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HEAR FROM OUR STUDENTS
Inika & Aneya Patwardhan
Pradyun Pokish
Entrepreneur, Restaurateur, Teacher
I've been a part of the Creative Club family for more than a decade and I can honestly say its been one of the most enriching experiences of my life. Whether its figure studies, workshops, murals, clay work or annual exhibitions, every experience has allowed me to explore myself and the world around me and how I could bring the two together. Often I'd just sit in a corner, with a cup of coffee and a stack of Nat Geos, just taking in the good vibes of the studio. Much zen. Through it all though, what I value most is that it has put me in touch with some truly wonderful, honestly inspirational and often very silly people. Right from my gurus, to fellow students, to the kids who come in for batches over the weekends, there's been so much to learn and share. There's a reason I call it the Creative Club family and that's because it's been my second home.
Arun Jethmalani
Analyst & Co-founder, ValueNotes
What the Studio (Creative Club) means to me:
- A sanctuary
- Smiling faces, clay and paint
- A place to make new friends of all ages
- Art, artists and learning
- Chaos amidst creativity
- A place to hang
Tania Kamath
Creative Director, Watering Can Foundation
I pottered about Creative Club (literally) almost a decade ago for more than 4 years. The place exuded warmth and bonhomie. There was freedom to explore the form, the medium. It felt safe to make mistakes and grow while being gently guided on technique. There was no external target to achieve. The only goal was to discover and refine one’s style continuously. Though we were mentored by Suju and Rashmi, who are accomplished artists, there was no pretension in any way. One sensed their conviction that art could be accessed, and expressed by anyone. That was so reassuring and exciting! Seeing how they both created their art and related to it, was inspiring. The films, the books, the discussions on philosophy, deepened the understanding of self and the creative process - especially when accompanied with chai and wada pav or goodies baked by Suju & co. 😁 I miss CC and hope to resume some day!
Hema Honwad
Educator
Magic exists! Miracles do happen!
Year 1992. I must have been in my early forties then.
Quite accidentally I found this amazing space when I wanted my school children to paint murals on the walls of our school. Creative Club was the name of this space and it was a dream realised by Mr. Bal Wad.
He brought along with him INSPIRATION and the whole EXPANSE of CREATIVITY when he visited our school. His eyes could see through you and entice you to find the hidden ‘CREATIVE YOU’ within. That’s how he interacted with my students.
I could never let go of this invitation and I kept yearning to learn from him because he never TAUGHT but gently urged you to learn.
He never used the tools that generally most teachers tend to use. It was his unconditional trust in you and your creativity that moved us to see where we were and go a step ahead. There was never any Rejection, Acceptance, Evaluation, Judgement or Comparison of your work. Like Socrates he would ask questions and help us do soul-searching which led to better work.
CREATIVE CLUB is a dream come true not only for him, but for anyone who is searching for the deeper self within.
He is still THERE in the Club. Suju and Rashmi, Ishita and Shamira carry on with his legacy which has been soaked deep down to their souls. All of us feel his presence there.
You can just drop in at the club, do what you feel like doing on that particular day, enjoy a hot cup of tea served with plenty of laughter, warm hugs and eat wada-paav with your clay dirty hands and just BE. I am so lucky to be a lifelong learner and a permanent member of the creative club.
Arti Sansgiri
Homemaker
More than 30 years ago, as a child, my younger sister and I used to attend what was then Satsun - art classes running every SATurday and SUNday. I attribute a lot of my art skills to the things I learnt back then from Sujata Miss. My sister actually went ahead and made a career out of it - she is an architect and also an avid sketcher. Although I did not take up a career in Art, I can say that what I learnt here has helped me appreciate different things from an artistic viewpoint. I wanted my kids to have a similar experience which is why I enrolled them both into The Creative Club.
My kids have loved going to the art classes every weekend. My daughter is a lot on the artsy side and loves the different innovative activities that are planned each week - whether it's pencil, oil pastels, paints, clay or paper. She has developed a liking to explore various art forms on her own.
Each activity at The Creative Club is carefully thought out and children are encouraged to expand their imagination and express their views freely. The sessions are very different from a regular class and the collaborative atmosphere encourages cross-learning. My kids and I also love the way the space has been designed with art benches, both indoors and outdoors, blended with a lot of greenery.
I would highly recommend The Creative Club to all children of all ages.