Ananya is a designer and illustrator who enjoys finding dynamic ways to tell stories. She works on projects with social impact, and runs a youth collective bringing innovative design approaches to climate action and gender equality.

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Ananya-Patel.jpg

Ananya Patel

<h4>ANANYA PATEL explores the timeless nature of wisdom and how it affects every little detail of our everyday life.&nbsp;</h4>

Timeless Wisdom

The gigatonne challenge

<h4
 id="h-ananya-patel-shares-her-experience-of-the-gigatonne-challenge-and-how-it-has-helped-her-learn-about-community-building-and-teamwork-with-elizabeth-denley"
 >
 ANANYA PATEL
 shares her experience of the Gigatonne Challenge, and how it has
 helped her learn about community building and teamwork, with
 ELIZABETH DENLEY.
 </h4>

 <hr class="vertical-space1" />

 
 Q: Ananya, tell us about yourself and what you’re doing.
 

 
 AP: I am a
 graphic designer and illustrator. I’ve also co-founded a climate action
 group in Vadodara, India, called the Vadaavaran Collective. We started
 as a youth-led climate action collective in 2020, in the middle of the
 pandemic, as a lot of us were back home with some time on our hands. We
 signed up to the Gigatonne Challenge run by Complexity University. This
 global community supports and trains people around the world to tackle
 complex global challenges, including climate change.
 

 
 The Gigatonne Challenge helps teams around the world build capacity to
 reduce carbon and greenhouse gas emissions. You start with a small
 target and increase your target as your team grows and becomes stronger.
 The goal is for different teams everywhere to contribute to the global
 movement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, create green jobs, and
 build resilient communities.
 

 
 Q: What sort of projects are you working on?
 

 
 AP: We
 started with composting for sustainable waste management. There aren’t
 any waste segregation policies in Vadodara, so a lot of waste goes into
 landfill, which can be a health hazard. As young people who didn’t have
 much experience in the climate space, but who shared a deep concern and
 who wanted to impact our community, we started with food waste to start
 building the muscle for tackling this complex challenge.
 

 
 We began working with small residential communities, helping them set up
 composting systems locally. And that has evolved. Initially we were
 collecting waste in our personal vehicles, composting, blogging,
 designing bins with a logo, etc. Then gradually we were at the third
 level of the Gigatonne Challenge, trying to abate 10 tonnes of carbon or
 greenhouse gas emissions per month, for three months, and we received
 some funding to do this.
 

 
 We approached a couple of low-income communities, low-cost housing
 residents in Vadodara, and a self-help group of women with a certain
 level of literacy and education. They were trained by the government to
 carry out public health awareness, AIDS awareness, and other campaigns
 at the community level. They had a considerable impact and influence in
 their community, so we asked if they would be willing to learn how to
 compost and manage waste. We would train them, we would employ them, and
 we would help them set up a livelihood-generating model so they could
 carry this forward. That’s where things started to make sense for our
 group: something that might work for the future, something we could
 replicate.
 

 
 Q: You’ve talked about a lot of decisions. Who made those decisions?
 And how did you make them?
 

 
 AP: We were
 conscious of having a structure and organization where everyone had a
 voice. There was a core team of five or six of us, and a wider volunteer
 and community network. We communicate dour proposals within the network,
 and asked, “Would you like to have an active role in making this happen
 and taking these decisions?” Those who did joined the team.
 

 
 The team of five or six of us steer edit forward, while people in the
 wider network were happy to lend their time and go with our decisions.
 In our team meetings, we heard from each person, what leads they had
 pursued, what insights they had, and what next steps we could take. And
 then the team discussed the best use of our time, resources, and energy.
 

 
 It was important for each team member to have a role and a
 responsibility, and everyone had an equally important role. If any one
 needed support, we offered it. Or, if anyone felt overwhelmed by their
 tasks, help was there to prioritize.
 

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 <h4 class="has-text-align-center">
 It was important for each team member to have a role and a responsibility, and everyone had an equally important role.
 </h4>

 <hr />

 <hr class="vertical-space1" />

 <div class="block-image">
 <figure>
 <img
 decoding="async"
 width="622"
 height="802"
 alt="climate-action2"
 class="lazyload has-img-center"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/climate_action2_997d4c2a6b.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-11T13:44:43.900Z"
 />
 </figure>
 </div>

 <hr class="vertical-space1" />

 
 Q: So you worked together as a team without one person leading.
 

