Travel: Your inner artist awaits you in Karla near Lonavala

Next weekend, head for an art getaway near Lonavala to put up in a plush homestay and create works from natural objects

Ifâu00c2u0080u00c2u0088you are planning a getaway, here's one with a difference. Next weekend, participate in a two-day art workshop in the serene environs of Karla, 20 minutes from Lonavala. Titled Art-O-Nova, the workshop will be conducted by painter Vijaya Kalyan, who has been awarded the title of a 'Millennium Artists' by 2000 Foundation — The Netherlands, and has worked as an art consultant in Aamby Valley.

The Buddhist Karla Caves nearby will be a source of inspiration for guests

"The idea behind a weekend getaway with an activity is to encourage people to surrender themselves to the environment and leave with a sense of belonging," says Mohit Gupta, founder of Velvett Homestays, which curates alternatives to hotels along the Konkan coast and the Mediterranean coast in Spain.

With a maximum capacity of 50, the workshop will be conducted at Lilac Homestay, a 70-acre property featuring plush apartments (available on twin-sharing basis) within a gated community. With private attached gardens and balconies overlooking the lofty Sahyadris, the space is perfect for fuelling your creative energies, believes the team.

The homestay apartments

The art workshop will begin with three small experiments to understand hand and eye coordination. "They are a series of simple exercises to make the participants aware that art exists in their everyday life. It will help open their minds to the creations and designs they are surrounded with. We will conduct the exercises outdoors," says Kalyan.

Vijaya Kalyan

Later, guests will be presented with a variety of material to create a piece of art that they can take home with them. "We will use materials like soft metal wire, paper, magazines and objects found easily. Techniques like paper quilling and papier mâché will also be used in creating the artworks. The nearby Karla Caves and the heritage forts, which were once the base of legendary artist Raja Ravi Varma, are there to be a source of the inspiration for the participants," adds Kalan. It also includes a bonfire and a spread of local Maharashtrian cuisine. What's not to like?

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