artnlight

I'm out of town, but this is one bit of news I just couldn't sit on any longer. I'm super excited to share with you the 'ART ESCAPE 09' that's kick starting tomorrow in Goa. Whats the 'Art Escape' all about? Its a dream get away from our daily humdrum lives for a few days of pure creativity along the shores of Goa. Put together by the 'Inspire Project' ' Art escape' comes in 3 & 6 day courses in painting & pottery all through November to January for starters.

They have a 3 day Painting workshop (Paintshop:) & a 3 day Pottery workshop (Potshop:), you can opt to do the entire 6 day worshop or either of the 2 courses on offer. And if you are worried that you don't know where to begin, just land up, they do provide you with the art material and all that you will need.

And this is the place far away from the city where the worshops will be conducted.

Art Escape Entrance

This is the last of my treasures from the Goa chest till I go back again. And this happened only because Archana from Rangdecor posted about Sangolda. On the drive to the hotel I saw it and got all excited and my colleague informed me that next to it is Saudades which is also a lifestyle store. More excitement. On my last day in Goa after the conference, me and a senior colleague trooped off with our cameras. Travelling with fellow art people has innumerable advantages. The biggest being you don't have to feel like a freak for looking at the world only through the camera and you are not called upon to make conversation to make up for non-social behaviour.

Saudades turned out to be a place filled with the grace and antiques that belong to another era. Unfortunately no clicking was allowed inside, so these here are the pictures of the facade and whatever else i could get.

But what excites me about this post more than these pictures or what i saw is when i read up on Saudades before posting. "FERNANDO PESSOA said "all Portuguese carry within them a certain nostalgia for the grandeur of the past. This bitter sweet melancholy a part of everyday life is known as "SAUDADES" a pain that you enjoy, a pleasure from which you suffer."

What an apt name then for a store that is actually a beautiful old Indo-Portugese manor and lets you take home a piece of priced history.



Here's where the goodies started and my camera was stopped. Saudades keeps most amazing and unique antique furniture from across India.

There was an unexpected break in Designyatra that we made full use of- someone mentioned this lovely store where they were amazing tiles to be found- and that is the only encourangement we needed. Quickly details were found, auto (the delightlyful goan ones which have doors) hailed & we landed up. If Velha Goa's facade was anything to go by we wouldn't be disappointed.One finds the distinctively portugese influence in Goan art and architechture. This shop is a testimony to that and houses many other typically goan memorabilia.
These set of tiles above a door will make any entrance look enchanting.
This gorgeous frame uses the peacock feather motif to complement the vanity of mirror gazing :)

Wall mountable tiles in all delightful shapes and sizes

A Mario Miranda inspired tile. Miranda is the states own famed artist/cartoonist with a style thats full of humour which epitomises the goan joie-de-vivre & is much sought after.

These are matt finished tiles featuring miniature goan windows that let you take a piece of the local architecture (I've posted about this here) back into your living room.