 
 AP: Yes.
 The Gigatonne Challenge has a certain structure of targets, reporting,
 and documentation to record the data and tell the story accurately. Some
 team members were good at working with data, while some were good with
 the community, talking to people and connecting with them. We tried to
 find a balance between both those things, and tried to keep the essence
 of what we were doing at the heart of it, while keeping an eye on our
 framework and what we needed to do.
 

 
 Q: How did the composting project go?
 

 
 AP: I think
 it was successful. The women produced a lot of compost, which they then
 started to sell as an additional source of income. We took them to the
 Maker Fest, which happens in Vadodara once a year. We tried to draw out
 these little opportunities over the course of the year, and get these
 women to talk about their story. They were given a bit of training from
 the government and from other organizations to sustain their business,
 make business decisions, and become financially more stable.
 

 
 They faced a lot of community challenges, and a lot of compost was
 destroyed in the process. But through all that, these women kept going.
 They kept collecting waste, they kept talking to people. The lady who
 led the group was a good spokesperson. We tried to highlight her voice
 where we could.
 

 
 We were then approached by other self-help groups around the city,
 wanting to do something similar, because they saw it was bringing value
 to this particular group.
 

 
 I’m about to start a project with a bit more structure – six groups in
 six different localities. We’ve got another round of funding from the
 Gigatonne Challenge and we have designed an action-learning program
 where we gather the women, along with our volunteers who will be working
 with them, and our mentors who give a few hours a week to help these
 groups design their systems.
 

 
 It is an equal education space, and a really lovely environment to have
 these conversations. We have designed a three-month training program on
 waste collection, composting, maintaining compost, basic planting, and
 gardening. Our hope is that we can guide these women to work in their
 localities – where can they find sources of waste, where can they set up
 composters, etc.? Our volunteers and mentors will help them make sense
 of the information, put it into a system, and support them to set up
 livelihood generation hubs around Vadodara. We call them “Waste to
 Wealth” hubs.
 

 
 Q: And you’re also working with Kenyans. Tell us about that.
 

 
 AP: In
 Vadodara, I gradually took on more of a leadership role, coordinating
 the different arms of the team. I found it very fulfilling, and was able
 to use a lot of my skillsets and interests in different ways. So I was
 asked by the Gigatonne Challenge at Complexity University to start
 supporting teams in other parts of the world, and was then introduced to
 a team in Bungoma County, Kenya.
 

 
 It is a youth visionary network that has been operational since
 2018.They wanted a way for their work to have an action-oriented
 tangible impact, which is why they signed up to the Gigatonne Challenge.
 They are farmers in their 20s and 30s, who are very passionate about
 improving farming processes, livelihoods, and the quality of crop
 production in their area. I’ve been working with them for the past 12
 weeks and they have successfully moved from level1 of the Gigatonne
 Challenge to level 3.
 

 
 Q: What does that mean?
 

 
 AP: The
 level refers to targets. A level 1 team has just been introduced to the
 challenge. They are getting a sense of how to take an action-oriented
 approach toward climate crisis. The team is put through a two-week
 program where they are guided by experienced faculty and coaches. I was
 a coach for this team. And their goal for the two weeks was to set up a
 system that abated one tonne of carbon or greenhouse gas emissions
 within the two weeks. It had to be measured in accordance with the
 climate science.
 

 <hr class="vertical-space1" />

 <div class="block-image">
 <figure>
 <img
 width="600"
 height="446"
 alt="climate-action3"
 class="lazyload has-img-center"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/climate_action3_f62cff8b24.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-11T13:45:23.943Z"
 />
 </figure>
 </div>

 <hr class="vertical-space1" />

 
 Many teams choose food waste because it’s accessible and doesn’t require
 too much infrastructure, expertise, or money to setup. This team also
 chose food waste because composting fertilizers is valuable for their
 farms.
 

 
 When you finish level one, you move to level two, setting up a system
 that abates ten times the carbon or greenhouse gas emissions per month.
 Just to give you a reference, one tonne of carbon or greenhouse gas
 emissions is around 700 to 1200 kilograms of food waste.
 

 
 In Kenya, the team found big market centers where farmers and other
 vendors sold their produce every day. There was a huge source of waste
 that was being dumped or taken to landfill, so they would collect it by
 handcart, bring it to their farms, and create compost.
 

 <hr class="vertical-space1" />

 <div class="block-image">
 <figure>
 <img
 decoding="async"
 width="600"
 height="341"
 alt="climate-action4"
 class="lazyload has-img-center"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/climate_action4_0ae95734ab.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-11T13:46:02.199Z"
 />
 </figure>
 </div>

 <hr class="vertical-space1" />

 
 Q: So, after 12 weeks, what happens next?
 

