Ta da!

Meet Diya Dasgupta!

This, my lovely peeps, is the young designer who won the 'An Indian Summer' logo design contest! You can see her hard at work above. And below, here are a few of the designs she deftly created for An Indian Summer. And up there, you could see the new banner, while towards the right, you could see the new widget for An Indian Summer. As you look through more of her designs in the post below and in her portfolio, you would figure why I feel like an art curator showcasing the work of a brilliant designer in a gallery :)

Calling colour, pattern and print as her greatest loves, Diya's goal is to design a visual language. Her core design philosophy addresses the notion of (cultural) identity through the medium of design, and thus her work is an infusion of her Indian upbringing and her experiences of other cultures, places, people etc that she has come across in her life so far.

Sketches and paintings - couple of many techniques used by Diya in her textile and graphic design work

 

This is a part of Diya's final year project - The Tactile Manifesto, and is a reflection of her personal design philosophy. The Tactile Manifesto examines whether the homogenizing effect of globalization curbs individuality and thus, creativity, or whether it is possible for designers to maintain their (cultural) identities and creative spirit in a globalizing environment. One of the designs from this project is already being used by a furniture supplier in Sydney.

Diya's project where she designed a concept for a screen/room divider that is inspired by Indian Mughal architecture.

In Diya's words:

I moved to Australia in 2007 to study and have recently completed a Bachelor's degree specialising in Textiles and Graphics/Media at the College of Fine Arts, University of New South Wales in Sydney. I completed high school in Berlin, Germany, middle school in Kathmandu, Nepal, primary school in New Delhi and pre-school in Belgium. Although I feel somewhat like a nomad, I consider myself very lucky to have been exposed to different cultures and ways of thinking from such an early age. It has framed the way I see the world and heavily influences my work.

A series of textile concepts designed by Diya, for an Oriental boutique hotel

Diya was one of five finalists in the 2009 Rug Up competition organised by Designer Rugs. The shortlisted design 'Hope' is the first one in the image above.

Diya and I had a great time developing an identity for An Indian Summer. While it was a really tough call trying to select from the many incredible designs that came in, I felt Diya was able to put on paper the essence of what I had in my mind. I wanted a distinct 'motif' that captures the exuberance of this blog, and yet, is simple enough so as to not overpower the brand. 

Like Diya's work? Well, the good news is that she is open to freelance work and exciting projects and I can't recommend her enough! You can reach Diya at this email ID.

Over the next few weeks, I'll try and clean up Mr. Blog to make it more reader friendly. Any one who has tried to clean up a boy knows what a task it is going to be! ;). Drop me a comment / email if there are changes you would like to see. And do tell Diya and me if you like the new logo! 

[All images copyrighted to: Diya Dasgupta]

A beautiful Diwali..

..is what Mr. Blog and I wish

for all our dear readers

Hope you have a delightful festive week!

This Diwali, my gift for Mr. Blog is the new logo (coming up later this week), and my gift for you is some handpicked inspiration for a festive tablescape ~ distinct, colorful Diwali table settings, as beautiful as the festival!

Tea lights look ethereal, whether in simple glassware or blingy tea light holders

Moroccan/metal lanterns for Diwali tablescape

Peacock feathers and motifs add a distinct Indian flavour

Time to take out your heirloom brass / kansa glasses and put them to good use!

Lotus, pearls, lace, rich textiles...add a touch of luxury to your table

Those colored wine glasses you picked up on a whim? Contrast them with bright flowers and create a vibrant setting for the family lunch

Shined to perfection silverware, kansa thalis and elaborate dinnerware are all time favorites

[Image credit:1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15]

Next week I'll share with you ek jhalak (a glimpse) of Diwali decor from my home. In the meantime, before you run off to do last minute prep for the festival, do make sure that you have entered the Skin Apotheke giveaway. Winners to be announced on Oct 27th now. 
You have two more days!

Logo Designs - Thank you!

Finally! It's time for me to share all the fabulous designs that came in as part of the logo design contest for An Indian Summer. I am overwhelmed by the response and love each and every creation that came in. I made new friends in the process, and gained fresh insights into my design preferences too! 

Next week, I'll introduce to you the winning design, and the lovely designer who worked very hard with me to create the final logo.

Shared below are all of the other designs (in no particular order), with email/site details of the respective creator. Click on the images to enlarge.

