The Crafts Council of TamilNadu (CCTN) comprises of like minded people from Coimbatore who work towards not just preserving hand craft but also in helping people learn and get to know about intricate handiwork from other parts of the world.
The Crafts Council of TamilNadu (CCTN) comprises of like minded people from Coimbatore who work towards not just preserving hand craft but also in helping people learn and get to know about intricate handiwork from other parts of the world.
The core committee of CCTN with the help of Mrs.Malini Narasimhan (a talented floral artist from Coimbatore) had the honour of hosting a world renowned designer of Thai floral craft, Mr.Phubast Chesdmethee in our city. He was here to share his expertise in; creating dramatic floral installations,weaving techniques of traditional Thai floral garlands and elevating the beauty of simple garden flowers by turning them into intricate works of art.He is affectionately referred to as Poo and was delighted to hear that his name in Tamil meant ‘flower’.
The demo and workshop were open to all and the event caught the attention of many people from other parts of India and abroad who also registered alongside the participants from Coimbatore. As a member of CCTN I registered for the demo which was slotted for the whole day inclusive of lunch and tea breaks.
There was an underlying buzz of contained excitement as we all took our seats at the Legend Hall at Residency Towers. Having worked late into the night, the previous day, Poo had already set up a visual treat for us to gaze at on the stage, before his arrival. A beautiful bough of a gooseberry tree curved artistically outwards from it’s subdued charcoal backdrop. It was further accentuated by glorious layers of crimson which in fact were dried leaves brought by Poo from his country. The bare stalks were then studded intermittently with individual white blossoms and was most riveting.
This stunning installation added to the expectations of what lay in store for the day. If we thought we were getting a lesson in floral artistry alone, we couldn’t have been more mistaken. As Poo began his demonstration with a reverential namaskaram with cupped hands to resemble a lotus bud he gave us a deep insight into the origins behind Thailand’s floral heritage.
Floral offerings are a physical manifestation of the intense respect and love that the people of Thailand have towards their Gods and elders. To add beauty to the home by hand crafting a beautiful arrangement is again a labour of love. It is important to understand that florists in Thailand do not deal in cut flowers that are placed in vases like in the west.Instead flowers which dot the Thai landscape like orchids, lotuses, crown flowers, varieties of jasmine etc are transformed into stunning works of art. Crown flowers is another name for our very own erikalam poo. Every side of it was used to give a different texture and facet which looked stunning.
Poo is the owner of Malaiwan (florist) since 1980. He is self taught and has designed, participated and hosted a plethora of floral events worldwide and was master florist and judge at the 2018 Vietnam Interflora Expo at Ho chi Minh city. The accolades received by him over the past 3 decades are too many to keep count and yet the individual before us exuded a charming humility and most importantly a deep passion for his craft.
As he continued to talk about the many techniques,he highlighted the importance of learning the craft and also forming our individual identity with it. The main techniques in this art form are sewing, pinning, netting, folding and tying. As Poo churned out one gorgeous creation after another he spoke about how floral offerings were elaborate not just for weddings and happy events but equally so for funerals.
It was amazing to see visuals of floral chandeliers cascading over the casket and delicate curtains made of flowers adorning the entrance of the crematorium. Poo explained that it is a way of celebrating the life lived before passing on to the next realm.
Poo is passionate about enhancing the livelihood of the traditional garland makers of Asia. As a result he was more than happy to teach his craft to our local poo karars who were greatly instrumental in helping Poo with prepping the flowers for the two day demo here in Coimbatore. The garland makers of Coimbatore under the guidance of Mrs.Malini worked cheerfully and enthusiastically towards making this event happen without a hitch and their efforts were much appreciated by Poo.
Each creation produced by the hands of such a talented master craftsperson were of course nothing less than masterpieces. He showcased traditional wind chimes that were used to add a freshness to the home before the use of air conditioners. Hand garlands to welcome guests, hair accessories, containers made from young and aged banana leaves, jewellery boxes, bridal bouquets, small and large installations to add drama to public spaces were all executed with the same precision and finesse.
When participants kept asking about the price of his handwork, Poo spoke about not allowing costs to go overboard.The only way to keep floral art thriving, he says, is to make it affordable for the common man. By incorporating dry elements and easily available flora and fauna he perceives in ensuring the comfortable livelihood of the many floral artisans of his country. An intricate hand garland for example would retail between Rs.150-Rs.200 a piece.
He also encourages people to learn this craft and apply it in other ways using fabric, clay, metal etc. Poo’s philosophy,” Make sure your base is strong before going higher. Take no short cuts or else you will collapse”. This is something that also applies to his attitude towards life and it was evident in the manner in which he interacted with every person in the room.