 
 AP: At this
 stage we’re trying to have a much more structured and intentional way of
 leading teams through. Vadodara was one of the first teams to take up
 the Gigatonne Challenge, and when we started everyone was still figuring
 it out. It’s quite a new approach, completely based on action, in
 accordance with the science, and how we divide the work among everyone
 in the world.
 

 <hr class="vertical-space1" />

 <hr />

 <h4 class="has-text-align-center">Illustrations by ANANYA PATEL</h4>

 <hr />

Climate action initiatives

<h4
class="block-heading"
id="h-ananya-patel-talks-about-the-evolution-of-the-gigatonne-challenge-a-grass-roots-environmental-movement-she-also-explores-leadership-why-teams-should-sometimes-take-a-pause-to-connect-and-how-a-sense-of-responsibility-toward-the-people-involved-helps-her-stay-focused-on-the-challenges-at-hand-this-is-part-2-of-her-interview-with-elizabeth-denley"
>
ANANYA PATEL
 talks about the evolution of the Gigatonne Challenge, a grass roots
 environmental movement. She also explores leadership, why teams should
 sometimes take a pause to connect, and how a sense of responsibility
 toward the people involved helps her stay focused on the challenges at
 hand. This is part 2 of her interview with
 ELIZABETH DENLEY.
</h4>

<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<h3 class="block-heading">
Next Steps in the Gigatonne Challenge
</h3>


Q: How many teams are there around the world now participating in the
 Gigatonne Challenge?



AP: At this
point, we have around70 teams – some not so active, some very active,
some at level 1, some at level 4 – which is 40 times the amount of
waste. It increases 10 times for each level.



I designed a lot of the crowdfunding material for social media,
especially for the more focused campaigns to communicate with the world
about the vision and the work that has been done.



Q: Apart from food waste, what other projects are involved?



AP: There
are a couple of teams in Canada working with energy, with their local
councils. The councils are receptive to creating policies that limit the
use of energy in office buildings.



For the teams in the southern hemisphere, a lot of the work is with
sustainable zero-emission transport, from carts to electric vehicles.
The Gigatonne Challenge helps the teams get electric vehicles for their
work, so that they don’t add to the problem.



Q: Ananya, where do you see this going? You’ve been there since the
 beginning stages. This is something that works at a grassroots level
 around the world, and it’s coordinated out of a university. What sort
 of leadership will make this grow going forward so that it has a huge
 impact on the world?



AP: I
started out as a team member physically going to restaurants and food
vendors, picking up bags of garbage, bringing them to compost, and
actually doing the work. Now I’m helping other teams do that, because I
have built a capacity, I’ve built some experiential knowledge.



I’ve spent time with communities who are experiencing this issue on a
much larger scale. I think I have a responsibility to support these
communities, to help them pick up skills.


<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<div class="block-image">
<figure>
 <img
 alt="environment-teamwork2"
 class="lazyload has-img-center"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/environment_teamwork2_700x555_15503eaa19.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-12T11:16:33.181Z"
 />
</figure>
</div>

<hr class="vertical-space1" />


The climate crisis is something we’ve grown up with, and we can’t ignore
the way it’s happening in the world. One of the things that really had
an impact on me were the big fires in the Amazon. I remember thinking,
“What do we do? What is the future for me?” I know a lot of people who
were coming out of university and starting their careers, and trying to
figure out who they are, when the pandemic hit. A lot of things were
uncertain. At that point I was like, “It doesn’t help to just fret about
it.”



If you can imagine a world where all these issues don’t exist, maybe you
can do something about them. It just made sense to me. I’ve always
wanted my work to have an impact that is beyond myself, that means
something more to the world, and this is something I have stumbled upon
that gives me that.



Q: You’re also a designer and a very good illustrator. How does that
 capacity help with this?



AP: The
teams do a lot of really hard meaningful work, but they don’t have the
tools or the capacity to share their stories in an impactful way.
Telling their stories makes a huge difference. While designing a lot of
infographics and visual material for the Gigatonne Challenge, I have
started to see how the creative aspect comes into play – communicating
the story, and the design.


<h3 class="block-heading">
Tips for Young Leaders
</h3>


Q: What qualities do you think are important for young leaders today,
 given the uncertainty of our future and the need to do something and
 not just wait for somebody else to do something?



