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A letter about love

Kamakshi writes about the beautiful nurturing relationship she found with her husband and this is what I draw in return of her letter. In case you would like to receive an original artwork for your handwritten letter to participate in my snail mail letter and write to me at theumbrellabar@gmail.com 

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A letter about The Panspermia theory

Panspermia theory is a hypothesis that life exists throughout the universe by transfer of life from other planets. If it were true, Apurva writes then it would essentially mean gazillions of years ago we were perhaps a part of a different galaxy or planet and the aliens we are obsessed with, indeed could be us! 

How exciting!

I draw for her a collection of shapes, patterns and lines which represent the complexity of appearance of life on our planet. 

Something to think about.

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A letter from a memory keeper

Suhasini is a Bombay girl. She is a hoarder of memories. She is constantly trying to preserve her own. A memory keeper of sorts.

As humans, we have never have been good at remembering. Every time we try to go to a particular time in life, a little bit changes. Memory making is an unreliable process. One of the purposes of art is to remember, it has the power to preserve.

Memories are precious perhaps more precious than any other thing in our lives. We are moved by them, consciously seek them, spend time reliving them and sometimes even yearn to go back to them.

In case you would like to participate in my snail mail project and receive an original piece of art in exchange for your handwritten letter. Do write to me on theumbrellabar@gmail.com

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A letter about a dream.

Dinah, an artist from Pasadena writes to me about a dream she has. A dream to visit India and see the Taj for real. Last year her family lost everything their home, possessions, everything. She was struck with a medical condition but they’re doing much better now and I am so happy that her dream still lives.

I draw an image of her cradling her dream on the backdrop of a poem she wrote for me called “An athlete dying young” by A E Housman.

In case you would like to participate in my snail mail project and receive an original illustration in return of your handwritten letter. Do write to me on theumbrellabar@gmail.com

[thesnailmailletterproject]

A letter about books.

Shivangi is a voracious reader. She is currently taking the 666 challenge where she is reading 6 books from 6 countries and 6 continents.

I myself adore books. I love how they can make me imagine, feel, understand and correlate at the same time. For Shivangi, I make the beautiful world only to be found inside of books.

In case you would like to participate in my snail mail project and receive an original artwork in return of your handwritten letter so email me at theumbrellabar@gmail.com

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A letter about the Bombay Rains!

Jamshedpur girl Sreejita in her letter asks me how I feel about the Bombay rains. I cannot relate in words but I tell her through the colors how much I love the monsoons here and how much they remind me of home.

Incase you want to participate in my snail mail project and receive an original illustration in return of your handwritten letter. Do write to me on theumbrellabar@gmail.com 

[thesnailmailletterproject]

A letter from New Delhi

Vera is an Italian living in New Delhi. A postcard with an elephant’s back photographed in a narrow Indian lane perfectly summarizes her experience here. I can understand how surreal it must be for someone to arrive in this country and live out their days in complete wonder at the workings of this giant nation.

India for me is always in motion. Moving, churning, stirring and mixing. For Vera, I make a collage of color signifying how different she may feel from all of us yet she too has been colored the same color we are and quite like the circle she fits perfectly into our collective arrayed lives as fellows of this fantastic land.

India is an experience.

Please don’t miss the excellent illustration she makes on the envelope.

In case you want to participate in my snail mail project and receive an original artwork in exchange for your handwritten letter. Do write to me at theumbrellabar@gmail.com for details.

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A letter about family stories

Charvi, a young student at IIT, writes about her memories of reading the letters leading to her parent’s love marriage. A marriage strangely for the time, between a bride from Bangalore and a groom from U.P.

She has read letters written to her Dada by her mother coaxing him to agree to the match and ardent letters from her Dada to her Nana, informing of the wedding baraat arrival plans and hoping there will be two north Indian dishes in the wedding feast.

I love these little details of her family life that she now knows and perhaps these are the stories she will tell her children. Precious, intimate stories of her family.

A story is what we will all become when we are no more and I think each of our story however big or small needs to be told.

I draw for her an artwork called Family stories.

Mix media on paper.

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[thesnailmailletterproject]

Roots and Leisure, an online platform based out of Nagaland has featured me and my work today and it makes me so happy to be a part of a homegrown online community that recognises local entrepreneurs and artists.

A very warm interview featuring all things I love. Including husband and home!

