Story of Reflections Reflected!

It seems like a weird title, ain't it? The whole post is about one of the most popular, innovative, utilitarian and aesthetic piece of furniture which just takes about a little space on your walls. I am talking about mirrors, the one thing I enjoy making. I always feel that when you look into a creative mirror and like what you see, makes you happy.

Most of the mirrors I have made so far, have always had some sort of a reason and inspiration. I love to pick ideas off the streets or from my travels and make it a part of my creation. From my collection, I have picked up some lovelies and their stories.

Bluesome Vespa


Remember the days when the almost one motor bike was the Vespa? When I made this mirror, I spotted a beautiful blue antique scooter on the streets of Mumbai. Thats when I thought, its time to revive the past...it is time to relive the moments even I spent on this moped as a child!

Colour Recycled


I am big into recycling. I try to re-use as much as I can. Every time my carpenter shaves off wood to make the surface smooth, these beautiful curls of fine papyrus wood get wasted. Hence, I decided to process and colour them so that they last, and stuck them on my mirror. Turned out to be a creative mixture of natural and recycled material.

Tashi Delek


In 2009, we visited Sikkim for 15 days. We ventured in to the remotest areas bordering Tibet. The experience was divine. I noticed A lot of hotels, restaurants, shops were called "Tashi Delek". Infact the hotel we stayed was called "Tashi Delek" meaning 'may good luck come to you' in Bhutia. As soon as I got got home, "Tashi Delek" had to be on my mirror!

Jaala


Round, rich and deep blue, one of my favourite mirror is Jaala, meaning water. Water being the most important element of life, civilization and prosperity had to be a part of my work. My visit to Hampi made me implement some elements of the Vijayanagara kingdom into my work which survived and prospered because of the infinite Pushkarnis or man-made water holes and a splendid water supply despite the barren land of Hampi. This mirror marks the infinite water reservoirs and the riches of the kingdom of Vijaynagara.

Zig Zag


I had always seen zebras on television. It wasn't the most fascinating animal I had ever seen. In 2010, I visited Kenya when I actually got to see herds of them. I loved them instantly and again, it had to reflect in my work!

Eva La Rosa


While I lived in the USA, I had a little Indian handicraft store in a Farmers Market in Dayton. Every Sunday morning, he would sell beautiful, fresh roses from his farm for just $6! The placard saying "roses for just $6" was written so artistically, that I copied it on to my mirror.

Horn OK Please


How can we ever ignore the lovely slow moving trucks of our country? They are bright, bold and gorgeous. I can say they are "shaan" (pride) of India! So, I dedicated an entire mirror to these giant beauties of India!

Sheesha Peetal


During my travel to Hampi, The most important metal used during those times was copper or peetal. This place was also full of temples where spoons, diyas or lanterns were made from copper. Hence, I thought, I should dedicate my tall, green mirror to the temples and the common man of Vijayanagara.

Peacock Plumage

I was shocked to see the overwhelming intricate doors on all the houses on the island of Zanzibar! I had to use it...the idea, the design! It came popping in into another deep green mirror I made, I call it Peacock Plumage!

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The Imperial Compilation - Hampi Inspired.

They say everything comes to an end....my recent trip to Hampi & Badami as well...what was left behind were we and many more in their ruins of temples, markets and palaces which once belonged to the great Kings and warriors....What was also left behind were my thoughts inspired by these majestic ruins. I came home, studied the pictures of the architecture, studied the metal used, the bold colours and the importance of water in this area. And then, it was time to use it in my work...



Mirrors have always been my favourite. I love to experiment with them and guess what? Most things look nice on them anyway. So, talking about the rich Vijayanagara of Hampi, there lived middle class people as well. The most important metal used during those times was copper or peetal. This place was also full of temples where spoons, diyas or lanterns were made from copper. Hence, I thought, I should dedicate my tall, green mirror to the temples and the common man of Vijayanagara.





This next mirror has a very profoud thought after the beautiful and intricately carved Pushkarni. A water reservoir shaped in a square with triangular steps, was made around Temples for bathing before visiting the Gods. The deep Blue of the mirror with a combination of Gold marks the riches of Vijaynagara..





Bali is my next mirror. The reason I named it such is, after the gorgeous women of Vijayanagara. All the statues of women, goddess, queens that I saw in the museum of Hampi, jewelry seemed to have a lot of importance. It looked like they spent a lot of time getting dressed very elaborately. So along with the mirror, I decided to make a wall dresser with golden motifs and pieces of circular mirror and named it Bali, meaning earring.





Round, rich and deep blue, one of my favourite mirror is Jaala, meaning water. Water being the most important element of life, civilization and prosperity had to be a part of my work. The kingdom survived and prospered because of the infinite Pushkarnis and water holes and a splendid water supply despite the barren land of Hampi. This mirror marks the infinite water reservoirs and the riches of the kingdom of Vijaynagara.



