“A Lonely Storm”
By Zoya Zafer (7th) The Journey of the Graceful Rock Crab The slender crab, also called the graceful rock crab, has a few different names. Its scientific names are Metacarcinus gracilis (used by WoRMS) and Cancer gracilis (used by ITIS). You can find this crab in places like Prince William Sound, Alaska, Sebastian Vizcaino Bay, Baja California, and Mexico. It has a rare purple color and is sometimes found in bays, but other times, it lives deep in the sand and mud—as deep as 174 meters! I chose to paint this crab because I love its purple shade. In my artwork, the crab is standing on a beach with big waves crashing behind it. The white lines show the foam that forms in the ocean during a storm. The dark blue, black, and white colors in the background make the storm feel intense and powerful. But even with the storm around it, the crab stays strong. I added yellow and pink on its legs to show how special this crab is. It stands in the middle of the painting to show that it is independent and brave. Even when it’s alone, it is still part of its graceful rock crab family. No matter where it is, it belongs. This artwork tells a story—even when things get tough, you can keep going and get through it. #RockCrab #MetacarcinusGracilis #ArtAndNature #StormySeas #StayStrong #KalaArtAndDesign
The Story of an Albacore
By- Gianna Joe Thoms Grade 2nd I made a painting of an albacore tuna swimming in my Kalaa Art & Design Studio. The fish is silver with a dark blue back. It has long fins that help it move fast through the water. I used different shades of blue to show how deep the ocean is. The top of the ocean is bright blue and the bottom is dark blue. Light shines through the waves, making the fish sparkle. The tuna looks smooth and shiny, like it is really swimming. Tiny bubbles float behind the tuna as it moves. In the background, there might be other sea creatures. Maybe there are little fish swimming nearby or a big shark far away. The water looks like it’s moving with soft waves. The painting shows how the ocean is full of life. The painting makes me feel like I am in the ocean swimming next to the fish. The colors are bright and pretty. The fish looks strong and free moving fast through the deep blue water. The ocean is big and full of amazing creatures. This painting shows how beautiful and special the albacore tuna is. It is a wonderful fish that belongs in the wild sea!
Truly magnificent; Tiger Rockfish
Rianna Shah Grade:8 The ocean is full of incredible creatures, but the tiger rockfish stands out as one of the most beautiful. The vibrant orange and brown stripes make the fish look fierce and elegant. Not only the fish but, its habitat is also just as beautiful, such as the vibrant and rocky reefs. In my artwork, I depicted this by portraying the dark rocks in the background of the fish, along with showing off the vibrant pink plantation around the fish. As I was selecting my artwork for this piece, I wanted a fish that was not only visually stunning but also unique, and the tiger rockfish was the perfect choice. I tried to capture its beauty by showing off the bold brown stripes and elegant orange body. This fish doesn’t blend into its surroundings as its vivid color scheme makes this fish stand out. The fins and spine on this fish, make the rockfish look truly majestic as it glides through the ocean floor. I love how the ocean is dark yet vibrant where this fish lives, and I displayed this stunning scene with a blend of black and blue paint. The Tiger Rockfish is truly magnificent, not just its beauty but also its gorgeous habitat in which it lives. This fish was truly an inspiration for me to paint, and through my art, I hope to capture the uniqueness of this exquisite fish. The world is full of beautiful creatures however, the tiger rockfish will always be one of the most beautiful. Inspiration : Ocean Light.com
Madhubani; Tradition Takes Flight
By: Pragna Gowdra Grade 8, Kalaa Studio A Journey Through Art: The Flying Fish of Imagination Created at Kalaa Studio, this artwork feels like a glimpse into a magical world, where tradition and fantasy come together. At the heart of the piece is a giant, flying fish-shaped vehicle, soaring through the sky with two people peering out from its windows. The fish is decorated with bright stripes and intricate patterns, outlined in bold black lines that make every detail pop. The vibrant colors—orange, green, and yellow—bring the scene to life, bursting with energy and excitement. Inspired by Madhubani art, a traditional Indian folk style known for its flat, colorful designs and natural plant-based dyes, this piece captures the essence of cultural storytelling. There’s no shading, just bold, two-dimensional patterns, much like illustrations in a book. For me, this artwork is about adventure and imagination. In Madhubani art, fish symbolize good luck and life, but here, the fish flies, representing the thrill of exploring new places. Below, a group of villagers dressed in traditional Indian attire stand with their hands raised—perhaps waving goodbye or cheering with excitement. A smiling sun with a human face watches over them, adding warmth and connection to the scene. This piece tells a story of a village coming together, either to send off loved ones or to share a message with their leaders. It blends heritage with fantasy, showing that even the most traditional stories can take flight in new and unexpected ways. #ArtAtKalaaStudio #MadhubaniArt #FlyingFish #FolkArtMagic #ImaginationInArt #KalaArtAndDesign
The healing power of art
“The arts are a critical component of healthcare. Expressive art is a tool to explore, develop, and practice creativity as a means to wellness.” ~ Wellarts Association ART has the power to heal, inspire, provoke, challenge & offer hope. ART enhances individuals, society, and the environment. Decades of research have provided more than a sufficient amount of data to prove that arts education impacts everything from overall academic achievement to social and emotional development and so much more. Research has proven the arts develop neural systems that produce a broad spectrum of benefits ranging from fine motor skills to creativity and improved emotional balance Every time you engage in a new or complex activity, your brain creates new connections between brain cells. Your brain’s ability to grow connections and change throughout your lifetime is called brain plasticity or neuroplasticity. Creating art stimulates communication between various parts of the brain. And this is the mere reason why art is important in our daily lives. Art and design process makes life worthwhile. It may not be vital to fulfill our basic needs, but it does make life joyful.
