Tahira Nusrat Karim
Tauska
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When one says, hears or sees the word white it can evoke many things and ideas from snow to skin; from clouds to cotton, and even salt and sugar. But white is never really true white when we look at the world and its details, white reflects a lot of light and with it other colours and shadows. If we think about sugar, granted there are brown unrefined, and white more crystalline sugars that are almost partially translucent in quality compared with the brown sugars, with salt we generally think right away of table salt - white like refined sugar, and maybe sometimes we think of pink Himalayan salts. When I was in Peru, near Cusco I visited Maras - a salt flat - in the Andes, and it was interesting to see the salts, at times of the year white, at other times of the year pale browns, greys, and pinks. In the tables where the water and salt would rise one could see many structures of salts forming and creating pools and layers within the pools, resting, forming larger crystals, and crusts, and different colours emerging from the light play on the pools. Beautiful. Tahira Nusrat Karim
Tauska So I just realized that I absolutely love learning and that I want to go do my MFA and then perhaps another later on and then also sometime way down the line also my PHD. I am most definitely cut out to be an academic - I absolutely love continuous learning, research, working on my own art, but also love the intellectual discussions about my areas of interest with like-minded persons, and teaching; so it all fits together :) It's a long long road but then I'm all about the meandering journey like a long river that stretches across a vast land. And so far my journey also seems to be leading towards a career in academic teaching - meandering a bit - but going that route with; my BFA in animation and media studies, a BEd in middle years education, experiences in teaching grades one through to eleven, continued courses in painting, print, and perfumerie, a short professorship teaching animation and graphic design at the School of Fine Arts in Cusco, Peru, etc. So now it's all about deciding what MFA would be good for me, and where to do it - I definitely will choose a warm place with ocean access so that I can also breathe and chill the way I need and enjoy best. So perhaps California, or perhaps France or Portugal, or maybe, just maybe London. The next few months will be spent figuring this out, and then visiting the top couple choices to make the right choice - for other than taking into account the professors with whom one works, and the opportunities that a school may provide for or allow, are taking into account the opportunities of the city, and its artistic resources in regard to museums, galleries, and libraries, it job opportunities, the weather or climate if that affect you, and of course the overall vibe of the city - for that is often where one will start to make even more contacts. Anyhow here is to figuring out purpose, passion, and pursuit! Tahira Nusrat Karim
Tauska I've been working on a two book, book set for young children. The books are simple alphabet books that are also fun, educational, diverse, and also a little bit feminist and controversial. They've been a blast to work on, but the daunting part now comes - the business side - finding publishing houses and sending the transcript around. Starting to find good self publishers too! Tahira Nusrat Karim
Tauska I’ve been reading a fair amount about water and color these days, as I continue to work on a small series inspired by the colours and patterns of Millefiori and Rose windows. It’s quite astonishing how much of art and science interplay within the realm of colour - and this is most especially true during the 17th and 18th centuries when all artists are not just mixing their colours, but in fact creating them using different waxes and oils, and then mixing them with various powdered substances - of different mineral, plant, and animal materials. I’ve become rather enraptured in my further learning about colour, so much so, as to also begin playing with colour in regard to experiments in colour theory and play and perhaps moving forward by next year, even into the creation of my own colours though these older techniques that are not so often used anymore. Anyhow, here’s a quick peak into almost completed series based on these patterns found within both Millefiori (Italian glasswork beads) and Rose windows (round stained glass windows found in many European cathedrals). I’m really enjoying creating the rhythmical patterns and the resulting imperfect pattern play. Tahira Nusrat Karim
Tauska Paint night with community youth a success!! November 19th we painted toucans. Piece was based on the bold color and designs of Mexico - with a nod to Frida Kahlo's love of nature Tahira Nusrat Karim
