Rashmi Agarwal works on her silk painting of the spectacular Doha skyline at her home studio. Photo by Anand Holla
Three artists from MAPS will be teaching a series of workshops at Katara from September 10 to 26
By Anand Holla
In a new and fascinating series of workshops to be held in the coming month, three artists from MAPS – Middle East Art and Silk Painters – will be teaching essential and insightful techniques in some cool art forms.
From September 10 to 26, the workshops will be held at Katara Art Studios, Building 19, from 5pm to 8:30pm and it is open to kids aged 10 and above.
Here’s a quick look through the schedule: Silk Painting by Rashmi Agarwal on September 10 – fee QR200; Batik – Basic and advance by Agarwal on September 12 – fee QR200; Basics of Ebru and Marbling art by Sana Hussan on September 17 – fee QR175; Advanced Ebru and Marbling art by Sana Hussan on September 19 – fees QR175; Zentangle by Kelly Hull on September 24 – fee QR150; and Paper Painting by Kelly Hull on September 26 – fee QR150. You can contact [email protected] or 44081357, 44080235, for registration.
Agarwal, who is also the founder of Qatar-based art community MAPS, is a self-taught artist who has created every conceivable thing using silk art – paintings, scarves, bags, lamp shades, abayas, boxes, vases, showpieces, pots, plates, cups, necklaces, and pillow colours, among others.
“Children will be better off in the long run if they’re allowed just to be in the moment and express themselves,” Agarwal says of these kinds of workshops, “Learning the art of silk painting is very important for everyone; be it an adult or a child. Silk painting won’t just increase our child’s chances of becoming the next big artist, but also it’s also a kind of art that helps them develop mentally, socially, and emotionally.”
Over the years, Agarwal’s proficiency in multiple styles of hand-crafted silk painting has established her as Qatar’s foremost silk artist, attested in no small measure by the upper echelons of Qatari society and a long line of art connoisseur expats, all of who have bought her diverse works that traverse nuanced painting and calligraphy with equal ease.
Agarwal, who is also a community instructor for Virginia Commonwealth University in Qatar, has held dozens of workshops across various art centres and events in Qatar. Her summer workshops often witness a bustle of activity.
“Creating art may boost children’s ability to analyse and problem-solve in extraordinary ways. It’s the process, not the product that matters. As kids manipulate a paintbrush, their fine motor skills improve. By counting pieces and colours, they learn the basics of math. When children experiment with materials and tools, they dabble in science. Art helps boost self-confidence in them,” she says.
The process of creating silk paintings using dyes involves attaching the silk cloth to the wooden frame with pins, tracing the design with a special pen, using dyes and any of the numerous silk art styles to paint, letting it dry, ironing it, heating it, and then putting it in a steamer for three-and-a-half hours to fix the colours.
Agarwal says, “Children who feel that they are able to experiment and to make mistakes feel free to invent new ways of thinking, which extend well beyond the craft room. Arts build confidence because there is no one right way to make art; every child can take pride in his or her original artistic creations.”
