Artist’s unique calendar combines illustration with introspection

“Art beyond the canvas is a powerful conversation into the observer’s mind. It can heal, inspire and affect a person’s life in a positive way,” begins Akshayaa. 

Her recent project, the ‘Storybook Calendar’, is an extension of her Inktober series called Natchathira Kaadu (Forest of stars). “Natchathira Kaadu is a meditative visual documentation of my journey into an infinite world of stars. 

The protagonist being a woman, with a gift of sensitivity, explores the deep mystical forest, learning and unlearning life, discovering the deepest lessons of life as she travels, trusting the instincts of the universe around her. It helped me understand the importance of self-love, connecting with my inner-child and giving it the true essence of the infinite world we fail to recognise.”

This DIY calendar storybook, which uses umi ink and micron pen to illustrate this series, comes as a compact kit with a book cover having 24 illustrated cards and space for penning down your thoughts, poems, doodle or stories, with respect to the artwork. “This series is more than a calendar. From the visual appeal, to using your creative juices to produce something magical, the whole kit is designed to be a form of meditation through art,” adds the artist.

Akshayaa says, “If people sat outside and looked at the stars each night, I bet they’d live a lot differently. When you look into infinity, you realise that there are more important things than what people do all day. We realise how small we are and how we make a mountain out of a molehill when it comes to our problems. This summarises the intent of my Storybook Calendar.”

The artist who is the brainchild behind the cover design of popular cycling group, ‘The Cycling Yogis’, is currently experimenting organic ways to create wood jewellery and lifestyle products as she feels a need to move closer to nature through art.

Akshayaa, who gives a colourful twist to antique products, had started her first social project in the city, ‘Undelivered letters — P.S returned with love’, which garnered a lot of attention. Here, she started doodling 25 famous quotes of Poet Rumi to create awareness about the importance of gratitude and love to be delivered to your loved ones, in the form of words and expression. “In this ever-changing lifestyle, a moment to connect with your inner-self is a rarity. And art is my medium for the same,” she finishes.