~ Maria Valeria Casalderrey ~

[Email]

 ~ Aleisha Pillai ~

[Email]

~ Linda Arthurs ~

[Email]

~ Alpana Vij ~

[Email, Link]

~ Juhi M Meshram ~

[Email, Link]



~ Susan Herbert ~

[Email]

~ Nimita Chandiramani ~

[Email, Link]



~ Sriparna Ghosh (and Rohit) ~

[Email, Link]



~ Vanessa Zambrano ~

 [Email, Link]



~ Sangita Pillai ~

[Email]

~ Poonam Shenoy ~

[Email]

~ Cornelia Debnath ~

[Email]

~ Ingela Kristoffersson ~

[Email]

~ Padmaja Venkat Raman ~

[Email, Link]



~ Qwan ~

[Email]

~ Ashley Davis ~

[Email]



~ Catherine Grogan ~

[Email]

~ Swadha Prasad ~

[Email]

~ Anusha S Rao ~

[Email]



~ Anna Prigkipaki ~

[Email]

~ Disha Mishra ~

[Email]

[All images copyright respective owners]

Thank you all once again! Sending a big virtual hug your way!

Falling for fall

Do you feel the nip in the air?

I certainly do!

I feel myself gravitating towards

Cozy throws, warm spicy soups, the idea of fireplaces,

Autumnal rooms...

...endless cups of jasmine tea, the warmth of late afternoon sun, evenings of musical soirees, the feel of feather light wraps, the occasional sudden sneeze...

 I so love this time of the year! :)

[All images via Clayoquot. Link reference via the superb LovelyVelo]

P.S: The shiny new logo for An Indian Summer is ready! I'll be sharing the new look next week, and, will share all the other designs that came in, tomorrow. Do come back tomorrow to ooh aah over the pretteh designs that came in!

Skin Apotheke's Diwali Giveaway!

You loved Ria's home, and the giveaway she hosted on An Indian Summer a couple of months back. Ria enjoyed giving away goodies from her Skin Apotheke range to An Indian Summer readers so much, that she is back with a fabulous, and very generous gift for Diwali!  

 

Skin Apotheke & An Indian Summer are giving away..

...a gift basket containing the above brilliant skincare products

to two lucky readers, anywhere in the world!

[Each gift basket contains: 1, 2, 3 & 4]

To enter:

1. Show your love for Skin Apotheke on facebook. Go 'like' them here!

2. Complete this sentence: 'My dream skincare product would / is the one that ...', and leave your answer as a comment on the link to this post on Skin Apotheke's facebook page

3. Want to leave no stone unturned to win the goodies? Then enter the giveaway twice, and leave a fresh answer to the above question on the link to this post, on An Indian Summer's facebook page too! 

The contest closes on Oct 24th and two happy readers will be selected (random selection) and names announced here on Oct 25th. Having personally experienced the wonders of Skin Apotheke's products, I so wish I could have entered the giveaway myself, but alas, I shall be the good blogger and not claim the goodies for myself. You, on the other hand, go and comment away! 

Gro Mukta Holter's Art and Home

Gro Mukta Holter, originally from Bangladesh, is an artist and a designer, and has been living in Oslo, Norway for many years now. As a young girl of 13, Gro started to paint, inspired by the Norwegian artist Edvard Munch. She also fell in love with the work and the life of Frida Kahlo, who till date inspires Gro immensely.  

Gro calls herself an 'art nerd' and has always made things - paintings, clothes, bags, pillows, jewelry and dolls. In her own words: My art is much about the magic realism and I see the magic moments in the everyday life. I blend in references to art history, literature, pop culture, music, movies and most of all, travelling and observing other cultures. 

Gro, as Frida Kahlo :)

Gro's exuberant personality and her innate love for color and context is not limited to her paintings alone. Gro's home, which used to be a soap factory, is a reflection of her gypsy spirit in every sense. She has combined antiques, design classics, east and west and calls her style a mix of eclectic, art and urban bohemian chic.

 

Some inherited, and others handpicked during her travels

The bed was custom made from recycled wood, and shipped from Kerala, India

In Gro's words: I collect a lot of things from travelling, and we have a lot of art and furniture that comes from our family.  I love to mix colors that might seem a little odd, but can give some lush combinations. My home got to be playful and I try to make it a place that invites visitors to feel relaxed and inspired!

 

Gro, her work and home have been featured in many magazines over the years. I adore her flamboyant style and have picked up some ideas for my home. Hope you too enjoyed the tour of her work and home as much as I did!

[All images copyright: Gro Mukta Holter. Gro's work: Find here and here]