Tauska While I was in Peru attending the school of Bellas Artes (Fine Arts) in Cusco, both as professor and as student, I was very blessed to have worked with an amazing faculty and groups of students. The school’s administration, my mentors, other professors, and peers were welcoming, and ready to share their experiences and learning. In turn they were very open to me sharing of my knowledge and experiences within my domains of learning with all of them. I want to take this post to give an special shout out to the director of the school, LIC Carlos Hugo Aguilar Carrasco, the academic director, LIC Luis Abdon Perez Perez, the director of the faculty of art, Yohn A Lasteros Hogaldo, for their incredible support, and also giving me a chance to prove my abilities, and my mentors and wonderful professors namely - Juan Challco, Richard Peralta, Marcial Quispe Quispe, Irwin Antonio Ferandiz Castro, Ronal Mamani, and Victor Zuniga for sharing their expertise, and in mentoring me to produce higher quality works. My students, although I will not name names here, did a wonderful job in keeping a positive attitude through the courses, in producing some excellent and interesting work, and in also sharing of their knowledge and experiences in regard to their art and lives. To all of those, named and not, of whom I came into contact with at this wonderful arts institutions, once again, I Thank you!! Tahira Nusrat Karim
Tauska One massive part of Peruvian culture, especially around the regions of Arequipa, Lake Titicaca, and the Sacred Valley (where Cusco is located) is cultural dance. From a young age, and as a part of their schooling, boys and girls partake in annual cultural dances at their schools and across the city during certain times of festivity. The dances are complex and usually of a group type. The costumes are all varied and full of colour. One dance that is quite unusual is one in which the girls play whip the boys and stand over them. Another that is quite unusual is one in which the participants play in herding animals. Theatre is also a varied and large tradition in the country used not only as a form of entertainment, but as a way to tell about histories between the Incan's and the Spanish, and to pass down Incan traditions, beliefs, and ways of life. Of course, now there is also a mix of more contemporary theatre. In Cusco every year during the festivals of Into Raymi - the sun solstice - many theatrical pieces of reenactments of Incan beliefs and culture take place through the walled city. In regards to music, dance, and theatre, Peru really is a treasure trove - there is so much, and so much of it is quite different. And it is not just for those into dance or theatre, or for the elite; these things are for everyone and they happen in the small villages all the way through to the big cities. It's a beautiful thing. Tahira Nusrat Karim
Tauska In the districts of Barranco and Miraflores, Lima is really really safe. Miraflores is more of an upity district full of all the rich peoples, and high end restaurants and stores, and very cleanly kept. Barranco is just a tiny bit grittier, and full of gorgeous graffiti and street art. The graffiti and street art in Barranco is pretty, meaningful, and full of love and colour, and I'm wishing I'd taken more pictures of it - which often happens when the prettiness is sooo much that one is just in that moment and the idea of coming out of that moment to capture a picture all but disappears. Anyhow, if you are ever in Lima - make that trip to Barranco and check it out!! While your at it grab a coffee or ice cream and take in the wonderful performances from the local street musicians. Tahira Nusrat Karim
Tauska Due to the influence the Spanish culture and Catholic religion have had in Peru, much of the country's artwork reflects as such. There are many ornate churches and religious paintings, as well as plazas, fountains, and park sculptures. The works are often colourful or littered with Incan designs and patterns giving a dutiful nod to the more ancient culture of the country. Some of the most ornate, beautiful, and unique pieces of art can be found in the church - La Merced - in Cusco - in which there are housed many paintings in the style of Cusco, and in the parks of Lima - such as the Love Park - in which the artist Victor Delfin drew from the works of Spanish Architect Gaudi - and created a colourful mosaic park over looking the ocean and centred with a large sculpture of two lovers. As for plazas, I would say that some of the most beautiful are in Cusco, Arequipa, and Lima - namely the Plaza de Armas in Cusco, the Plaza de Armas in Arequipa, and the Plaza de Armas of Barranco in Lima. These plazas are not only beautiful, but laid out so well that they are always teeming with people coming to enjoy the plaza, the people, the ice cream, and just be. Tahira Nusrat Karim
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AuthorHello! I am Tauska, nice to meet you. I love creating children's books. On this blog I write about my projects and books, processes, passions and education. Feel free to get in touch and, or say hello! Archives
April 2021
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