Colours from Nature: A creative exploration of natural colours and eco-printing techniques: Inspired by Arunima Choudhury’s practice and facilitated by Sutanuka Giri

9 August 2025 

Date: Saturday, 9 August 2025 

Time: 3:00 – 6:30 PM 

Venue: KCC Studio Room, 4th floor 

Recommended age: 15 years and above 

 

ENROLL NOW

 

In 2006, artist Arunima Choudhury made a deliberate decision to use colours derived from organic sources in her paintings, choosing them over industrially produced paints sold in tubes. Choudhury, who was guided by Sutanuka Giri, a then student of Kala Bhavana, Santiniketan, to experiment with natural eco-friendly materials in her practice, went on to produce an extraordinary volume of works with natural colours over the last two decades. 

 

Taking inspiration from her paintings on display at Emami Art at the solo exhibition āranyaka: Arunima Choudhury’s Recent Works on Nature – this workshop will introduce attendees to natural colours and embark on the art of applying natural colours on fabric and paper guided by textile artist and printmaker Sutanuka Giri.  

 

This workshop is a public-facing programme under the ongoing solo exhibition at Emami Art on display till 9 August 2025. 

 

Workshop Structure: 

  • 15 mins: Brief introduction to the basic concept of natural colours 

  • 15 mins: A slideshow presentation on natural colours 

  • 2 hours: Colour application 

    •  Practical application of three sources of natural colours in India on fabric  
    • Application of two sources of natural yellow colour on fabric using tie and dye process 

  • 30 mins: Drawing with natural colours on paper 

  • 30 mins: Basic concept of eco-printing, live demonstration of eco-print wrapping process (only as an example) with some images 

  

Note: All materials will be provided. Participants are requested to bring a soft bristle paintbrush of their choice to paint on paper with. 

 

 

 

About the Facilitator:   

Sutanuka Giri (b. 1975) completed both her MFA and BFA in painting from Kala Bhavana, Visva Bharati Santiniketan. She is an avid practitioner of textile arts, and at present is engaged in working on eco printing with vegetable dyes and cyanotype printing, often combining both with tie and dye to create interesting compositions. Sutanuka Giri has participated in many group shows at important art galleries in India and abroad including GenNext III at Aakriti Art Gallery, Kolkata; a duo show with Arunima Choudhury, Kolkata; 2016; a group show at Birla Academy of Art & Culture, Kolkata; 2000; Dhoomimal Gallery, Delhi; India Habitat Centre, Delhi; Gallery Romain Rolland, Delhi; Henry Moore Gallery, Royal College of Art, London; and Stories from the Cocoon, an online art exhibition as part of Rasa Arts Festival, Michigan; 2018. She has also been invited to participate in workshops such as the Young Artists’ workshop organized by Paschim Banga Rajya Charukala Parshad, Kolkata; and another by Ruia Group and Santiniketan Society of Visual Arts and Design, at Santiniketan. Sutanuka Giri is also a writer of short stories. Her short story collections include Shroban Kathon Likhoner Ajogya, Astiswamoy, and Emni. Presently she works as an art teacher at Patha Bhavan, Kolkata.