Block-printing can also be therapeutic

Intricately-carved blocks of wood are works of art in their own right. The technique of block-printing combines the skill of two artists — the carver and the printer. And when they come together, they produce heritage pieces that capture and document centuries of Indian tradition. Mulund-resident Shyamala Rao has been practising this art for over 15 years, and her home is a repository of 4,000 blocks collected from different nooks of the country. Rao will teach the basics of block-printing at a workshop organised as part of a pop-up by indie shopping portal Jaypore. What got Rao hooked to blocks, we ask. "I used to exhibit hand painted, dyed and embroidered salwar kurtas. In the early 1990s, I spotted an ad for a five-session workshop by Panna Dossa in Wadala, a first generation entrepreneur from Kutch. She had a saree store on Peddar Road. Post this, I started perfecting the technique. I created pieces for a boutique in Thane for over 15 years."