing on the other side, which appears in relief. She used a variety of tools such as the metal sheet, stylus, etc. The result is for all to see: a wonderful, embossed metal wall-art.
𝗗𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘁𝘆 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻
Our member Ms. A. Ray has made a beautiful asana using cross-stitch, where the vibrant red thread against a cream background creates a striking contrast that truly elevates the design. The stitches meticulously placed, has resulted in the creation of this wonderful asana.
𝗚𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗲𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗴𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘀 𝗽𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴
One of our members Ms. K. Dey, has created this beautiful glass painting that captivates with its vibrant colours. She began by sketching a number of flowers and stems on the glass base. Using glass paint, she skillfully rendered the flowers in white, accented with brown centers. Set against a backdrop of light and dark green makes this wonderful artwork truly stand out. The depth and richness of the colours add a remarkable dimension to the artwork. Once framed, this piece becomes an extraordinary decorative item.
𝗔𝗿𝘁𝘆 𝗔𝘀𝗮𝗻𝗮𝘀
These beautiful, vibrant asanas have been created by our member Ms. B. Chandra. She has used matty cloth or a jute base and expertly used different coloured threads to create attractive patterns through cross stitch. The sides have been neatly folded and sewn with cloth, sealing the edges and creating a magical finish.
𝗖𝗿𝗼𝘀𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿
Our member Ms. R. Chattopadhyay has used cross stitch to make this beautiful floral pattern on the table cloth. The bright background perfectly enhances the design created. The colour combination used for the design is sober and soothing to the eye, and perfectly complements the backdrop.
𝗔𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿
Our member, Ms. Maitra, has meticulously embroidered these beautiful designs on this tablecloth. The rich patterns and the contrasting colors elevate the overall aesthetic, making the embroidery stand out beautifully. The use of stem stitch and satin stitch adds to the intricate details, resulting in an impressive piece of work.
𝗔𝗿𝘁𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗔𝘀𝗮𝗻𝗮
Ms. M. Majumdar has made this beautiful asana, showcasing her creative talent. She has skillfully used cross-stitch on a matty cloth to create wonderful designs. The border is adorned with vibrant flowers in bright pink, red, and blue, adding a touch of elegance to the piece. At the center, a large, vivid butterfly is beautifully rendered, making the asana a true work of art.
Handmade Jute Bags
Our member Ms. S. Roy has crafted a collection of beautiful jute bags. She began by cutting jute pieces to the required sizes and then meticulously stitched them together to form the bags. She has uniquely decorated each bag, making them one-of-a-kind. One bag features unique applique work, with bright coloured pieces stitched to create these lovely characters well loved by children. Another bag showcases stunning cross stitch work, adorned by delicate roses that look incredibly sweet.
Stitched Landscape
This beautiful stitched landscape has been created by our member Ms Chandra Sarkar. The choice of design is fantastic and the colours used give it a grand appeal. She has painstakingly stitched the entire picture using long stitch. Then she framed it to be hung as a wall décor.
Intricately created idols
Our member, Mr. P. K. Bhattacharjee, has a passion for crafting idols from plaster of Paris. These stunning idols of Ganesh and Krishna, are a testament to his skill and dedication. He began by preparing a mixture of water and plaster of Paris. He then carefully immersed the moulds of the idols into the mixture, allowing it to solidify. With precision and care, the idols were delicately removed from their moulds, revealing their intricate details in their raw, untouched form.
𝗘𝘅𝗾𝘂𝗶𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗦𝗶𝗹𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗦𝗵𝗶𝗽
Our member Ms. S. Basu has meticulously crafted an exquisite silver ship using a blend of zari, coins, glass, and wood. Starting with a wooden base adorned with silver zari and 5 paise coins, each tier was meticulously constructed. In the center on the wooden base a bulb was fixed. A delicate glass was encased adorned with a chain of human figures. The ship is crowned with a roof and protected within a glass box, showcasing our member's masterful craftsmanship and attention to detail.
𝗘𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗲𝗱 𝗔𝗿𝘁
Our member Ms. S. Datta, has crafted exquisite wall decorations with a minimalist approach, yet achieving stunning results. She took a base cloth in a bright golden hue, and meticulously tailored it to the required dimensions for each décor piece. Next, she intricately outlined captivating images, enhancing them with vibrant colors to bring them to life. Embellishments such as sequences, 𝘻𝘢𝘳𝘪, mirrors, and pearls were thoughtfully added, to enhance their beauty. These pieces of handiwork have been elegantly framed, transforming them into captivating wall adornments.
