enKAURage Retreat - 2018

The women’s division of Sikh Naujawan Sabha Malaysia (SNSM) @enkaurage.

mother eARTh

Intention: Taking something fallen and giving it another life. We created gratitude/affirmation/dream trees made from the nature around us - dried leaves, branches, pebbles, things we can take home as reminders and something we can continue to do. Using what has fallen was not only to express this idea metaphorically, but also to practice sustainability in line with mother-eARTh. One does not need to consume new materials for art or gratitude, that we can use what is around us to extend the expression.

Process: The workshop began by starting with a sensory walk and collecting natural fallen elements. After each picks items of their choice, they begin the process through paint, prints and other mediums. It would ultimately come together as empowering reminders and decor pieces for their spaces. Each of us left with a bigger heart, smile and more empowered as women!

To assist in their launch, I had undertaken the logo design and retreat t-shirt design as well.

Photos by EnKAURage and Gur Simran Kaur.

public workshop (invited)

enKAURage Retreat 2.0 - 2019

The women’s division of Sikh Naujawan Sabha Malaysia (SNSM) @enkaurage.

Kintsugi

Intention: The following year’s retreat theme was Self-Love. Through the practice of Kintsugi, and as one of the last sessions of the retreat, there was an intention of wrapping up the topic of Self-Love through the concept of Kintsugi:

kintsugi (n.) (v. phr.) "to repair with gold"; the art of repairing pottery with gold or silver lacquer and understanding that the piece is more beautiful for having been broken.

Seeing themselves as their pottery of choice, allowing themselves to break and experiencing the emotions it comes with it. Something unbroken, pure and perfect in its original state. We are born such, but through our lives, we start to crack and break under circumstances, till one day we start learning how to mend ourselves. When we start loving ourselves, all the broken, cracked parts and pieces, we start the process of turning our scars into the parts that make us the most beautiful version of ourselves.

Process: The workshop began by allowing the group to select a pottery of choice and with materials they brought on their own, they broke the plate into pieces. They were nervous yet excited to see how the pieces broke into. We talked about how they felt before it broke, while they tried to break it and after it broke too. The process of mending it required time and patience, much more than it took to break it. A reflection on the process of Healing and how it cannot be rushed, and to be kind to ourselves.

Everyone learnt important lessons of self-love and how we are more beautiful now for having been broken and healed. They learnt through the experience of kintsugi that some pieces fit back perfectly, others with a little more time and patience needed and sometimes a piece doesn’t fit at all and that that is okay too; sometimes we have to let those parts of ourselves go and knowing you are still whole without it.

Here’s to kindness and Self-Love!

All photos by EnKAURage.

public workshop (invited)

bookbinding!

I was inspired to walk in my sweet brother’s footsteps and explore another art venture of bookbinding. I did not think much of it when I first began, but very quickly did I realise the endless possibilities for expressing yourself; through the endpapers, waxed threads, colours, endcaps, signatures, covers, binding style, proportions and patterns, marbling, it’s limitless! Self-exploration continues for now through fabric covers and binding styles, as I somehow have to use up the unhealthy amount of papers and materials I have, unapologetic to say the least!

With the basics I have practiced, they became good workshop sessions that allow you to express yourself through an uncommon art-form and materials of your choice. As bookbinding is also a lesser known venture, it’s a great way to introduce people to the world of books. It also became a way to hang out with friends and occasionally to celebrate our sweet brother.

Workshops include: Saddle-stitch binding with EPIC (online) and saddle-stitch binding with friends.

private workshop

kintsugi

Intention: Exploring art therapy through kintsugi.

Process: Due to the vulnerable nature of the workshop and kintsugi, small groups of 1-2 people were preferred. This is one of those times where the process is the result. The conversations we had, the emotions we felt, will differ from person to person. We began by choosing the pottery of choice, holding it with intention, seeing what you’d like to in it, thinking about what we want to let go. Proceeding to break it and reflect how it felt doing it. Continuing the organic process, when the group was ready, we could start the patient process of mending it. I always enjoy making a day of it: pausing for lunch when the glue is drying, have loads of cha throughout, crying when you need to, keeping the process flowing.

Don’t forget to have fun as well! Kintsugi shows us its the light amidst the dark that makes it what it is.

private workshop