When Art Invades The Kitchen!

Computer science professor Uma Garimella channels her imagination by creating art from kitchen and nature essentials. 

Dr Uma Garimella is a woman of science with a creative side that comes up with new surprises. Uma, who lives near Chennai, learnt music in childhood and is an accomplished singer. But few know about a creative pursuit that she discovered during the lockdown and has found her sense of calm and spot of mindfulness in -- kitchen art. Kitchen art, as the name suggests, is art using grocery items found in the kitchen. Uma takes it a notch further by creating art out of everyday objects, including scraps of paper and clothes! Here in her own words, are her musings on art, imagination and how other pursuits enrich her life.

Everyone asks me how I started this. It's quite surprising to me also because I never had any background in art. I've done artwork and embroidery in school, but I don't think I was interested in it. So this was something that caught my fancy during the lockdown. This is not vegetable carving that is typically done traditionally. This isn't food art, either. It is a simple and creative hobby.

Sometimes I see the image somewhere. Sometimes, it's just my own idea. Sometimes I try to reproduce a painting or photograph with whatever material I have, but the challenge is to reproduce the shades. My ingredients can go from rice to vegetables, pulses, herbs, leaves, peels, flours/rawa, tea/coffee powder, seeds, sauces and (rarely) cutlery and cups. And of course, imagination and inspiration. For instance, when I heard Queen Elizabeth had passed away, I looked up her sketch and immediately created it with tea powder. I don't sketch any of these out. I make these completely freehand. 

Some of the art takes a very long time to make, more than a couple of hours. I look through my mobile camera and make corrections. In the process, something else may shift. There is also some preparation involved in some, like grating vegetables. There is always the problem of ants if you leave out half the ingredients for later or the issue of wilting vegetables. So the whole process is time-consuming. I'm also discovering this and the method as I go along. I usually try to do this when creativity strikes!

How Have Creative Pursuits Added To My Retired Life?

I haven't thought very deeply about how kitchen art has helped me. But over the years, I've been doing a lot of self-work and other pursuits like cycling and spiritual discourses. I love driving. I have done the Golden quadrilateral drive four years ago (8300 km in 23 days) and have been doing a lot of other shorter travels of up to 2000 km, often solo or with a non-driving cousin/friend. 

In the last 20 years, I have done a lot of self-development, therapies and workshops to work on my mind. I've been into Vedanta now for the last four years. Since I'm retired now, almost all day long, I read or listen to something. If this kitchen art activity keeps me engaged, it's also cycling and music therapy that I learnt with Rajam Shanker. About four years ago, I took up cycling. Now, I cycle 20 km most days, and some days I do a few extra kilometres. Cycling and walking are non-negotiable for me. Evenings are reserved for that. My longest ride has been 100 km, and I have done 80, 75, 60+ (3-4 times), and 30-40 many times.

 The endless conversations with colleagues and family are gone, and a vacuum is created that's difficult to fill. Being alone can further aggravate loneliness. Taking up a physical and/or creative activity is an antidote to the idle mind's psychological and social problems. I am not alone in discovering art; a doctor friend has taken up pottery, and some retired teachers started to crochet and embroider. Another professor I know set up a huge terrace garden. And none of them had any background in these.

With the internet and smartphones, we can learn anything under the sun, sitting in the comfort of our homes. The most important thing is to avoid slotting yourself as a senior citizen to follow others blindly, become less active, or engage in discussions about ailments and medications or children and their families. Retirement is a second chance at life to do whatever we missed out on when we were young because the world of opportunities is more accessible now.

Aren't we lucky?

-- Uma Garimella spoke to Reshmi Chakraborty

Did you enjoy browsing Uma Garimella’s kitchen art? Do you work with materials around the home yourself? Does it bring you a sense of peace and mindfulness, like it does for Uma? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.

All photographs courtesy: Uma Garimella