𝗖𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗵𝗲𝘁 𝗖𝗿𝗮𝗳𝘁
Our member Ms. C. Dutta, with deft hands has created this crochet table cover. To give it a special touch she has used wool instead of thread, making it look thicker. It has been brightened using red and yellow wool in contrast with white. The central pattern looks striking due to its vibrant colours. This piece of crochet work looks wonderful.
𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝘀𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝗚𝗮𝗻𝗲𝘀𝗵𝗮
This beautiful piece of art is the handiwork of our member, Ms. R. Mukherjee. Using a jute base as her canvas, she delicately depicted the figure of Lord Ganesha alongside his vahana, the mouse, in one corner. Using intricate chain stitching, she skillfully embroidered the outlines, infusing the subjects with remarkable prominence. Even her initial was meticulously crafted using the same technique. Finally, she framed the handiwork, transforming it into a nice wall hanging.
𝗥𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻
Our member Ms. S. Basu has created these stunning crochet shoes in a delightful combination of white and bluish grey hues. The meticulous process involved, crafting the base separately, then intricately designing the sides and seamlessly attaching them together. Inside, a mesmerizing circular pattern adds an exquisite touch, elevating the shoes aesthetic appeal. The cool color palette further enhances its sophistication, making it a truly remarkable creation.
𝗔𝘁𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗾𝘂𝗲 𝗔𝗿𝘁
𝗠𝘀. 𝗖. 𝗗𝗮𝘀𝗴𝘂𝗽𝘁𝗮, one of our skilled members, has artfully crafted this attractive appliqué work. She has neatly folded a gunny cloth into a square shape to make it a canvas for her art. With precision, she illustrated a peacock on it through appliqué techniques, using vibrant velvet cloth in striking hues of blue and red. The addition of colored ropes for the outline and delicate mirrors has enhanced the beauty of this art.
𝗔𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗮 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗳 𝗮𝗿𝘁
Our member 𝗠𝘀 𝗦. 𝗣𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗸𝗮𝘆𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗵𝘆𝗮, crafted a captivating piece of art using areca leaves. Beginning with a black cloth-covered base, she skillfully drew a picturesque landscape. She cut areca palm leaves into thin strips and then meticulously arranged each piece intricately to create a majestic coconut tree, graceful boats with sails, a charming bridge, and other embellishments, resulting in a truly enchanting wall decor.
Creative Kalash
Our member Ms C. Mallick has aesthetically transformed these metal vases. She began with painting each metal vase black. This gave the vases a sleek look. Then using white paint, she had drawn intricate mesmerising designs on them, resulting in these gorgeous creations.
Woollen Pouch
Our member Ms M. Banerjee has made these wonderful woollen pouches with bright coloured wool. She folded the knitted front and back of the body and sewed the knitted sides to it. Then all the sides were attached together with a zip. For the yellow pouch she separately created ears and a tail and attached them. Eyes and mouth were stitched to give it a cute look.
𝗪𝗼𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻 𝗪𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗪𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀
Our member Ms. S. Mitra of Hyderabad has beautifully created these wall decors using wool. On a net base she has beautifully woven thick woollen strips in the shape of a horse in one and a couple of rabbits in the other. The wool was cut evenly to give it a fluffy matted look. This is a unique kind of work which has immense appeal.
𝗕𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗺𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗣𝗮𝗽𝗲𝗿
Our member Ms S. Bose has artistically transformed simple sheets of paper into a vibrant bouquet. She had meticulously drawn the outline of the vase and flowers, intricately cut and artfully arranged pieces of paper, creating a colorful bouquet. The result is a vibrant collage which is a fusion of imagination and craftsmanship.
𝗗𝗿𝘆 𝗙𝗹𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗔𝗿𝘁
Our member Ms R. Pakrashi created these wonderful wall decors using dried flowers and leaves. She collected real flowers and leaves of different kinds and kept those inside a paper to dry. Then on a white paper she pasted those in a beautiful manner. Later she framed all these beautiful creations to use as wall decors.
𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗗𝘂𝗿𝗴𝗮 𝗜𝗱𝗼𝗹
Our member Mr. P. K. Bhattacharjee has made this beautiful idol using plaster of paris. He had mixed plaster of paris with water to create a smooth paste of flowing consistency. He then poured the mixture into a rubber mould depicting goddess Durga. It was kept in a safe place for a day, till the mixture hardened and was easy to separate from the mould. He then took it out with a lot of care so that the intricate work would not be scratched, broken or affected. The white colour and intricate design look marvellous.
𝗕𝗮𝗺𝗯𝗼𝗼 𝗗𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗿
Our member Ms Sumitra Ray has artistically transformed bamboo pieces into beautiful room decorations. She has first painted the bamboos brown and then drawn the idols Durga, Laxmi and Saraswati on them with paint. The fine lines used along with the feathers and the ornaments give these idols a unique tribal look.
Embroidered Durga
Our member Ms R. Gupta has created this wonderful handcraft using khadi cloth and embroidery. She had first traced the design on cloth, then used vibrant colours making it look fantastic. The intricacy of the work is really amazing, which highlights even the weapons and the smallest details.
Stained Glass Beauty
This fabulous glass painting has been made by our member Ms Chandana Roy. She had seen this drawing on a post card. She drew it on a chart paper according to the size of the glass. Then she got it photocopied and traced it to paste it on the glass door. Using tube colours of her choice, specially designed for glass painting, she completed it.
Aluminum Painting
This unique artwork has been made by our member Ms S. Pal. First the image was drawn on the aluminum metal sheet. Then with a wooden tool with a flat mouth, the image was pressed in different places for creating specific outlines. Then hammering was done to create the emboss. Once that was done the outlines were painted with spray paint used exclusively for aluminum painting.
Fabric Fantasia
Our member Ms M. Das has used mixed art – fabric colours, appliqué and thread work to create this fantastic work of art. She has used waste cloth pieces to make the clothes and fabric colour to paint the hands and legs of the palanquin bearers and the musicians. The cloths were then stitched on the base cloth to create the appliqué work. She gave a final touch to the borders using thread work.
Threads depicting the Kolkata Skyline
Our member Ms. N. Majumdar, has created the Kolkata Skyline through stitches. On a piece of Tussar silk the basic sketch was made by her husband. She had then stitched the iconic Kolkata landscape using Anchor thread, stem stitch, back stitch and chain stitch. Her thread work depicting Kolkata cityscape is very creative.
Latch Hook Rugs
Our member Ms L. Mukherjee, had made these beautiful rugs, using wool, rug hooking mesh and latch hook. She had drawn the design on the base net and then used colourful wool as required. Then she wound the wool around a stick of ½ inch diameter. Using the latch hook she knotted a few strings of wool through each mesh square. After completing the picture, the wool on top was evenly cut to size. Then it was neatly covered with plastic sheet.
Straw Symphony
Our member Ms S. De, has created this beautiful artwork using dried straws soaked in water. She had taken a board, painted it black and drew a picture of her choice. The soaked straws were intricately cut into fine lengths and sizes to fit the picture, which were then pasted. Thus she transformed the mundane to marvellous.
Wood carving art
Our member Dr M. Basu, has created this fantastic wall mount by carving wood with a chisel. First a design was selected. Then on Gama wood the design was carved and given shape. It was then mounted on a wooden base. The entire artwork was then polished and framed and looks lustrous.
Alpana painting
This beautiful painting was made by our member 𝐌𝐬. 𝐌. 𝐁𝐡𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐲𝐚 using alpana designs. She had first taken a black paper and divided it in three equal parts. Then she traced 3 designs on it. Using acrylic colour and with thick strokes she made this wonderful painting. The colour combination used is also wonderful. The entire painting was then mounted on a white board.
Elegant Embroidery
Our member Ms. J. Sengupta had completed the first stitch work more than 35 years ago in three days. It was framed with Aluminium beading. But with time it got faded and she recreated it on raw silk base. The same picture was drawn once again. Due to arthritis, it was painstaking to complete the picture, but she did it. Using anchor skeins, she stitched this intricate design and the end result looks fantastic.
