We began our ‘Friday Five’ IGTV interview series as a fun way to stay connected and engaged with our community during this time of social distancing.
Listen to our conversations and meet our favorite interior designers, artists, showroom sales staff, our artisan partners, and others that inspire us.
Through a set of 5 questions, we provide a glimpse into the world of these remarkable people.
Our most recent guest is author, Christine Chitnis.
“Christine Chitnis is an author and photographer. She lives with her husband and three young children, Vijay, Vikram and Meera, in Providence, Rhode Island. Her writing and photography are inspired by the farmland and coasts of her adopted home state, though her love of the natural world dates back to childhood summers spent in Northern Michigan. After traveling to India for over a decade with her husband, Vijay, her book, Patterns of India: A Journey Through Colors, Textiles and the Vibrancy of Rajasthan is out now!” (from her website)
Christine is the author of ‘Patterns of India,’ a gorgeously crafted book that highlights the beauty of Indian patterns and colors explored through the vibrancy of Western Indian culture. Beautiful in imagery and story, Christine’s personal journey comes through each page.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Read an excerpt of the conversation…
1- What is your background and how did it lead you into writing books?
I have a journey that meanders. My degree was in environmental studies, For a long time, I wrote about our food systems from a sustainability standpoint, and I wrote for various publications and explored a wide range of topics. So, anything from gardens at prisons to gardens at public schools, to land access in New England, I was immersedin the world of local food and food systems in New England. That led to my first book, which was called ‘Markets of New England’, a small little travel guide to local farmers and artisan markets throughout New England.
That launched me into a publishing career that I’ve had ever since. So back to back, I wrote two cookbooks, exploring how to introduce local foods to young children because I had my boys who were really young at that time. I was feeding them and taking them along on this journey with my background and while writing, and so that book was called ‘Little Bites’, which was my second book. Then, because I try to feed my kids a low refined sugar diet, I had developed interesting recipes and my third book was a dessert book. All free of refined sugar and specifically frozen dessert, so popsicles, ice cream and yogurt. That was called ‘Icy, Creamy, Healthy, Sweet’.
2- How did you get interested in India as inspiration?
I had built up an archive of photographs from my first trip there. I would see these color stories present themselves and I would notice that the pink fabric of a woman’s sari would echo the rose chains hanging on the flower stands, and all of these various shades of pinks and these reds that, to my eye were very specific color stories that kind of weaved throughout the culture touching on all aspects of dress, food, architecture, and textiles.
I feel like I have both an insider’s and an outsider’s view. I’m obviously a white woman from the US. I’m a tourist when I go there, and yet I’m traveling there with my husband, who speaks Hindi and Bengali and practices Hinduism. I’m there as a tourist and a guest in the country, but I’m also there in a more intimate way. That’s why I think I felt I could tell this story in a way that was respectful and knowledgeable of the culture and that shared a bit of my husband’s stories.
Then tie it all together with the color stories, patterns and some of the rich history. I had a wonderful group of friends and professors and people willing to guide me and read over the work to make sure that everything I was writing was culturally appropriate and correct and reflective of India, both the history and also today, as a modern country. That was really important to me. And I think, having a foot in both worlds and traveling with my husband and then my children and seeing it through their eyes, allowed me a unique perspective that I am grateful for.
3- Did you take the images while traveling before you had the book idea, or did you specifically have the idea and then take these images?
That’s a great question. They were taken mostly before I had the book idea. I took one trip after I had signed the book contract and knew specifically what to focus on, which at first was color. My team at Clarkson Potter, were wonderful and suggested we focus on pattern as well because that would position the book towards the interior design world too.
4- Who are your favorite authors and what books are you reading these days?
I’m a huge reader and I love to read fiction. I just finished one of my favorites that just came out called, “The Vanishing Half” by Brit Bennett. But I think one of the first authors I was introduced to after I met my husband was Jhumpa Lahiri, a favorite of mine. Her writing helped me understand a little bit of my in-laws’ experience in moving to the West without knowing anyone and the loneliness of that immigrant experience. Her writing touches beautifully on that.
I have been making this one recommendation of reading “Station Eleven”, which is about a pandemic, but in a weird way really interesting and fun to read. It’s so good and it will freak you out and that’s been enjoyable.
5- Your book is organized beautifully by color, what is your favorite color, and do you have a favorite image?
Yes, definitely pink is my favorite color so the Rose chapter is without a doubt my favorite. Most of the frescoes and the patterns used in India are some of the most inspiring ever seen. a around and show them pictures and the little boy was shy at first and I just remember meeting them and it was beautiful. When I travel and my kids are with me now a lot, that also bridges the gap between languages. They play together and they’ll pull out a little matchbox toys and then they go off and they’re fast friends. It’s such a culture that just loves and really cherishes children, so I think when you travel with children, it opens you up. With each picture in here I remember the exact time it was taken in that moment. I think that’s what makes it special for me to look through and remember.
I have to ask, since you’ve written a book about pattern and color, what is your favorite pattern in our line of textiles and wallcoverings?
I love your Bandra pattern and I have to figure out what I can make or cover in that pattern, probably a chair? We have some good friends that live in the Bandra neighborhood of Bombay, and when I saw that pattern, it made me think of them!
Another pattern that really spoke to me is the pattern with the mirrors sewn in- Mahalaxmi. It is beautiful when it catches the light and has a different dimension.
To listen to the rest of the conversation, tune into our IGTV here
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
We are excited to partner with Christine for an amazing giveaway hosted on our Instagram!
One lucky winner will receive –
– a curated grouping of our textile remnants
– a hand-block printed tote in our Napa pattern color rose’
– a copy of ‘Patterns of India’ by Christine Chitnis
Please head over to our Instagram @seemakrishtextiles to enter our giveaway for a chance to win these amazing prizes!
GIVEAWAY GUIDELINES:
1. Follow both accounts, @seemakrishtextilesand @christine.chitnis
2. Tag a friend or 2 who would love these prizes!
3. Share this post to your Instagram story for an additional entry
We will draw a winner Sunday evening and announce the winner in our stories the following Monday! Open to all, including internationally!
•
Giveaway open until 4:30pm PST/ 7:30 pm EST on Sunday 8/02/2020.
For more information on Christine, please visit: https://www.christinechitnis.com
Follow her on Instagram @christine_chitnis
