Story of a Designer
Each one of us has a story, and so do I! The story of August Accents reveals as a natural extension of my academic and professional life as a designer.
My father, a Textile Engineer, designed looms and holds the record for designing the first shuttle less loom in India. His assignments would take him to various stations, and we – my lawyer mother, my sister and I would accompany him. I was born in Maharashtra, India but left Gujarat as a preschooler traveling with my parents to Africa and back. Within India too we moved between states. At 14, I was through seven schools and knew five languages. But this had a lop side. Climbing the rungs of the career ladder may spell excitement for grownups; but for a child it is hard adjustment. I remember to be going through some exceedingly challenging periods adjusting to new surroundings.
Thankfully, this turned into good things soon enough! I was a quiet, observant kid who loved to draw. As life was fast imposing adapting on me with a new location every few years, without any conscious effort my observation and expression started blossoming on paper, lines-figures-colors becoming my new friends, my very own, and unconditional. In absence of lasting outside friendships, I held on to them with affection. One of my most fond memories during my childhood in Africa was visiting Masai Mara every weekend where the art of the Masai’s (Kenyan tribal folk) struck me as most beautiful and stayed with me. Creativity is compelling for an artist, and I think this was the phase for me.
I studied Interior Design in college. Outside the core subject of Design, the program brought exposure into the socio-cultural milieu. Teamwork was great. The independent practice that followed warranted Client-Handling as a prime skill. The execution process was grueling yet fulfilling. To remain dreamily lost in colors was great, but budgets and bar charts held real life appeal. Then in America, the graduate program at Drexel University almost instantly widened my perspective as a designer. Before I knew I was handling interior design, furniture design, lighting design and product design. Amazing years of learning through experimentation and trials!
My recent noteworthy endeavors include large lighting design projects for hotels, offices, schools, and convention centers. But what remains etched on my mind are my projects for casinos and museums. The surreal, glittering world of gambling or the magnificent art galleries that we see unfold only after months of sweat and toil of us backstage artists! Lighting has one of the strongest identities in a designed space that plays big on the occupant’s psychology. To say I have enjoyed watching the effects of lighting on minds, colors and finishes is an understatement. Lighting breathes life into space!
Expression is my need, my strength, my fetish. I have loved exploring old mediums to express new ideas, and now aspire to showcase them through August Accents. Anita Kulkarni is my ex-colleague and mentor; and August Accents is essentially our artists’ studio. I adore the freedom and tranquility I experience in drawing and painting. And after all, platforms like August Accents is where creativity completes a cycle after meeting the connoisseur eye!
Hope you like our creations!
Anuja Palsule
July 10, 2020