Brilliant Bedcovers
Our member Ms.B.Guha has made this bedcover in an innovative manner. It is a recent creation of hers. She had taken three old sarees and cut out the borders neatly. She placed the borders side by side and stitched them to create a nice pattern. Then this sheet of cloth was placed on an old bedsheet and stitched from all sides. At the end, a nice lace was attached on all four sides of the bedcover to give it a brilliant look.
Cute and cuddly
These cute soft toys have been made by our member 𝗠𝘀 𝗣. 𝗠𝘂𝗸𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗷𝗲𝗲. First, the tracing was placed on the reverse side of the fur cloth. Then the fur cloth was cut according to the shape. Three sides of the edges were neatly stitched from the reverse side. It was then turned inside out. The cover was stuffed with cotton, small pieces of sponge or any other soft thing which could easily provide shape to the soft toys. Once the shape was ready it was decked with clothes, eyes, nose and other embellishments.
Transparent Gel Candles
These amazing gel candles are made by our member 𝗠𝘀 𝗞. 𝗗𝗮𝘀𝗴𝘂𝗽𝘁𝗮. For the adornments she had first melted coloured wax. While it was soft, she transformed them into flowers of different shapes, sizes and colours. Then she added leaves and stems or pebbles of her choice in the glasses along with the flowers. For the candle she placed a wick in the centre of the glass and held it in place with a tong while she slowly poured melted gel wax into the glass. The wick was not moved till the entire wax solidified.
Sand art
This beautiful work of art made by our member Ms A. Ghosh Roy has a unique feature. It has been made with coloured sand. She drew a design on a cloth, making the outlines bold. With a brush she evenly spread gum between the outlines, and then filled the parts with coloured sand. Bit by bit she completed this beautiful piece of art. The colours look natural yet gives the picture a distinguished look.
Creative Cutwork
This cutwork embroidery has been created by our member Ms D. Chatterjee on a table cloth. The beautiful design and the intricate stitches, indicate her love for needle-work. She drew the design on a coloured casement cloth of her choice, and then used a thick brown thread for the stitches. The entire design was outlined with run stitch from which buttonhole stitches were made. The enclosed material of the leaves was then cut away with a scissor.
Sprig of colours
This bouquet of flowers, created by our member Ms J. Dutta is a perfect example of best out of waste. She has created roses, tulips and other flowers by cutting petals out of discarded cloths and colourful papers. She has stuck these flowers on real dried twigs and sprinkled some cut papers on gum, in the centre of each, making them look realistic.
Endearing Earthenware
Our member Ms A. Bose has transformed a simple earthenware into a beautiful artifact. She used zinc oxide and water for the base paint and kept it for a day for drying. She then created a floral design out of plaster of paris along with stems and leaves. It was made vibrant with oil colours and stuck neatly on the pot with gum. The rim of the pot was further decorated to enhance its beauty.
𝗕𝗿𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗹𝘆 𝗕𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗱
These rare bead toys have been made by our member Ms G. Basu Mondal. She has used small shiny white beads along with a few coloured ones to create different animals. The beads were strung together using needle and nylon strings and given shape by stuffing them with cotton and silver papers.
𝗦𝘁𝘆𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝘱𝘰𝘵𝘭𝘪𝘴
Our member Ms M. Purkayastha, has made beautiful 𝘱𝘰𝘵𝘭𝘪𝘴, which can be used in any occasion, especially for parties and marriages. She has used bright silk cloths, fancy laces, saree borders and decorative 𝘥𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘴 to make these amazingly stylish 𝘱𝘰𝘵𝘭𝘪𝘴.
𝗖𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗵𝗲𝘁 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗽𝗲𝘁
Our member Ms K. Das Paul, is a versatile artwork creator. She is fond of making beautiful woollen stuff. This carpet has been aesthetically created using scrap wool. She has blended bright colours and crochet pattern into a circular design to make it look completely different and attractive.
𝗔𝗿𝘁 𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗽𝗮𝗽𝗲𝗿
This lovely painting has been made by our member Ms M. Desai. She has made it vibrant with her choice of colours. These flowers look bright and beautiful on art paper painted with water-based colours. The contrasting background has made the entire painting prominent and beautiful.
