Barrel and Brush

Supriya Devarajan

I'm no artist. Growing up in Germany, I was called "Tollpatsch," which essentially means clumsy klutz. We were graded between 1 and 6 in school, which is equivalent to the A-F grading system. 1 is outstanding, and 6, obviously, the opposite. My grade in art, or “Kunst” as it is called, was always between 4 and 6.

I had always considered myself a right-handed person with two left hands. But then I saw the "Peepa" (Tamil for barrel). My brother and I were clearing up our home in Chennai after our parents passed away. It was an emotional and tiring affair. While clearing the attic, I came across two barrels. They were cream-coloured, ancient and rather dirty. They had belonged to my paternal grandmother, Soundaravalli. Her mother, my great-grandmother, gave them to her when she became a bride at the ripe old age of twelve. They were meant to store rice.

I sat on one of the barrels and found it rather comfortable. And that’s when the idea took root. I decided to paint the peepa- my little DIY project, my art therapy. I brought it home to Bangalore where it sat in one corner of my balcony disconsolately for a couple of months.

I looked at it and wondered what on earth I was going to paint on it. Considering my non-existent artistic skills, I wanted to choose a very simple motif. I had a pen stand decorated with a Worli art pattern on my study table, and I decided to copy the design.

I spread out several newspapers in my balcony and began working on my masterpiece. I spilt paint everywhere, but the end result was worth it! I felt better- art does do wonders, and my grandmother was happy it wasn’t dirty anymore.

Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you, my pièce de résistance " The Worli Peepa." Please be kind, I possess an artistic temperament now!

It is ideal to store all my letters, relics from a bygone era- lock, stock and barrel. Sorry, I couldn't resist that one!

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Objects of Our Affection is a series exploring our connections to the furniture and objects that make our spaces home. Through stories of tables, chairs, and that odd-shaped thing only you love, we celebrate the inanimate pieces that hold memory and witness our lives.

If you'd like to contribute your own story to this series, we'd love to hear from you. Micro-essays, poems, reflections, and fragments welcome. Write to us at hellothadi@gmail.com. Word limit 400.