Bengaluru is not just a dream IT city, but also a haven for many artistic endeavours. For those into arts and crafts or anything creative, finding a one-stop shop that offers all supplies and kits may be hard. There are a handful of stores that encourage crafts people and keep an ample supply of raw materials. Itsy Bitsy is one of them. Be it painting, stationery, crafts or home décor, baking or flower making, pottery or sculpture, Itsy Bitsy has it all.
“Itsy Bitsy supports artists and creators, who have made arts their core business. It is a one-stop solution to all hobby, arts and crafts needs of people from all walks of life,” says Harish Closepet, who founded the place with Rashmi Closepet.
Rashmi is doctor-turned-creative director and Harish a civil engineer. Both lived abroad for years and came back to Bengaluru “with a dream to provide employment to women in rural areas as well as to make art supplies and stationery easily accessible at affordable prices in India.”
They are now organising a two-day carnival to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Itsy Bitsy. Called the ‘Creativity Carnival’, it will be held on December 8 and 9.
“There will be 100 stalls with jewellery, arts and crafts. Besides shopping, food and music, there will also be games and activities for children. The carnival will not just be a place to have fun, but also a place of learning,” says Harish, who adds that there will be plenty of hand made stuff. “The idea of Itsy Bitsy is to provide employment to crafts people. Besides this, there is always a charm about anything that is hand made, which can never be replicated by a machine,” adds Rashmi.
Harish believes, getting involved in crafts is a “perfect stress-buster, which one cannot get by being glued to technology all the time. There are many craft lovers out there who need a platform and this carnival provides them that. We will also have rural jewellery makers who have bought beads from our place at the event.”
This is the first time that Rashmi and Harish are organising the carnival. “If the response is good, we plan to have it every year as an annual event.”
Itsy Bitsy’s Creative Carnival will be held from December 8 to 9 between 10 am and 8 pm at Shankaraa Foundation, near Yelachenahalli Metro Station.