𝗕𝗮𝗯𝘆 𝗯𝗲𝗱 𝘀𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱 - 𝙠𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙝𝙖
Our member Ms I. Narayan is very fond of needle work, and has beautified many sarees, shawls and baby bed spreads with her stitches. She has transformed this Assamese 𝘨𝘢𝘮𝘤𝘩𝘩𝘢 (soft towel) into a 𝘬𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘩𝘢 or a baby’s bed spread, using various colourful embroidery threads. She has used 𝘬𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘩𝘢 stitch or short run stitch making the designs look lovely. To make it thick and prevent the stitches from hurting the baby, she has used fine quality white cloth to cover the stiches from the back.
𝗗𝗮𝘇𝘇𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘂𝗿𝗻 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗯𝗹𝗼𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗺𝘀
This beautiful urn with blossoms is made using flexible plastic yarn by our member Ms P. Mukherjee. A hard plastic base is used to keep the vase in an upright position. Meticulously the yarn has been woven to create the urn and the bright colour used for the blossoms make them look attractive. This had been created long ago, but the washable quality of the yarn has kept the colour and brightness intact.
𝗘𝘅𝗾𝘂𝗶𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗖𝗹𝗼𝘁𝗵 𝗗𝗼𝗹𝗹𝘀
These exquisite handmade dolls are created by our member Ms D. Chatterjee. These beautiful dolls are made of cloth except for the face. They are stuffed with cotton and straw to give it a human shape. To keep the dolls upright, an iron stick has been inserted in it which is attached to a wooden base. The face is then stitched and the hair is fixed to give it an identity. The dolls are adorned with handmade dresses replete with 𝘻𝘢𝘳𝘪 and 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘬𝘢𝘯 work, and embellished with ornaments.
Sequined embroidery
Our member Ms P. Banerjee has magic fingers. This Saraswati idol stitched with white thread on a red piece of cloth, beautifully decorated with sequins is her magic creation. She has used run stitch to create this idol, and the ornaments and borders of the garment have been decorated with sequins to give it a rich, shiny appearance.
𝗘𝗺𝗯𝗿𝗼𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗧𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿
This intricately embroidered table cover had been made by our member Ms S. Bhowmik, while studying in school. On a cotton cloth she had first traced the drawing with the help of her convent school sisters. She used coloured embroidery skeins to embroider the pattern using lazy daisy and chain stitch.
Art and artistry
Our member Mr S. Chanda, an accomplished artist, created this wonderful painting on canvas. The choice of light toned colours in the background has beautifully enhanced the presence of the lady sitting on the edge of the stone. The demarcation of the water and the sky and the splashes of the water have been depicted fantastically. The ripples in the water and the near original skin texture demonstrates the talent of the painter to make this realistic.
Colours on canvas
Our member Ms M. Mukherjee never had a formal training in drawing. She has created this beautiful painting from her imagination on canvas paper, using water colours. This vibrant bird holding a straw in its sharp beak, looks fantastic.
Flared Skirts
Our member, Ms N. Nath, had stitched these lovely skirts for her granddaughter, years back. These skirts have extra flare, due to the umbrella cut design, which look gorgeous. There’s a special way of stitching, to add more flare to skirts, which need a lot of patience. The vibrant colours used for making these skirts have further beautified these handmade garments.
𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗼𝘁
Our member Mr K.K. Roy, has a knack of creating something new from discarded materials. He created this beautiful Rath for Lord Ganesh with some materials that are normally cast-off when they are unwanted. The colourful halo is created using an old CD and the base is made with the CD cover. The four pillars are made of used eye droppers. He collected the wheels from broken toys to create the chariot wheels. This idol of Ganesha, shows our member’s fantastic aesthetic sense created with unassuming materials.
𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗿𝘆 𝗯𝗮𝗴𝘀
This mat is a unique creation with plastic carry bags, by our member Ms N. Chakrabarty, which apparently looks like a crochet table mat. She collected a variety of coloured plastic carry bags, painstakingly rolled each one of them to bind them together and weave them in a pattern, to make this extraordinary mat.
𝗕𝗿𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝙗𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙠 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗹𝗲
Our member, 𝗠𝘀 𝗥. 𝗕𝗮𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗷𝗶 had created this brilliant 𝘣𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘬 stole, on cambric material, in her early twenties. The cambric fabric, having a glossy finish, has added a shimmer to her creation. The combination of bright colours along with white, in a fabulous, imaginative pattern, has made the stole look gorgeous.
