A beautiful feeling this...

I can never emphasise enough, how much I cherish the time I get to spend at home. It is where I (like most of you) relax, unwind and rejuvenate myself. It never ceases to amaze me how much comfort I draw from the hours I get to spend in our house. And these days, our home feels more wonderful and special than ever before, as we have my husband's parents visiting us for the first time in Korea :-)

I am sure you would agree that nothing can be more exciting than family visiting you, especially when you live in different time zones, many miles away like we do. As a result, I have been humming and singing aloud the past couple of weeks while crossing dates off the calendar, counting down to their day of arrival, identifying 'places-to-go-to' and updating my 'to-do-list', arranging and rearranging my knick-knacks around the house to get the perfect look, and of course, changing it to something completely unplanned at the eleventh hour, hoping to marry utility and beauty, to create an ambience that is warm, welcoming and comfortable for them to enjoy :-)

When you look forward to something so much, you invariably imagine and try to anticipate how the actual moment would be. But all that I had visualised in the context of their visit, has been completely surpassed by the actual joy of having them around us in our home !!! :-) It is the most reassuring sight to see my father-in-law reading on his laptop on the couch that is normally home only to a couple of colourful cushions, or to see my mother-in-law infuse grace and poise into our living room as she sips on her green tea and flips through a magazine.

This happiness however, is not just ours to experience, for it extends to all inanimate objects in our nook :-) I assure you that the table lamps and lanterns are emanating greater warmth nowadays through their glow, and believe me when I tell you the flowers have perked up in their vases, and are skilfully manoeuvring their fragrance to spread towards the direction of our parents' room :-)

Even the dishwasher goes 'rub-a-dub-dub' with a more lyrical and energetic swish, happy to serve those we love the most in this world. I would not be exaggerating if I said that every corner has come to life, awash with the love and warmth shared by parents and their kin :-)

There is more to look forward to over our 'morning cuppa', the conversation and chit-chat, there is a vibrant energy in our living room, even if we are just lounging around watching TV... :-) The elevenses are relaxed and enjoyable, over some coffee, green tea and a slice of cake (or two) :-)

Am always happy to cook for my family and planning a meal takes on a very special meaning for me these days. Must share with you that I was extremely courageous the other day as I tried my hand at making 'dahi-vadas' at home ! :-) To my delight they were much appreciated and enjoyed by everyone, another characteristic of parental generosity! :-)My Ma-in-law is a champion chef, and am trying to learn some of her trademark recipes while she is here :-)

As we make the most of these precious days, I believe there is more to this happiness than just their physical presence around us here at home, it is their love that envelopes our little nest, it is the sense of security knowing they are here with us, it is the reassuring air that parents have about them, that cocoons our home these days. No greater joy than this one, their being here has made our home more 'home' than it was, it really is a beautiful feeling, this ! :-)

Not just about Art...

Today happens to be Teachers Day in Korea. My move to this country has been synonymous with immense learning, both the untutored and tutored variety. This welcome break from the 'nine-to-nine' corporate routine has given me a chance to connect with some lovely people from whom I learn traditional Korean art forms such as 'Minhwa' painting and 'Hanji' paper craft. Needless to say they are supremely proficient in their fields, with decades of experience of the art, and of the style of imparting it.They are tough task masters, but patient at the same time, with just the right balance of hand-holding and letting go when necessary... :-)

I really look forward to these lessons, but not just for the wonderful skills am getting to learn from them. It is because these classes are more than just about the forms of art they teach. It is here that I get to meet people from all parts of the world, different backgrounds, different age groups. We engage in fascinating conversations about each other's culture, peculiarities of the countries we hail from, have delicious 'pool-in' lunches on a regular basis, thereby getting a chance to sample food from different parts of the world and learn along the way. I remember one time when I carried some home cooked biryani to class, and loved how much everyone enjoyed it ! The discussion about the cooking style, the spices and ingredients that went into making it was delightful...