Village Scene, Warli Art
By, Minali Kancharla, Grade 7th The word Warli means a piece of land in the Varli language. Warli is a folk painting style native to India that mostly represents traditional everyday living and special events. The Warli style uses geometrical designs to make the main body of the subjects, this is for humans and animals. Warli painting uses basic shapes such as circles, triangles, and squares. The first step to this art is to sketch out your village scene using a set of basic shapes and make geometric patterns on the dresses. The page was then washed with tonal watercolor, to give a vintage effect. After the water wash on the page dries up, I outlined the sketch with a black point pen. The color scheme chosen for this artwork was Split complimentary, for this I chose two sets of split complementary colors. For each animal or human, use one set of complementary colors to fill the designs inside the subject. The end result is a colorful piece of art made from basic geometric shapes and colors.
Periodt…! periods are not our weaknesses, but our strengths
By -Saesha Sharda, Grade 9th When I was a little girl, I was not really encouraged to talk about menstruation, especially in front of my older family members and relatives. Not only was I confused about why periods occur, but also why I wasn’t allowed to talk about it. Now that I’m older and know about periods, I can comfortably talk about them with my parents whenever I have questions or concerns. Menstruation is a fascinating process that happens to almost every single woman on the planet, and I don’t understand why women get shunned for talking about it. Periods are not ‘gross’ or ‘weird’, they’re pretty cool. We need to empower women and encourage them to stand up and talk about light-hearted things like periods, to other heavier topics. My artwork on women empowerment ties into the concept of women helping women. In my artwork, I have shown three women helping each other climb a cliff through a fire. The cliff represents the normal hardships women have to go through, and the fire represents how the outside world makes it harder for women to achieve these tasks. I have used acrylic paint to show a silhouette of the women the background is with acrylic textures. It is important we address things like this through artforms for expressions, I feel it is a step in the right direction. Women are awesome! But, I do understand that the older generation was raised to not talk about women’s’ issues and menstruation, but it is time that changes. Our periods are not our weaknesses, but our strengths; and it’s pretty cool that we get to go through this cycle that perpetuates the entire human species!
A Child’s Mind is not a Container
And just when this 10 year old said, I am not sure if I can paint!! she made her first wall painting which might look amateur to her as she travels more in this path, but sure would never be forgotten as it’s the first and it’s the prettiest and most importantly it is truly hers! 10 of the many skills children learn from art: 1. Creativity 2.Confidence 3.Problem-solving 4.Perseverance 5. Focus 6. Non-verbal communication 7. Receiving constructive feedback 8. Collaboration 9. Dedication 10. Accountability Arts education is a big part of building a 21st century creative mind, and I think that we have let way too many kids lose their way by not drawing in their young minds with music, dance, painting and the other various ways we can express those things we do not have words for. By Heather Watts Art has the role in education of helping children become like themselves instead of more like everyone else. Every time you engage in a new or complex activity, your brain creates new connections between brain cells. Your brain’s ability to grow connections and change throughout your lifetime is called brain plasticity or neuroplasticity. Creating art stimulates communication between various parts of the brain. Kala Art & Design studio, mission is in developing unique artistic voice, unlocking freedom of self-expression, and a light hearted but deeply meaningful approach of learning art and design. #kalaartanddesign, #art, #Design, #creativeminds, #littlehands #tinyfingerscreatingmagic
Art & Design Classes with Kalaa
An immersive experience which includes understanding of elements of art and design, mixing of colors, visualization and representation with creative thinking. Learn from a professional artist with 20 years of Design teaching experience. 3-4 students per class, provides for maximum personal attention directly with the trainer. A broad array of class times are available: Classes meet once a week for a period of One/ One and a half or two hours, depending upon levels. Learn as you go at your own pace. Fundamentals of Art & Design (AGES 4 to 8): $85/ month for class and material Art & Design Techniques (Ages 9-15): $120/ month for class and material Oil / Acrylic / Mixed Media Painting: $120/ month for class and material Design Thinking & Process (Ages 12 and up): $150/ month for class and practice material Painting Retreats for Adults: $120/ 4 sessions for class and material Each student will complete a final artwork /painting / to be exhibited at the end of the course. please click: Class Info