Magic lines
Our member, Ms I. Majumdar, loves to utilise her leisure time to express her feelings through pencil sketches of different kinds. But the most expressive ones are the portraits that she has sketched, like the beautiful sketch of the woman with a pitcher, the dancing figures and the mother child bond, speak volumes. The fine line shading used by her has added depth to the sketches and have made them more attractive.
Painting on oil paper
Ms K. Chakrabarti painted this beautiful picture on oil paper using oil paint, about 10 to 15 years back. The 3D effect of the painting with the mountains in the backdrop, provides a special effect. This idea came to her after she had visited Darjeeling and witnessed the beautiful houses of the Llama. She expressed her memories of the hill station through this painting.
Chic Crochet
Our member Ms T Bhattacharya has beautifully created the handmade crochet table covers. The simple, elegant and stylish crochet patterns transform anything that they are spread on. The white table spread has a rich and close-knit design while the one knitted with pink has a delicate look. Both look splendid with their intricate designs.
Vibrant Coverlet
Our member Ms B. Dasgupta was very innovative in creating this beautiful bedspread from pieces of old unused cloths. She cut the cloths into even sized squares and placed them in a pattern. She then sewed the pieces together and made small delicate designs with Gujarati stitches in the middle of each square to give it an ethnic look.
Designer doormat
This fabulously designed doormat is made by our member Ms I. Sengupta. The use of remnant wool for this doormat is praiseworthy. This awesome doormat is a remarkable combination of creativity and vibrant colours.
Batik on canvas
This quaint piece of oil painting of Tribal ladies is uniquely portrayed on canvas by our member Ms S. Ray. The unique Batik like effect in the background and the same texture used for the attire with contrasting colours gives it a rare look.
Dull to Dazzling
Our member, Ms Mandira De, transformed a plain table surface to a colourful and vibrant one with her creativity. The lovely geometric patterns in oil paint and the choice of colours gave the table a rather bold and attractive look
Emotions captured
This pretty thermocol artefact, made by our member, Ms S. Moidu, has been aptly named “Devotion” by her. It beautifully captures the feelings in the loving embrace, that draws attention to their love and bonding.
Transformed by talent
Our very talented member, Ms Gopa Basu Mondal, enriched a simple shawl with her creativity. She transformed it to an elegant and beautiful piece of garment with applique and needle work.
Nature craft
This marvellous technique of artwork by our member Ms R. Pakrasi, lets us have a peek into her hobby of collecting tree leaves and petals which she dries and preserves to use in her artwork. The petals and leaves used in these pictures were collected in the course of her morning walk, during one of her visits abroad to her son’s place. The white canvas has been aesthetically transformed by her fantastic nature craft of affixing the dry leaves and petals on it.
Threads of tradition
The immaculate Kantha stitch in this lovely wall hanging by our member Ms Ratna Chaudhuri, has brought alive the beautiful pattern of flowers, birds and fish.
Gorgeous landscape paintings
Though Ms Rina Lahiri never received any training in painting, her landscape paintings done with acrylic paints on craft papers look gorgeous.
Beautiful eco-friendly coasters
Here are some lovely coasters made by our member, Ms Mandira De. These beautiful coasters, made of old newspapers are not only attractive and useful, but also eco-friendly.
Durga Rao's achievement
Ms Durga Rao graduated with Physics Honours from Andhra University at Vizag and went to Canada after marriage. She did her Masters in Radiation at McGill University in Montreal and enrolled for the Ph.D programme. She taught at Dawson college for 25 years. With her husband she started the Sulakshana Circuits Ltd.
Eye on the sky
Our member, Ms P. Dutta, has taken brilliant images of the sky capturing celestial bodies in beautiful combinations, clouds in fascinating colours and the night sky illuminated by lights.
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Threads of tradition
The immaculate Kantha stitch in this lovely wall hanging by our member Ms Ratna Chaudhuri, has brought alive the beautiful pattern of flowers, birds and fish.
SESSIONS, FUN AND ENGAGEMENT
UPCOMING SPECIAL EVENTS
27June
Chaplin and Hunger
Charlie Chaplin’s films continue to make generations laugh—but often through tears. This Friday, we explore the theme of hunger in his work, and how the Tramp, ever resilient, finds humour in hardship and manages to smile through sorrow.
