We all love to travel, but how many of us can boast of a passport with stamps from over 70 countries? About 18 months ago, Deepali Singh’s adventurous heart got tired of earmarking ‘travel days’ and, instead, she took a break from work — an electrical engineer, she has been working as an international fundraising consultant for non profits, with UNICEF on her resume — to travel full time. “I started in Cuba and ended in New Zealand, with a whole lot of experiences in the middle,” she says. And instead of Instagramming the sights, Singh went old school — sketching the buildings, landscapes and people. Now, the self-taught illustrator is using her travel bug as a launchpad for her five-month-old creative venture, Inkspired — hand-painted, travel-inspired accessories that are finding fans as far away as Australia. The 39-year-old, who recently exhibited her limited-edition Inkspired Reebok Classics and Adidas Originals Stan Smiths at Soledition, India first sneaker festival, gives us an insider’s peek into four recent checks on her itinerary. Details: inkspired.in, @stayinkspired
Hungary
It is a melting pot of the old and the new, and for me Budapest is the architectural paradise of Europe. Last April, I wandered all around the Buda, admiring the beautiful Neo-Renaissance representations, like the Opera House and St Stephen’s Basilica. There are also plenty of examples of Gothic, Baroque and Art Nouveau styles. I enjoyed walking where my curiosity led me, especially up the hill and by the river, where I sketched and watched the boats go by. As I was in the city during the Spring Art Fair (April 17-22), it was a great opportunity to meet local illustrators, potters and architects, like Béla Magyar (follow his graphic art on Instagram @citygraphgallery). In the evenings, I visited the ruin bars — built in abandoned buildings in old District VII — which have a very underground feel. I carried my first travel sketchbook on this trip, and one day, when it was raining quite heavily, and people scurried around under big black umbrellas, I drew the Girl in the Rain . Now I am converting it into a series for wall arts and prints, called The Girl who Travels .
Japan
What struck me is the Japanese respect for tradition and processes, that have helped them be exemplary at everything they do, from food to art. Even in the tiniest of places, like the depachika (underground eating spaces), they plate every dish with precision and beauty. I visited local pottery shops to see artists. Kikakikaku, a ceramic craft workshop for hand made pottery that combines the traditional and the modern, is one of my favourites (follow them on Instagram @kikakikaku_ig). Needless to say, their fashion was a huge inspiration, too — how they adopt trends but celebrate their individuality. Harajuku street style, with bright colours, vintage clothing and cosplay (follow Aiba Runa, a street fashion icon, on Instagram @una_monster) is everywhere. A great pitstop is the Manga Kissa Café in Tokyo, for people watching and their stocks of manga comics. I was also inspired to doodle on sneakers while I was there, after seeing interesting art — robotic, mechanical and even a little nerdy.
Switzerland
There is so much to do here, outside of tasting chocolates and what you see in Bollywood films. Multi-cultural Geneva — thanks largely to the people working with the United Nations — is a hub for art museums, jazz and outdoor activities. When I lived there, I took a yellow boat to work every morning, and walked under the magnolia trees. The blossoms and the nearby hiking routes have inspired quite a few of my artworks. Now when I visit, I make it a point to drop by the promenade to see the latest art works and posters displayed there, picnic at Bains des Paquis (in winters, La Buvette des Bains serves the best cheese fondue), walk the cobbled streets of Carouge to check out boutique stores, and grab a drink at Café de La Presse in Plainpalais or L’Atelier in Eaux-Vives. The Cully Jazz Festival is on at the moment (till April 21), but in July, the Montreux Jazz Festival will also have a great line-up of local artistes.
New Zealand
Everything here inspires the artist in me — from the Moeraki Boulders to the tribal tattoos I spotted on the local Maoris that were artworks in themselves. But what really filled my sketchbooks last June were the gorgeous autumn leaves and South Island’s fauna. At the Catlins, we stayed in an apartment on stilts under which the world’s smallest penguins came to roost every night. In the mornings, I drew the seals playing on the beach. It was my time here, disconnected from everything, that inspired me to start Inkspired. I also visited Curio Bay, to see the larger penguin species and its rich volcanic formations, and at Oamaru, I came upon a flock of kiwis, which led to my kiwi drinking tea doodle. This will soon be going on my new collection of trays.
surya.kumar@thehindu.co.in
