Elephant or Stork? Laotian Silk Weaving
Elephant? Stork? Dragon? Who is it that lurks in this amazing antique silk weaving from Laos? And who are the two little one riding on his back? If one doesn’t … Continue reading
A Note on Phulkari Classification
A compilation of my jottings on Phulkaris Textiles of Punjab
Krishna’s Raas Lila in Silk Embroidery
Art Fix for the Day – Two Rumals with double-sided embroidery!
A Phulkari Fan from the Olden Days
Here’s another cultural remnant of the olden days in Punjab – A ceiling fan decorated with Phulkari work: The rope is used to swing the fan and is held by … Continue reading
There’s an Elephant on my Sofa!
And a horse!!! 😊 Beginning the day with a smile and a reminder of the beauty our hands can create! See more of Asset 1143 on wovensouls.com
A Weaver’s Heirloom Patan Patola Sari
Rediscovering a piece from the weaver’s heirlooms – a bridal sari with fabulous double ikat hand woven raw silk!
Patan Patola Ikat Weaving – HOW?
For those who wondered how! A video interview with a masterweaver Kanaiyalalbhai who explains the process step by step. To understand the technique of weaving Patan Patola double ikats and … Continue reading
Daily Art Fix – Ramayan in the Chamba Valley
Amazing 18th century Chamba Rumaal with scenes from the Ramayan https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/72821 Sita’s Fire Test Killing Ravan – A rare depiction with the severed heads and arms Am completed WOWed … Continue reading
Silken flowers from Gujarat India
One more fabulous piece from Gujarat! At first I thought it was a print … until I read the explanatory note! ❤️ This textile is from the V & A … Continue reading
Art Revived
Some vanishing arts have been strengthened and resurrected by external change agents. Soof Embroidery of Gujarat is one such art that had the blessing of nurturing by people who devote … Continue reading
Mother & Child – A Crime Scene in Silk
Clearly this is a part of a larger legend that I am not familiar with yet. And so the cultural crime story intrigues me as much as the art and … Continue reading
Walking the Dog
And the bird in the cage. Scene in a double sided embroidery from the early 1900s. But could well have been a snapshot from modern day Singapore! More photos of … Continue reading
Daily Art Fix -Sindh Dowry Embroidery
Bless the woman who made this!! A great way to start my day …. with a dose of beauty – gives the heart a small positive kickstart! Sept 2017
Saving Beauty
We all need something to love, something to serve, and something to save… A piece came my way that is needs some tender loving care. Besides the fact that it … Continue reading
Who doesn’t enjoy Music in the Park!
MUSIC IN THE PARK – Notes in Silk!!! Just received this beauty made in Canton a century ago! Am yet to count the number of instruments being played in this … Continue reading
Courtship in Silk
Daily Art Fix – motif on an amazing wearable antique cantonese shawl! ❤️
A Gift for the Emperor!
A gift for the Emperor ….depicted in silk in the late 1800s. So delicious …. Feasting on the art is so soul satisfying! sigh!
Art of the Universe – Yao Shaman Robes
Yao painting scrolls, Yao dragon bridges and now Yao Shaman robes! The Yao group has created several forms of art while pursuing their spiritual goals! Led by priests called Shamans, … Continue reading
Hybrid Art 2 – A Paithani weave from Benaras
A lot of people frown upon hybrids ….. I have no view on the subject. If evolutionary forces caused this to occur then so be it …. I am no … Continue reading
A Story in A Sar Pallu Phulkari Textile
Before we had cartoon TV serials, we had cartoon comics. Like Tarzan and Phantom and Dennis and Amar Chitra Katha. But before that, we had textiles! And stories were written … Continue reading
Rise of the Phoenix – Antique Silk Batik Shawl – Available for Sale
Or is it an enormous bee? This style of hand drawn batik (on silk) was created in Java for the Balinese market. This piece is in such a lovely condition … Continue reading
An Exhibition in Silk @Thomas Murray Arts
For those who can visit …. Click here to read more jm June2016
News from the National Museum Delhi
25 Feb to 25 April 2016 About the Exhibition As richly patterned silks embellished with gold and silver threads, Banarasi Brocade Saris represent the acme of the subcontinent’s hand – … Continue reading
Mochi or Cobbler Embroidery of Gujarat
Anyone who knows Gujarati or Hindi knows that Mochi means a cobbler. So when I first heard my dealer say that a category of very fine embroidery is known as … Continue reading
Gates of Heaven – The Darshan Dwar Phulkari Embroidery Textile
Devotional Textiles – Phulkari Baghs of Punjab
DAILY ART FIX – AN ARTWORK A DAY
An addict constantly needs a fix to keep him stable. Me – in moments of extreme stress I find solace & peace in viewing works of traditional art. In normal … Continue reading
Daily Art Fix – Gorgeous Thirma Bagh
Who could have guessed that the base of the silk-floss embroidered wedding cloth from Punjab is white!! From the wovensouls collection. May 2015
Double Sided Embroidery 1 – The Technique
While doing some research on newly acquired textiles with double-sided embroidery from Rajasthan & Swat valley, I came across this fantastic article. The Su double-sided embroidery from China is different … Continue reading
Antique Colonial-Era Saris
Two rare & unique saris from a bygone era. Rare because of their age. Unique because of the unique English motifs woven into the borders of the sari – woven … Continue reading
Is it Silk? Is it Wool? An Antique Dowry Rug
A challenge: Identify the material of this antique Qashqai dowry rug using just the visuals below: Is this a silk? Or is it a wool? Do leave your guesses in … Continue reading
Rooband – The Tadjik Veil
What a fantastic word to describe the veil ROOH = Spirit or Soul BAND = Shut or closed For it is the the soul that must be captured, it is … Continue reading
The beauty of a Powerful Red Dragon
Of the 12 signs of the Chinese Zodiac, the dragon is the most powerful animal associated with a given year in the cycle of 12 years. Children born in the … Continue reading
Dowry of A Mother’s Love – The Bagh Textile of Punjab
THE DOWRY A young girl leaves her home to join another family of which she knows very little. She has spent her childhood and early youth sheltered within the large … Continue reading
Bactrian Camels of the Central Asian Silk Route – Ladakh
Diskit village, Nubra valley. Ladakh. Wedged between two ranges of the Himalayas. Sand dunes. River beds. Mountains with badly scratched faces. Mountains with a topology that mesmerised. Rock formations that … Continue reading
Textile Art of the Ahom Kingdom – Guwahati Museum Collection
The Ahoms are a community found largely in Assam. This community consists of the descendants of ethnic Tai people who accompanied the Tai prince Sukaphaa who established the Ahom kingdom … Continue reading
Naga lifestyle
Pineapple plantation Buddies chatting on a ‘puliya’ Local Backpacks Dimapur market: Small intertwining lanes that would challenge the map-drawers skills; Shops spilling out onto the streets with wares stacked in … Continue reading