(For members only)
20June
World Music Day Programme
What kind of music do the people of Kolkata listen to? And is it possible that some people don’t enjoy music at all? To celebrate World Music Day (21 June), we’re screening Ms Shomasree Majumdar’s short documentary Gaan Bhaalobeshe Gaan—a heartfelt tribute to the music Bengalis love.
(For members only)
PAST EVENTS
13 June
SE Radio: Songs of Monsoon
With the rains come a myriad of songs and poems—and with them, a myriad of moods. To celebrate the arrival of the monsoon, we opened up our phone lines, and song requests from our members came pouring in. The choices ranged from old Hindi and Bengali favourites to Hollywood classics and contemporary tracks. The tunes filled the evening air, and at times, it felt as though the pitter-patter of the rain was keeping rhythm with the songs we played. Ms B Mitr, who joins our events from her terrace overlooking the Hooghly River, said, “Wonderful presentation. I especially enjoyed the recitations.”
6 June
Colour Stories: Nature to Fabric
How did one of the rarest colours in nature—blue—come to be extracted as a pigment and find its way onto our clothes? Dr Santanu Chakraborty’s illuminating presentation took our members back to the origins of blue, discussing sources such as lapis lazuli and cobalt, before moving on to indigo. Some of our members, including Ms S. Sengupta and Ms M. Basu, have worked with indigo dyes in the past and had several questions. Dr Chakraborty was more than happy to answer them all and promised to conduct workshops on tie-and-dye and shibori in the city soon.
30 May
Wise Wealth: Safe Investing for Seniors
After our session on cybercrime with a fintech lawyer earlier in March, we received several requests from members to organise something similar. So, we invited corporate lawyer Mr S N Swamy to speak about investment fraud, including Ponzi schemes and app-based investment scams. Mr Swamy also shared handy tips on low- to moderate-risk investment options. Some attendees, who had faced attempted scams, recounted their experiences during the Q&A session. Mr Swamy offered them practical advice and counselled them on how they could have countered the scamsters more effectively. The event empowered our elders and marked another step in helping them live independently and with dignity.
ENGAGING
SE Clubs
NURTURING AND SHARING THE JOY POETRY BRINGS
"The crown of literature is poetry" - W. Somerset Maugham
Our poetry-loving members meet every week to enjoy the beauty of the verse. While some enjoy reciting poems by well-known poets, there are others who pen poems and are thrilled to dig out their long-lost poems—poems that they had thought had lost their value over the years. But we know that good poetry is perennial.
Watch TrailerCome and join us to express your love for poetry every Thursday. Time: 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.
TOGETHERNESS AND CAMARADERIE
Storytelling and connecting are the essence of ‘Adda’ or ‘Gupshupp’ as we call it. For our Gupshupp Club members, it is a time of unadulterated fun when they delve into their memories of yore or are in splits over someone else’s story or talk on pre-decided topics or even sing songs. The feeling of togetherness and camaraderie is what makes them look forward to each meet.
Members have discussions on pre-decided topics, chosen by all participants, the previous week.
Watch TrailerCome join us every Tuesday on Google Meet. Time: 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Be Lit!
Organised every Monday 5 p.m. to 6 p.m., the SE-Lit Club members have a most enjoyable time discussing different genres of literature in different languages, the culture and ethos of different cities, mythology and much more.
Watch TrailerCome and join our SE Lit Club every Monday
Time: 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Let Your Hearts Sing!
Our Antakshari club members enjoy singing mixed with fun! They have to sing songs based on given prompts and retro movie clips or instrumental music is played and members need to identify the songs, the lyricist, music directors, the singers and so on.Watch Trailer
Join these exciting sessions to brighten up your Monday mornings from 4:45 p.m. to 5.45 p.m and enjoy your Tuesday evenings from 4:45 p.m. to 5.45 p.m
When Music is the Food of Life
Organised every Wednesday 4.30 p.m. to 5.30 p.m. members love singing songs of their choice—different languages, from films and otherwise, Rabindra sangeet, Nazrul geeti, Bhojpuri, folksongs and so on.
Watch Trailer
Organised every Wednesday from 4.30 p.m. to 5.30 p.m.
