February 2012
19 posts
4 tags
“You cannot shake hands with a clenched fist.”
– Indira Gandhi
Feb 27th
6 notes
7 tags
Stella!
The NYTimes Magazine profiled fashion designer Stella McCartney this week in the article “What Drives Stella McCartney?” I’ve never really paid much attention to her, but the way the photo essay portrays her as a good ol’ fashion, hard working, no frills yet super stylish lady caught my eye. She’s got that “I don’t care what you think because I’d...
Feb 26th
11 tags
Creativity and Sustainability in Kumaon
Yes, I’ve been out of touch this week (sorry!), but for good reason: I was experiencing heaven on earth, or as  most call it, the central Himalayan region of Kumaon in India.  I was visiting Avani, an NGO that focuses on building livelihoods in Kumaon. One of their biggest initiatives is solar energy and the other is silk weaving and textile products.  Rashmi and her husband Rajneesh...
Feb 26th
5 tags
"I've learned that no matter what happens..." →
“I’ve learned that no matter what happens, or how bad it seems today, life goes on, and it will be better tomorrow. I’ve learned that you can tell a lot about a person by the way he/she handles these three things: a rainy day, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas Tree lights. I’ve learned that regardless of your relationship with your parents, you’ll miss them when they’re gone from your...
Feb 18th
2 notes
9 tags
Patterns!
All found in India. Top left: shoes made by Congolese artisans being sold in the international section of the Surajkund Mela in New Delhi; Top right: floor of Mayank Kaul’s fab design studio near Saket, New Delhi; Bottom: Marble wall motif from a palace in Rajasthan.
Feb 17th
4 tags
#ThingsILikeAboutIndia
#34. That no matter how full you are, you can still somehow find room when your friend’s Aunt offers a third helping of paratha.
Feb 16th
4 notes
3 tags
Domus: Articulating a vision for design in India  →
A design report from New Delhi by Mayank Mansingh Kaul. (via Ishan Khosla)
Feb 15th
5 tags
“If we are to achieve a richer culture, rich in contrasting values, we must...”
– Margaret Mead (via Oana Radulescu)
Feb 15th
8 tags
WatchWatch
The process of making sanitary napkins in an Indian Village. These six women go to work every day to make sanitary napkins for girls and women in their communities. Such a small tool for empowerment, but this allows girls to go to school and women to go to work the whole month, instead of missing out to tend to their monthly condition. Monja, Khartun, Nitel, and Shanti… you inspire me....
Feb 14th
6 tags
A meeting with the Indian Institute of Craft &...
What: Indian Institute of Craft and Design IICD was initiated by the Rajasthani government with the mission to “evolve a sustained program of growth and development of both crafts sector and craftsmen in an integrated manner. They focus on generating requisite knowledge, upgrading relevant skills and to fostering right attitudes in order to develop high quality, motivated human resource and...
Feb 13th
1 note
4 tags
Jamawar: Kashmiri embroidery
Feb 12th
9 notes
6 tags
High heels, bangles, and rickshaws. #delhilife
Feb 11th
1 note
5 tags
#ThingsILikeAboutIndia
#57. That women like this exist here.
Feb 11th
16 notes
6 tags
Judy Frater, artisan advocate and rockstar →
Last February, I had the great privilege of spending a couple weeks with the pioneering craft advocate and co-founder of Kala Raksha, Judy Frater. Judy is a rare find of a person in the world. She not only thinks with her brilliant mind, but her huge heart, and is more open about those things she thinks about than anyone I know. She’s lived in Kutch for more than 20 years working with...
Feb 11th
4 tags
Feb 10th
7 notes
5 tags
Event (NYC): Artisan Demos →
ASIA SOCIETY NYC, February 16-17, 12:30 - 4:00 pm   Block printing by Deepak Kumar Chhipa and Zardozi embroidery by Mohammad Shamim   Block printing uses traditional Mughal motifs of flowering vines that are carved into wooden blocks, so that the pattern protrudes from the wooden block, they are then coated with ink, and pressed firmly onto cloth, originally used to create costumes for the...
Feb 10th
27 notes
3 tags
#ThingsILikeAboutIndia
#1. That it’s totally normal for a random person to approach another random person in a local coffee shop to promote the launch of his/her new website, ask them to sign up, and want feedback asap. #entrepreneurialspirit
Feb 9th
1 note
4 tags
“Self-interest is but the survival of the animal in us. Humanity only begins for...”
–  Henri Frederic Amiel (from the lovely Zim Ugochukwu’s latest blog post titled Questions for Humanity, which is worth the read.)
Feb 9th
4 tags
Infographic: All Poverty is Not Created Equal
This beautiful infographic conceived by Design Impact and designed by Cincinnati based designer, Donovan Preddy, illustrates the differences in “poverty” between the US and India. Here is the blog post that explains their thought process. Interesting… Download, print, and share the High-Res PDF here.
Feb 2nd
23 notes