By being a witness to him complementing an arrangement done by a local florist, admiring the beauty of our puja spaces, delighting in our floral rangolis, enjoying Indian cuisine, to not expecting to be treated as a celebrity, meeting Mr.Phubast Chesdmethee was a great learning and soul satisfying experience.
The core committee of CCTN with the help of Mrs.Malini Narasimhan (a talented floral artist from Coimbatore) had the honour of hosting a world renowned designer of Thai floral craft, Mr.Phubast Chesdmethee in our city. He was here to share his expertise in; creating dramatic floral installations,weaving techniques of traditional Thai floral garlands and elevating the beauty of simple garden flowers by turning them into intricate works of art.He is affectionately referred to as Poo and was delighted to hear that his name in Tamil meant ‘flower’.
The demo and workshop were open to all and the event caught the attention of many people from other parts of India and abroad who also registered alongside the participants from Coimbatore. As a member of CCTN I registered for the demo which was slotted for the whole day inclusive of lunch and tea breaks.
There was an underlying buzz of contained excitement as we all took our seats at the Legend Hall at Residency Towers. Having worked late into the night, the previous day, Poo had already set up a visual treat for us to gaze at on the stage, before his arrival. A beautiful bough of a gooseberry tree curved artistically outwards from it’s subdued charcoal backdrop. It was further accentuated by glorious layers of crimson which in fact were dried leaves brought by Poo from his country. The bare stalks were then studded intermittently with individual white blossoms and was most riveting.
This stunning installation added to the expectations of what lay in store for the day. If we thought we were getting a lesson in floral artistry alone, we couldn’t have been more mistaken. As Poo began his demonstration with a reverential namaskaram with cupped hands to resemble a lotus bud he gave us a deep insight into the origins behind Thailand’s floral heritage.
Floral offerings are a physical manifestation of the intense respect and love that the people of Thailand have towards their Gods and elders. To add beauty to the home by hand crafting a beautiful arrangement is again a labour of love. It is important to understand that florists in Thailand do not deal in cut flowers that are placed in vases like in the west.Instead flowers which dot the Thai landscape like orchids, lotuses, crown flowers, varieties of jasmine etc are transformed into stunning works of art. Crown flowers is another name for our very own erikalam poo. Every side of it was used to give a different texture and facet which looked stunning.
Poo is the owner of Malaiwan (florist) since 1980. He is self taught and has designed, participated and hosted a plethora of floral events worldwide and was master florist and judge at the 2018 Vietnam Interflora Expo at Ho chi Minh city. The accolades received by him over the past 3 decades are too many to keep count and yet the individual before us exuded a charming humility and most importantly a deep passion for his craft.
As he continued to talk about the many techniques,he highlighted the importance of learning the craft and also forming our individual identity with it. The main techniques in this art form are sewing, pinning, netting, folding and tying. As Poo churned out one gorgeous creation after another he spoke about how floral offerings were elaborate not just for weddings and happy events but equally so for funerals.
It was amazing to see visuals of floral chandeliers cascading over the casket and delicate curtains made of flowers adorning the entrance of the crematorium. Poo explained that it is a way of celebrating the life lived before passing on to the next realm.
Poo is passionate about enhancing the livelihood of the traditional garland makers of Asia. As a result he was more than happy to teach his craft to our local poo karars who were greatly instrumental in helping Poo with prepping the flowers for the two day demo here in Coimbatore. The garland makers of Coimbatore under the guidance of Mrs.Malini worked cheerfully and enthusiastically towards making this event happen without a hitch and their efforts were much appreciated by Poo.
Each creation produced by the hands of such a talented master craftsperson were of course nothing less than masterpieces. He showcased traditional wind chimes that were used to add a freshness to the home before the use of air conditioners. Hand garlands to welcome guests, hair accessories, containers made from young and aged banana leaves, jewellery boxes, bridal bouquets, small and large installations to add drama to public spaces were all executed with the same precision and finesse.
When participants kept asking about the price of his handwork, Poo spoke about not allowing costs to go overboard.The only way to keep floral art thriving, he says, is to make it affordable for the common man. By incorporating dry elements and easily available flora and fauna he perceives in ensuring the comfortable livelihood of the many floral artisans of his country. An intricate hand garland for example would retail between Rs.150-Rs.200 a piece.
He also encourages people to learn this craft and apply it in other ways using fabric, clay, metal etc. Poo’s philosophy,” Make sure your base is strong before going higher. Take no short cuts or else you will collapse”. This is something that also applies to his attitude towards life and it was evident in the manner in which he interacted with every person in the room.
By being a witness to him complementing an arrangement done by a local florist, admiring the beauty of our puja spaces, delighting in our floral rangolis, enjoying Indian cuisine, to not expecting to be treated as a celebrity, meeting Mr.Phubast Chesdmethee was a great learning and soul satisfying experience.