Under Grey Skies Print

Born in Mumbai, India, surrounded by several artists I developed a creative spirit and a keen interest in various forms of arts and crafts. As a child, I traveled with my father on his business trips to visit ancient Indian architectural sites. After graduating from high school, I pursued a Bachelor in Fine Arts at Sophia Polytechnic, a school of Bombay University. My mother's dedication to Indian classical music led me to learn the sitar while in college. After graduation, I freelanced for children's publications for a few years and in 1984 moved to the United States. While raising my two boys, I volunteered my artistic abilities for some non-profit organizations. When my younger son entered preschool, I studied computer graphics. After working for two years as a computer graphic designer, I went back to school to learn web design and computer programming. For two years, I worked for a large telecommunications corporation. Throughout my years of work with computers, I continued to paint on glass, wood, fabric, metal, walls and canvas as an emotional release. My background allows me to work with a variety of stylistic influences from historic to modern. My computer graphics skills allow me to create several designs in multiple color combinations with ease. For any given setting, I can visualize the design and color combination necessary to create a pleasant floorcloth. My skills in web design enable me to continuously maintain Design Village website. In 1997, I was exploring options to give a unique look to my new living room. I searched for a rug with dark blue and yellow ocher in a wrought iron grill design, to no avail. After months of googling I stumbled upon floorcloths. A hand-painted canvas rug - century-old European art which would allow me to create the perfect combination of color and design to match my room's decor. I was intrigued by this concept of a functional art for the floor. After I made my first beautiful floorcloth, I became passionate about the art. With encouragement from family and friends, I made a few more for other rooms of the house. After passionately studying the craft, I perfected my technique to produce durable, easy to maintain floorcloths with the desired artistic appeal. In 2001, losing the job as a web designer gave me an opportunity to introduce floorcloths. I launched www.floorcloth.net, as the online store for Design Village.