A Lot can Happen Over Coffee

Blending artistry, culture, and connection, a new wave of DIY art cafes is connecting communities across India

- TANISHA SAXENA

In the opening scene of La La Land (2016), a Los Angeles highway is transformed into a stage drivers leap from their cars, twirling and singing in an unexpected burst of colour and creativity. That moment, where the mundane and the artistic merge, is a perfect metaphor for what's happening in India today, but instead of highways, the stage is a café, and instead of song and dance, it's art that's breaking through the everyday.

Picture this: a cozy corner in a bustling café where soft music hums in the background. People sit side by side at communal tables, not buried in their laptops or phones, but immersed in splashes of paint, brushstrokes, and swirls of ink. A young woman, apron on, is rolling clay into tiny pots, her fingers deftly shaping each one as she talks to the person next to her. A couple, brushes in hand, quietly laugh as they experiment with colours on a shared canvas. At another table, a group is learning the ancient technique of block printing, stamping intricate patterns onto cloth as their tea cools beside them.

These aren't professional artists.

They are students, engineers, mothers, and retirees all gathering for an afternoon of self-expression and creativity in India's growing network of DIY art spaces. These venues, a blend of art studio and café, offer a sanctuary for those looking to disconnect from the fast pace of modern life and reconnect with their creative instincts.

SMALL LIGHTS, BIG DREAMS

One such space making waves in this landscape is Ignite Candle bar and art cafe, a brainchild of 21-year-old Shreya Gudena launched in April this year in Hyderabad. The cafe offers a dynamic range of artistic activities, making it a go-to destination for creative minds. Patrons can indulge in ceramic painting, where bisque-ware can be uniquely painted and kiln-fired, or opt for canvas painting with materials and stencils provided for a stress-free experience.