I am a part time designer and a full time mom! I love designing, creating and spending time with my 2 little boys. I am also an 'ex'-architect by profession and training. I say that because I have a bachelors in architecture from India and a masters from Ann Arbor, Michigan. I have also worked 8 years in various cities like New Delhi, Ann Arbor, Chicago and Cleveland. I decided to be a stay at home mom when I had my older son 4 yrs ago and then my younger son 2 years later. Recently i decided to start work again and felt architecture was not exciting for me anymore, so I've decided to do something smaller scale. Also, born and brought up in India but living now in USA, I like to bring something unique from India and make it work with contemporary styles, hence block printing which is a traditional art form of India, very popular even today.
I look after my 2 little boys, we spend a lot of time on playgrounds, reading books and playdates.
Where do you get your creativity from? 
I'm not sure if I was born with it as neither of my parents are in the creative field! But since I can remember, I have always loved to draw, paint and create with my hands. Some of my favorite classes in school were art and crafts, I remember 8th grade we learned how to paint on fabric and do tie dye. I thought that was the most fascinating way to add color and design to a cloth. I remember making tons of handkerchiefs for anybody who was polite enough to take my 'creations'
What got you into the craft hobby?
How would you describe your creative process?
What is your most favorite item that you have ever produced?
How did you get your business off the ground?
What are your goals with your business? 
I hope to be able to support my family with my business in the next few years (not that I need to) but it's important to me to know that I can. I have always been self reliant and financially independent. Also, to have my own line out in some stores and have my work referred to as, " Is that a Peepal Tree scarf you are wearing ?"
What do you do in your free time?
What's the message behind your work?
I'm not sure if I was born with it as neither of my parents are in the creative field! But since I can remember, I have always loved to draw, paint and create with my hands. Some of my favorite classes in school were art and crafts, I remember 8th grade we learned how to paint on fabric and do tie dye. I thought that was the most fascinating way to add color and design to a cloth. I remember making tons of handkerchiefs for anybody who was polite enough to take my 'creations'I have to credit my arts and crafts teacher in school in New Delhi, India and then architecture school further created the desire in me to create, irrespective of the medium. Buildings or Scarves, it's all design.
I do block printing on various products like tshirts, tank tops, scarves baby clothes, cards. I love color and clothes myself. I take inspiration from nature, anything I see or get an idea, I love to come back home and test it out. I also use principles of architecture in creating my various products. It could be the color of leaves in a tree. For instance, I made a top with various colors of the leaves I had seen literally on a tree!
I recently made a full sleeved cotton tshirt inspired by the cape cod style of architecture, I picked the blues of water and the crisp white of sands. I loved how it came together. I also really love one of my wood blocks which is of an elephant and you will see a lot of products with that design. It's clearly my favorite block and now I have at least 30 in my collection of hand made blocks from India.
I was in India early this year, picked up some wood blocks from an artist who carves them out by hand. I also picked up some beautiful cotton material for scarves.I came back to US and started making some designs. First, I showed a small sample of my designs to some friends and a very special neighbor Judy, who has excellent taste in everything especially clothes. She loved it and ordered many scarves with matching tank tops for herself, her daughters and some friends of hers, thats when I knew I had something good.I took part in a show in June and my work was well received. Since then, I have taken part in some more shows and now a lot of my business is through word of mouth.
I hope to be able to support my family with my business in the next few years (not that I need to) but it's important to me to know that I can. I have always been self reliant and financially independent. Also, to have my own line out in some stores and have my work referred to as, " Is that a Peepal Tree scarf you are wearing ?"Free time? Whats that?? I feel I knew what it was at some point in my life a long, long time ago in a land far far away... :-)
Seriously, I do make time to dabble in my other passion besides design which is cooking. I love to cook all sorts of cuisines: Indian, Chinese, Thai, Mexican and have just started dabbling in vegan baking. I also love to read fiction and listen to Hindi music in the car.
From and Inspired by nature. I always use 100% natural materials like cotton, recyclable paper for my creations. The wood blocks are made by an artist for me in India. And the paper comes straight from a factory in India where the work force is mostly comprised of women. I feel in my own small way I am helping these old crafts stay alive where machines and factories cannot replace handmade, one-of-a-kind designs. Also, it supports the women and artists from whom I buy from in India.
Check out Peepal Tree this fall at the Avant-Garde Fall Art & Craft Show. This eclectic show will feature 67 of the areas most talented artisans and crafters. A portion of the show's proceeds will be donated to the North East Ohio Make-a-Wish Foundation.
Avant-Garde Fall Art & Craft Show
Sunday, October 23, 2011, 10:00am-5:00pm
Holy Spirit Byzantine Catholic Church
5500 West 54th St.
Parma, OH 44129.
For more information, contact Becki Cooper, at info@avantgardeshows.com.