 ( the 'biryani' we all enjoyed together in my 'Hanji' class)

Another thing that comes to my mind is how there is always some marshmallow or cake that my teachers give us during class, accompanied by lovely coffee or tea to keep the energy levels high :-) Drawing and painting go so well with music, and my teachers always play inspiring tunes in the background. On Fridays we tune into the more upbeat numbers on the radio, it's the weekend after all :-)

My 'Hanji' paper craft teacher in particular is someone I really admire and adore. She is like my local guardian in this country, making sure she comes to see me off to my taxi after class, instructing the cabbie not to drive 'Pali-Pali' ( fast in Korean ), ever willing to translate stuff from Korean into English for me, recommending nice places to visit around Seoul and in general very caring and warm. She has been teaching the art, which involves cutting out and piecing together bits of handmade Korean paper for nearly thirty years now, and is a veteran in the field. She has to be one of the softest, kindest and most humble souls I have met in life, and she is so much fun to be around :-) With her, the craft, which requires extreme patience and precision, becomes so much more enjoyable, time flies and I cannot wait to go back to her the following week just to enjoy those few hours in her company....

( That is a table lamp I made out of 'Hanji' paper, took many months of work,but my teacher's presence and support made it so much simpler, I think it was worth the effort, smiles )

...my art classes in Seoul are something I really look forward to, for my teachers make them worth much more than the expertise that they involve. I cherish my time spent with these talented ladies. Thanks to them I get to bring home lovely Korean craft that I make under their guidance, and create a bunch of happy memories with my time spent in their company.They truly are gifted souls, masters of their craft, and ever so willing to help out a 'Waygook' (that means a 'foreigner' in Korean ) like me...needless to say my journey in this country would be less colourful sans them, and I will remember them wherever I go.

 I do not know if they will get to read this, but if they do, I just want to tell them that Korea feels more like home thanks to them :-) Happy Teachers Day and thank you for teaching me and opening for me not just your art, but also your heart and your world...'Kamsamnida' !! :-)

As 'Mothers Day' approaches...

I hear coming Sunday is 'Mothers Day'. Can one day in the year even begin to suffice when it comes to telling your mom how much she is loved and how special she is ? I would think not. But it does make me want to write a bit about how mine is my inspiration, for the amazing human being she is, for all her attributes and specifically today, for her finesse in the arena of home decor, and how I see myself drawing on it subconsciously, as I set up our home here in Korea...

Ever wondered where your first realisation of a 'beautiful home' was ? I can tell you mine was in our own home in India, a home that my parents lovingly created, our very own little space in this universe that my mother nurtures and beautifies every single day with her natural artistic flair, her effortless sense of style and her beautiful warm personality.

Someday soon, and I have said this before too, I hope to take you on a virtual tour of our abode back home...in the meanwhile, as I sit in my living room today and write this post, I look around and realise how everything I have put together has such a strong reflection of my mother's taste, a reflection of all that I have seen her do throughout my childhood, things that I have imbibed without consciously making an effort to do so...

.

..it is in the way I trim the stems of my flowers, in the way I arrange them in the vase...

...it is there in my love for Wedgwood pottery, or for my natural affinity for all things ceramic...

 ...it is in my love for the texture of raw silk upholstery, in my love for earthy rustic cushion covers...

...it is in the way I arrange my knick knacks around books, for my mother 'always-always' has books as part of her decor :-)

..it is also in my dislike for crooked paintings on the walls (smiles) and in my love for natural light first thing in the morning, in my fondness for green vignettes in our home (even thought they are just a handful of pots as of now)...

... she taught me what contrast was all about in home decor (and in life of course), about how lighting makes all the difference to how beautiful a corner can look...

...from her I developed a love for masks, and learnt how taffeta silk makes some of the best artificial flowers :-)

...And most importantly, I learnt from her something that is integral to home decor- how your home must reflect your personality, and how important it is that when someone enters your home they should be able to see who you are through the way you have done it up. It could be simple, ostentatious, boho-chic, rustic, earthy, stark, warm...it could be anything, as long as it is closest to defining who you really are :-) 

So it is with all these thoughts in my mind, that I do my bit in setting up our place here. Of course, I will be bouncing off the floor, turning cartwheels and be unbelievably happy the day I can be even a shade as good or as gifted as she is. But as of now, am just happy to see how so many things in our home here, speak of her silently, how she is my constant source of inspiration, in the world of home decor, and in every other realm of life that probably exists !  :-)