Do have a look and also check out their shop. Some lovely handmade stuff from passionate people is up there.

Thank you so much team Roots and Leisure.

Check it out here

Shop link here

[thesnailmailletterproject]

A letter about strangers

Neha is a lover of letters. She often writes to family and friends but the most fascinating thing about her is that she writes even to strangers. She writes to the author of a book she just read or the Irani writer of the play she watched a while ago or even a college student whose installation she has seen in the Kala Ghoda Festival.

In her letter, she explains,“That’s the least I can do for anyone make them feel nice and loved”

I wish more people could be like her, after all, even I am trying to be that stranger.

I draw for her ‘Strangers’

Mix media on Paper

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[thesnailmailletterproject]

letter about a childhood

Dwee writes to me from Malaysia describing instances from her days as a little happy kid. The Ixora flower formed a part of her playtimes and is a fond memory from her childhood days.

I draw for her, a child wearing a dress sprinkled with motifs of the flowers, perhaps it would remind her of her younger self.

I am quite certain that if we all look back our earliest and fondest memories of play, they are based on elements of nature.

In case you want to participate in my snail mail project and receive an original hand drawn Illustration in return for your letter, do send me an email on theumbrellabar@gmail.com

[thesnailmailletterproject]

Solitude

Letter going out to Aarti. Inspired by the joy she found in her own company while on a recent trip to the Himalayan foothills.

A discovery of self and of being aware of her own existence is what she cherished the most in those days she travelled and she marvelled at this realisation. Incase anyone wants to participate in my snail mail project and receive an original illustration in return of their handwritten letter. Do write to me on theumbrellabar@gmail.com

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(Sumedha)

Click on the link below to hear me speak about my Snail Mail Project on a radio interview by RJ Sangi on 104.8 Ishq Fm.

[thesnailmailletterproject]

A letter from Nonie

Nonie is an Australian who calls India home. Although she has been living in Bombay for a few years she is vexed about the questionable behaviour of Indian men towards women.

A matter that has been infuriating the whole country lately. This was a certainly a difficult letter to respond to. I sit back and think if it is the fault of the value system or the social appropriation or something completely different. However, in the end, I am left without an answer but only a few words I read somewhere long ago.

‘A society which disrespects its women is bound to fail’

India has a future and the future lies with us. It lies with the ones who make a new life, It lies with the female.

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[thesnailmailletterproject]

A letter about wilderness

This is a letter which got lost somewhere for ten months and was eventually found and given to me a few days ago. So this one quite special. Priyanka writes to me from a holiday she is taking, from the beautiful coffee estate in Chikmanglur. She passionately describes her beautiful surroundings and yearns to live in the wilderness.

I draw for her a woman in thought, a woman in a contemplative mood, a woman who is aware of her surroundings, a woman who is trying to find a meaning of her existence, A woman like herself!

In case you would like to receive an original hand drawn artwork in return of your letter. Do participate in my snail mail project and write to me at theumbrellabar@gmail.com

[thesnailmailletterproject]

A snail mail from an old friend

I was delighted to receive a letter from Soroshi, we’ve known each other long and have shared colleges, professions, places and a passion for drawing together. She writes to me the most fascinating letter I’ve ever received. It’s a gorgeous green handmade paper folded into a maze of delightful drawings and handwritten notes. I had such a ball reading it over and over!

I’ve had this letter for a long time with me simply because I couldn't decide on what I should draw for her. I haven’t met her in years and then I thought what could be better than to give an old friend a glimpse into my life now.

So, I drew her my favourite corner of my home and wish we could be here together talking about our younger selves riding motorbikes in Auroville. True that! We were cool like that.

Soroshi is an extremely talented soul and apart from being a wonderful Architect, she is also quite a skilful artist. Please do check her work out on her blog:http://alucidowl.wordpress.com/. She goes by the name alucidowl on Instagram as well.

In case you would like to participate in my Snail Mail project and receive an original artwork in response to your handwritten letter. Do write to me on theumbrellabar@gmail.com

[thesnailmailletterproject]

Existence

A letter from New Delhi by Shirley Yan is about her concern for the environment and need for better policies for public health in India and the world.

Her letter makes me think of our own existence and the ways in which we are connected to each-other and how each individual choice affects our lives.

Connections which we tend to ignore more often than not.

I draw for her an artwork called ‘Existence’