By Jahnavi Shukla

This past month, Aadya Bommineni and Shriya Shaji, two artists from our art school, took the initiative to create a hands-on Madhubani program at their school, Woodinville Montessori.

Woodinville Montessori School had chosen to host a Diwali event on November 16th, and Aadya and Shriya decided to run a Madhubani stall at that Diwali event.

At their stall, they engaged young children by teaching them how to create Madhubani designs on diyas and bookmarks. Some even took the extra step, wanting to add their own touches to their work! 

“Children also wanted to incorporate their favorite animals, and were eager to learn how to draw them,” Shriya told us. It was wonderful to hear about the interest expressed by the children in the art form, deeming Shriya and Aadya’s efforts to shine light on Madhubani as an art form a success.

By Jahnavi Shukla

Two of our art school teachers, Ms. Deepti Agarwal and Ms. Nikita Thakalath, were invited to run a booth at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation’s Diwali Celebration on November 19th. 

Our booth offered a chance for employees to try their hand at Madhubani, providing visitors coasters, frames, and designs for employees to paint and take home.

This celebration was intended to create an opportunity for Gates Foundation employees to be exposed to different Indian traditions, making our school’s booth one of the many booths that showcased a different aspect of India

By Jahnavi Shukla

On December 7th, seven artists from our art school: Adithi Siva, Krithi Siva, Rama Panchapagesan, Shriya Shaji, Hasini Gopal Rengan, Tanvi Kuttuva, and Srinidhi Kodemala volunteered to help run the Bothell Rocks Madhubani rock-painting event. 

Splitting into two time slots, they helped set up a booth, engage visitors, and teach them how to paint Madhubani designs onto rocks, attracting the interest of both kids and adults. It was an evening well-spent by all volunteers, teaching others and giving back to the community.

By Manavi Shukla

This year, our art school hosted its first-ever alumni art show at Centro Cultural Mexicano, a cultural center in Redmond. The pieces were shown for a month, from November 15th to December 15th. Along with the show, there was an artists’ reception which was held from 6-8 pm on Wednesday, December 11th. 

Many guests arrived at the reception, which hosted a henna station and amazing photo opportunities. The reception also hosted the internationally celebrated sarod player Brandon McIntosh, who played for the entire two hours of the reception time. With around forty-five art pieces showcased, and ten artists at the reception, the show was a great success. If you didn’t get a chance to check it out, here are some photos from the event! 

By Anvika Bheemarasetty

We were thrilled to wrap up our final corporate workshop of the year with a vibrant and talented group of Microsoft engineers. The spotlight of the session was Madhubani art — an Indian folk art known for its intricate designs, bold colors, and storytelling. The participants dove into the creative process, painting on photo frames and coasters. As they brought these pieces to life with vibrant patterns, they connected with the rich history and symbolism of Madhubani art, experiencing the joy and creativity behind this centuries-old tradition. 

By Anvika Bheemarasetty

As part of India Culture Week, hosted by the Consulate General of India in Seattle, we had the privilege of conducting a Madhubani painting workshop on November 14th at Seattle University. The week-long celebration, in collaboration with Roundglass India Center and the Office of Global Engagement, aimed to showcase the richness of Indian culture. Our hands-on workshop, led by teaching artist Anvika Bheemarasetty, along with youth artists Shriya Shaji and Anvitha Babu, gave participants the chance to explore the intricate techniques of Madhubani art. 

We were thrilled to see attendees engage with this traditional Indian art form, learning its cultural significance and creating beautiful pieces. The event was a wonderful opportunity to share the beauty of Madhubani art with the community, and we were excited to contribute to such a meaningful cultural celebration!

By Manavi Shukla

One of our young artists, Janani participated in a holiday marketplace hosted by Clara Barton Elementary School. She made many beautiful frames, coasters, and paintings in the Madhubani style. Many of the visitors showed great appreciation and interest in the Madhubani style. By the end of the night, she was almost sold out! After the show, Janani even donated a portion of her proceeds to her own school’s PTSA. Congratulations to Janani for creating such amazing pieces!