October is the season of shiuli flowers. The tiny white petals and orange stems are a familiar sight for those who associate the month with the night-flowering jasmine. So, spotting the seasonal bloom recreated on a platter at ceramic artist Seema Kalra’s home decor and tableware exhibition is a delight — a seasonal sight translated into a piece of art that can be enjoyed at home all year round.
A platter with night-flowering jasmine to add beauty to your centre table all-year round
At the Clay Artistry exhibition, Seema showcases vases in new colours and textures, hand-carved and glazed at high temperatures. About the collection, especially created for this exhibition, she says, “Functionality is central to many of my pieces. I like creating multi-functional pieces. Say, a serving bowl comes with a small insert that allows it to double up as a base for a minimalistic flower arrangement, or a cutlery stand that can be repurposed to create a layered floral display.“‘A vase is not just to keep flowers but has a beauty of its own’With Diwali around the corner, the exhibition offers inspiration for those looking for distinct finds. Moving beyond conventional tableware, the collection features muted mint and sage greens, teal, turquoise and powder blue, alongside deeper cobalt and indigo, earthy browns and charcoal tones.
Moving beyond conventional tableware, the collection features muted mint and sage greens, teal, turquoise and powder blue, alongside deeper cobalt and indigo, earthy browns and charcoal tones.
The contemporary character of Seema’s work lies in its organic, free-flowing forms, informed by the Japanese philosophies of wabi-sabi and ikebana. Drawing inspiration from trees and water bodies, her pieces bring elements of nature into domestic spaces.She says, “Ceramics add aesthetics and warmth to any setting. It brings affordable art and handcrafted beauty in our everyday lives. A vase is just not to keep flowers but has a beauty of its own.”
Shaping nature in clay
‘New colours and different textures keep my passion for ceramics alive’For Seema, experimentation is an integral part of working with ceramics. Crystalline and crackle glazes require months of testing to achieve the desired results. As she explains, “I love the challenge of experimentation in ceramics. New colours and different textures created just by tweaking a glaze formulation keeps my passion for ceramics alive.”Her approach also extends to minimising material waste. She shares, “While finishing my pots, I collect the wiped-off glaze in a separate bucket. Once enough is collected, I test the material and uses it to create a new glaze.”
‘A vase is not just to keep flowers but has a beauty of its own’
Dr Adille Sumariwalla visited the exhibition