AP: When
there is this intense need to do something, it’s easy to get caught up
in the work. I remember being so focused on the project and making sure
the team was okay that I didn’t ask myself, “Am I okay?” Had I done
that, I would have supported the team better. It’s important to take a
minute to assess yourself, what you’re going through. It’s difficult and
challenging, and a lot of people have anxiety about it.



It’s frustrating because things don’t work out sometimes, and it’s easy
to just keep going and going, especially when you don’t have much time.
It’s important to take a step back, assess how you’re doing internally:
Are you in connection with yourself with why you’re doing this work? Why
are you in this space? While working with people, it’s important to keep
reminding yourself of these things, and place yourself in your world. It
helps to keep going, otherwise you can easily feel burned out or lost.
When I did connect with myself, I was able to communicate better with
others.



When I was open about the challenges I was facing, the other team
members were more open about what challenges they were facing. That
created a space in the group where everyone felt it was okay to share
what they were going through.


<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<div class="block-image">
<figure>
 <img
 alt="environment-teamwork3"
 class="lazyload has-img-center"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/environment_teamwork3_700x521_d9be731718.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-12T11:17:07.196Z"
 />
</figure>
</div>

<hr class="vertical-space1" />


Q: Is that how you deal with differences of opinion in the team? With
 a team of five, obviously you won’t all agree on things all the
 time.



AP: We
haven’t been in a position of insane conflict, but when everyone is
feeling overworked or tired then conflicts bubble up. I just press pause
on everything.



For example, one time we were not able to agree on how we were spending
the money or what our priorities were. We were all tired and feeling
pressured, so I said, “Can we press pause?” That meant no more spending
money for the next three days. We didn’t go to work for the next three
days. We took a moment, and then we came together and had a physical
meeting.



We spent half a day connecting with each other, talking about what was
important to each of us, why these challenges were coming up, and why we
were having disagreements. That pause and reset helped us pick up and
say, “Okay! Now we’ve understood everyone’s needs, what do we need to do
as a team? In our group’s needs, everyone’s needs came into play. My
training in Heartful Communication has really helped.



Q: Any last words?



AP: The
reason I’m able to continue working with people in this way is because I
have a sense of responsibility toward them. If you don’t have that sense
of responsibility, you can’t do the work as effectively on an
operational level. It’s important for me to remind myself why I’m doing
it, what my role is, and what I need to do to make this work. Then
balance that with accepting those things are not in my hands, as I need
to be patient and mindful with those.


<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<hr />

<h4 class="has-text-align-center block-heading">
Illustrations by ANANYA PATEL
</h4>

