What if you could turn your favourite painting into statement jewellery?

What if you could turn your favourite painting into statement jewellery? Arathi Rajagopalan, founder of House of Kalart was just experimenting with colours and textures on canvas when she came up with the idea. A graduate of NIFT, it took the Chennai-based designer up until 2010 to quit her job as the head of Merchandising at Lifestyle and find her creative expression through designing. Attempting to fuse her love for hues and knowledge of metalsmithing, the designer launched her first collection titled Suminagashi in February. “I had styled a few advertisement shoots earlier and always found that I was inclined towards jewellery. It was during a DIY experiment with crayon drip art that the idea of creating a jewellery line emerged,” she says, adding that it was the control to create forms that piqued her interest. The collection that mirrors its Japanese namesake of floating ink, follows the technique of marbling.

Splash of colour

In the city as part of an art exhibition, the 35-year-old’s abstract paintings which are on display also find their way onto her creations. An item collection (similar designs available in different colour combinations) that is predominated by statement earrings, the line also includes necklaces and bracelets. Characterised by the use of geometric shapes, Suminagashi offers bright hues and vivid colours across the collection. “While the pieces are hand assembled, some of the components are manufactured in a cast,” Arathi shares, adding that the collection uses acrylic enamel on a base metal of brass.  

Two’s company

Pointing out her favourites from the collection, we learn that the designer prefers naming each piece from her collection. “Ila and Naira are my picks from the collection. The earrings have two of my full-sized canvas paintings transposed onto them.” And since the designer-artist is in the city showcasing her art alongside her jewellery collection, customers might get a chance to see the paintings that inspired her two statement earrings.

Rs 500 upwards. At Art Houz. On until April 5.