On graduating from Meerut University with Master's degree in Fine Arts and doing independent study in Indian Miniatures, I moved to Bangalore, South India. There, I ran an Art School for a number of years. After moving to Waterloo, for a while I privately taught painting, and worked for County Board of Education. In 1991, I got involved with Waterloo Potters Workshop, took basic lessons and fell in love with clay.

 

After getting my first experience with clay, I could express my ideas using the Raku and Smoke firing techniques. This influenced me to become full time potter. I like the richness and deep warm colors of the process. When I work with clay and put it through Raku process, it essentially is a culture encounter. I try only to take the technique from the Raku process but in shapes, forms, colors and designs I express my Indian Background. My ideas are always conceived considering the Raku process as well as the form. In the beginning I was always trying to gain a finer control of the Raku technique. It gradually came to me that the most creative way to work was to use the unpredictability of the process, rather than to fight it. Raku seemed an ideal medium. It is a creative way to use process possibilities.

 

To enhance quality of my work, I like experimenting with other forms of clay techniques. At this time, I am also working on cone 10 reduction fired porcelain clay. This clay when fired to 2300F makes the copper glazes to move and appear in beautiful blue and red colors. I am also experimenting with majolica glazes. Since my background is in painting, I like to use the clay surface as a canvass to express my ideas.

 

At this time, my recent work will continue to emphasize surface treatment. It includes vessels, boxes, wall pieces and some sculptural forms fired using Raku and Cone 10 reduction techniques. It also includes two and three dimensional forms, tape resist and carving. I have two different image groups. One has images and texture, architecture stage sets from Indian Mythology. The other group of forms and images is influenced by landscape, water and nature. I like to combine both in my work.