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
Mumma Bear;Shading Techniques
By Saira Siraj, 7th Grade The first artwork (of the two that I will be talking about) that we did is a shading techniques page. Here we have 4 different ways to shade in a drawing, shading, scumbling, stippling, and hatching. I first made a 16by16 grid towards the bottom of the page. Then we drew two long rectangles, on the top of the page. In the first one, we made lines inside, making equal parts. Then we shaded the rectangle from lightest to darkest. Then below that, we made the same scale but as a gradient, this time with no partitions. In the 16by16 grid on the bottom half of the page, we made columns of different shapes, spheres, cubes, cylinders, and cones. We shaded each row with a different technique. Hatching, Scumbling, Stippling, and Shading. Scumbling was the easiest as it was like scribbling and Stippling took the longest because you have to be very careful with the dots and make sure they don’t look like lines. Hatching, Scumbling, and even Cross Hatching, all are similar because, to make the value darker, you need to make the lines/scribbles closer together to show the tightness. Our next artwork was a drawing of a mama bear and a baby bear. We were allowed to use any techniques that we wished, so I decided to do shading, as it would not take up as much time and I could still get a good-looking drawing. I started off by sketching the two bears. Then, we shaded the cave and the crevices of the bears really dark.
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!
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
