Painted pale yellow, the building has metallic grills, wooden double doors outside which grow big old trees surrounded by rows of potted plants. I go around the building to the staircase that leads to ‘The Musings’. Abinaya Sundaram describes it as “A space where an artist can come and work on his or her art.” A number of posters with details of oil painting workshop, coffee painting, meditation, etc, proves that it is indeed a place for creativity.
COIMBATORE, TAMIL NADU 28/11/2017. (for MetroPlus) The Musings Studio at Race Course in Coimbatore on November 28, 2017. Photo: M_Periasamy
The bungalow is more than 75 years old and was constructed by RK Shanmukham Chetty, India’s first finance minister. His family still lives downstairs, says Sundaram. She has taken three rooms upstairs and devoted them to art. The idea to start an art room came to her from similar venues in Chennai. And the Kochi Biennale gave her an extra incentive. “Coimbatore has a number of artists who conduct regular workshops, but there is no satisfactory space for them.” So when she set up The Musings, she invited the artists who visited and loved the space. “I have had around 15 workshops in the last two months since we opened.” There is a little pantry to make green tea, smiles Sundaram. While there is no provision for food, it can always be ordered from outside.
COIMBATORE, TAMIL NADU 28/11/2017. (for MetroPlus) The Musings Studio at Race Course in Coimbatore on November 28, 2017. Photo: M_Periasamy
Artists can rent any of the three rooms at The Musings. The main hall has big old windows that let in the bright sunlight. Blue sofas, a number of wedding photographs and coffee paintings on the wood-panelled walls give it a warm feel. “These photographs were taken by my husband and his team. He is a professional photographer and also works from a room here. This place is like a second home to us. We come early in the morning and leave at night.” One the other side of the wall is a huge wooden rack with a clock (which she picked up from a store in US), a painted coffee mug and a coco-cola glass. “This rack is made up of wooden shelves that also act as seating when required,” she says. She got the idea from Pinterest and YouTube. “Everything here is in one way or the other associated with me.”
COIMBATORE, TAMIL NADU 28/11/2017. (for MetroPlus) The Musings Studio at Race Course in Coimbatore on November 28, 2017. Photo: M_Periasamy
A tree trunk serves as a centre table. “I liked this piece of wood so much that I decided to use it as a table. Other than a coat of varnish, I have done nothing to it.” In a corner is an old wheel which she up-cycled to make a seating. “I used old tyres, put a wooden plank on top and covered it with rope.” There is also a small table where artists can exhibit their art. There is a small garden by the window where Sundaram is trying to coax plants to grow. This room is available for workshops and can hold up to 20 members. The next room can accommodate 15 people and is set with tables and chairs. “I charge around ₹2000 for five hours for these two rooms.” The third room is the smallest and smells of fresh paint. “There was a painting workshop happening here,” she explains. This room is set for personal classes as it can’t accommodate more than four people. “I charge ₹1000 for this room.”
Sundaram is also an artist. “I do dot art and coffee painting. I learnt it both through YouTube tutorials.” Her dream is to create an artistes’ community that can meet and share its knowledge.
For more details call 9952127909.