Storage of any sort has been one of the most important part of our lives. We need it all over. Nidhanika meaning shelf in Sanskrit - is a solid display and storage shelf for books or anything else. It has simple yet ornate golden wrought iron embellishments. The little motif in golden marks the literacy and riches of the era of the Saluva dynasty.



Last but not the least, after so much time, we saw the Milky way in the twilight that spread over Hampi. That moment was so significant for me, that Koshayi meaning drawers in Sanskrit is a piece inspired by the clear starry nights over the expansive strech of these ruins. The drawers are made blue with golden beads to imitate the shinning stars.

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Unaccounted Artwork.....

In my last post, I talked about the Eatmoshphere project I did in April 2010. Its been doing great and my work has been appreciated. But sometimes it is also the small peices of art or just a little splash of colour helps make a difference. Its not always that I like to paint big things and hence, this time, I have showcased all the little sub projects I've done so far...unaccounted and solely out of interest...

I'll start with 4 name plates I have done for a few friends! They were fun projects and done while my work load was low...



The one below is my very own....done in a hurry and not so good but it still brings colour and life to my entrance.



My friends tell me that these name plates have made so much difference to their entryways and not only that, they have recieved a lot of compliments on them.



My friend Sayali a very romantic person and wanted her and her husbands name painted instead of their last name...and hence painted something cosy and romantic for them...



Aside the name plates, I also did my husbands office, one of my big projects. The space came out great but it needed some colour bursters. I decided to make them instead of hunting for something. Hence I came up with a theme..flowers, fruits, animals, in amulgamation with humans. Not all paintings are original here but there is certainly a touch of my imagination....



I wanted colour in this corner of the office and hence decided to use the vibrant reds and blues...the corner does look gorgeous..



I did this for my husband's cabin. He is very passionate about his drums...the Djembe, an African drum and in his cabin, I wanted to show all the elements of nature come together and hence the fruit, the human and his passion, his drum!



These paintings are in the entryway - bright, bold and welcoming!



A painting of a fruit is very important since my husband owns a coldstorage and one of the very important thing that is stored there is fruits and hence the artwork...

My next set of artwork was done in Eatmosphere..an abstract canvas which has a mèlange of the colours used in the cafe.



These mirrors below are 4 different mirrors all put together to give one big feature in the cafe. It also gives a perception of space and adds to the vibrancy or the liveliness of the space.



So this is some of my unaccounted but well appreciated work of art..I am sure I'll work on much more because they are my stress busters and they make me happy and keep me going...

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!!! Mirror Magic !!!

All about Mirrors......

Mirrors are among the most ancient and timeless hues on the decorating palate. Let us see how we can make a difference in our homes with the help of mirrors -

Location...

When you place a mirror you consider where the light sources are located. A mirror across from a window can magnify and enhance the light in a room. This gives a perception of a larger and open space in the room. They also make the room more inviting.

Your Reflection...

For More info on Mirror & Buffet Table,
log on http://www.lively-wood.com/mirrors.html
or http://www.lively-wood.com/refurbish.html

Mirrors reflect more than just a lovely face. It changes and redefines your style statement. For example, some mirrors use large, ornate frames to stand alone as works of art. Other mirrors do not have the frame to give it a minimalist look. There are rustic mirrors natural looking mirrors, while a contemporary mirror focus on shape and structure which gives a unique and can be unique and unexpected. Mirrors are available in all the shapes and sizes you're looking for.

Don't overlook them...

For more info on the bathroom Cabinet,
log on to http://www.lively-wood.com/mirrors.html

Mirrors are such a part of your day-to-day life, that we take them for granted and do not thinking about using them to enhance our decor. But Imagine a bathroom without a mirror? Unthinkable!! So why not make a bold statement there?? Mirrors look stunning at the end of hallways - dining areas can use a mirror to give that expansive feel to the room - mirrors at a child's eye level in the kid's rooms. Its easy use mirrors, just needs a bit of thought!!

Gosh how do I keep my Mirror Clean?

Nobody likes to look into dusty, cloudy mirrors. Here are some tips on making your mirrors spotless -

• 1. Use soft and dust-free rags
• 2. Spray your solution on the rag and not the mirror and then wipe the surface.
• 3. Use warm water to remove anything stuck on the mirror first and then use a solution.
  4. Always keep the mirror frame dry. Do not let the water seep in through the edge of the frame.
  5. Avoid solutions like ammonia or vinegar.
  6. Do not expose it to direct sunlight. In the long term, it may damage the glass surface.
  7. Use of proper hanging or mounting devices.
  

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