Introduction:
The beautification of little objects around makes our living space beautiful. I like collecting little artistic items. As an art traveler, I am always eager to try new things and artforms. Beautiful colours and designing has its own way of casting a spell. The little intricacies add life to the work of art. Somehow art always connects me with my soul. Blue Pottery of Jaipur is one such art which also highlights the significance of the place.
I travelled to Jaipur, Rajasthan and was charmed by the art and design. Without a doubt, the lanes of Jaipur reflect the profundity of aesthetically pleasing art forms. Especially, when I repetitively came across the ceramics and pottery in Jaipur, I noticed beautifully blue coloured glazed pottery that was commendable.
Hence , I googled out and came to know about the Blue Pottery of Jaipur. I wanted to learn the art encompassing exquisite designs . While surfing through Google, I came across Masterclass Workshops curated by Rajasthan Studio.
Rajasthan Studio is a platform that allows you to experience and learn the traditional artforms from the master artists from their work studio itself.
Exploring Jaipur…..
Jaipur was an immensely amazing travel experience. From Tapris to palaces, it all has an unique essence of ethnicity and ancestral gifts. Rustic lanes bring you closer to the deep rooted artisans while palaces teach you about royalty and aristocracy.
The beautiful cotton fabrics with Jaipuri prints, the jewelry of Johri Bazaar, the lac bangles to Jaipuri Juttis perfectly adorn the womanly grace. It is surely a shopaholic ‘s paradise. Not only clothing but also the food delicacies range from soups to desserts. Dal Bati-Churma, Ghewar tantalize your tongue. Of course! Who isn’t aware about the Rajasthani Thali?
The Work Studio For Blue Pottery:
I was well guided by the team of Rajasthan Studio. They also accompanied me to the workshop. The work studio of Master Artist Gopal Saini Ji is a spacious place with adjoining a veranda and storage area. There were heaps of raw materials lying in sacks to make the world’s most celebrated pottery. The ‘bhati’ or the furnace is a tank-sized structure to bake the pieces once the shaping is over.
The work space had a special room which one wouldn’t feel like leaving because of the beautiful readymade pieces of pottery like pitchers pots, cups, mugs, saucers, vase, pen holders, flower pots, kettles etc beautifully decorated and ready to dispatch. Aah! Those shades of cobalt blue, green, yellow and indigo. The predominate motifs included floral designs, peacocks and birds.
The Marvels Of Glaze & Fire – Jaipur Blue Pottery Masterclass With Gopal Saini
Firstly, we were shown the best pieces of pots and plates to conceptualize the designs and motifs specifically popular for blue pottery. Importantly, clay isn’t used to make these pottery. The pottery mix includes Multani Mitti, powdered glass, quartz stone, borax and gum. Next, Gopal Saini Ji taught us how to layer the brown surface of the art piece.
Now began the interesting part! After the coating work was over, we started sketching the design and outlined it with brown colour. The designs were filled with a purple base layer. Consequently, we coloured the designs with shades of cobalt blue and white.
Finally, the last step involved heating the colour piece in a Bhati or furnace , a tank- like structure. You can say it is the traditional oven. The furnace had a low heating system. The glazing colours evidently gave a perfect finishing once the heating was over.
The Journey Of Master Artist Gopal Saini Ji
I asked Gopal Saini Ji about his journey as an artist which might be relatable for many of you. He has been passionate about painting since childhood. He began painting when he was in grade 8. Later, he did his B.A Honors in painting and drawing. Thereafter, he pursued Masters in Painting. As a Phd student his subject was – Kapal Singh Ji ki Kala Sadhna.
He is very precise about each minute detail. He pointed out that try no to make outlines as the natural flow of design is very important.
Do you know? –The Blue Pottery Of Jaipur
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