<hr />

Environment, teamwork, and leadership

When needs must

<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:70.45%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/earth_we_share2_c6792f7ace.webp" alt="earth-we-share2.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_earth_we_share2_c6792f7ace.webp 145w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/large_earth_we_share2_c6792f7ace.webp 800w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/earth_we_share2_c6792f7ace.webp 800w," sizes="100vw"></figure><h4 style="text-align:justify;">In December 2023, ten ceramicists and sculptors met to collectively express what it’s like to share a world in crisis, through their medium of clay, which is so connected to the Earth. ANANYA PATEL was there to observe the artists in their element, and write about the projects they were working on.</h4>&nbsp;Over a span of two weeks in December, ten ceramists and sculptors from around the world gathered at the Ceramics Center, a not-for-profit studio established in Vadodara in 1998. It was among the first of its kind in India, offering support to artists, and at its heart was Jyotsna Bhatt, the late artist and beloved teacher, who was integral to the evolution of the Ceramic Center and the growth of the community. The center has always operated under an ethos of providing space, infrastructure, and technical expertise to facilitate the experimentation and execution of creative ideas, with a focus on creative expression rather than commercial gain.&nbsp;These ten artists were the second cohort of the “Remembering Jyotsna Bhatt” camp series in her memory, to bring new voices and perspectives to the center. They united under the theme, “The Earth We Share,” collaborating, experimenting and reflecting on the interconnected relationships between humans and the environment, and the issues emerging from geopolitical tension and climate change. The camp culminated in a group exhibition where the artists invited viewers to reflect on the beauty and fragility of the Earth we share. As they worked, artists reflected on their creative practice, on working at the Ceramic Center, on their interpretation of the theme, and on what it means to create art in a collective community setting.With her roots in Vadodara and a long standing relationship with the Ceramic Center, Falguni Bhatt conceptualized this edition of the camp, selected the artists, and curated the show. “This series of works explores the theme of lost landscapes and the impact of human activity on the natural world. I seek to highlight the beauty of the natural environment, while also drawing attention to the ways in which we have altered and destroyed it.”&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:69.01%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/earth_we_share3_36f32cd7e0.webp" alt="earth-we-share3.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_earth_we_share3_36f32cd7e0.webp 145w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/large_earth_we_share3_36f32cd7e0.webp 800w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/earth_we_share3_36f32cd7e0.webp 800w," sizes="100vw"></figure>&nbsp;Shalini Dam explores geopolitical narratives in her work. Here she prepares the components of her six-meter-long piece exploring the duality of peace and war through its symbolism in various societies and cultures.&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:70.28%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/earth_we_share4_9bcab48f2b.webp" alt="earth-we-share4.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_earth_we_share4_9bcab48f2b.webp 145w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/large_earth_we_share4_9bcab48f2b.webp 800w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/earth_we_share4_9bcab48f2b.webp 800w," sizes="100vw"></figure>&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:70.19%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/earth_we_share5_639a6c67c6.webp" alt="earth-we-share5.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_earth_we_share5_639a6c67c6.webp 145w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/large_earth_we_share5_639a6c67c6.webp 400w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/earth_we_share5_639a6c67c6.webp 400w," sizes="100vw"></figure>&nbsp;Jean Appleby, head of Pottery at the Heartfulness Institute, came to the camp to develop an artistic project.“From the first time I made art, I felt some guidance, that the ideas came to me in full form, not like I was discovering so much as I was receiving.”&nbsp;<img class="image_resized" style="width:69.14%;" src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/earth_we_share6_c7846604d9.webp" alt="earth-we-share6.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_earth_we_share6_c7846604d9.webp 145w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/large_earth_we_share6_c7846604d9.webp 800w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/earth_we_share6_c7846604d9.webp 800w," sizes="100vw">&nbsp;Recently, the guidance Jean received led her to explore an imagined narrative around early human civilization. She crafted a collection of objects created and preserved by early beings to be discovered and used in the present day.&nbsp;<img class="image_resized" style="width:70.59%;" src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/earth_we_share8_877097ff3d.webp" alt="earth-we-share8.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_earth_we_share8_877097ff3d.webp 145w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/large_earth_we_share8_877097ff3d.webp 800w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/earth_we_share8_877097ff3d.webp 800w," sizes="100vw">On creating these vessels for others to reflect upon, she hoped to “inspire us to recognize that many beings from many places have inhabited our planet. All beings entrust us to nurture Earth for all to become ONE.”Shweta: “I believe an artist’s thought has a voice that rings through their work to resonate with its audience. The artwork is an expression of that minimalism that hopes to provoke the viewer to reflect and delve deeper within. My ceramic works are in reverence and gratitude to our life force or energy, to Nature, and our planet Earth.”&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:69.81%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/earth_we_share7_8fe4c1f09b.webp" alt="earth-we-share7.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_earth_we_share7_8fe4c1f09b.webp 145w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/large_earth_we_share7_8fe4c1f09b.webp 400w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/earth_we_share7_8fe4c1f09b.webp 400w," sizes="100vw"></figure>&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:70.23%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/earth_we_share9_16e48ac01a.webp" alt="earth-we-share9.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_earth_we_share9_16e48ac01a.webp 145w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/large_earth_we_share9_16e48ac01a.webp 500w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/earth_we_share9_16e48ac01a.webp 500w," sizes="100vw"></figure>Dr. Julie Bartholomew was inspired to continue her research on bees and insect communities. She started her Habitat series in 2020 as a response to the loss of biodiversity, particular insect life, following the wildfires that devastated habitat in Australia. A beekeeper herself, her pieces are architecturally constructed working hives that can sustain bee communities and promote their population growth.&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:70.36%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/earth_we_share10_08d98eebc9.webp" alt="earth-we-share10.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_earth_we_share10_08d98eebc9.webp 145w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/large_earth_we_share10_08d98eebc9.webp 800w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/earth_we_share10_08d98eebc9.webp 800w," sizes="100vw"></figure>&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:67.58%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/earth_we_share11_d71f1e9077.webp" alt="earth-we-share11.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_earth_we_share11_d71f1e9077.webp 145w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/large_earth_we_share11_d71f1e9077.webp 290w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/earth_we_share11_d71f1e9077.webp 290w," sizes="100vw"></figure>&nbsp;This interest in bees and their collaborative communities is also shared by fellow artist, Antra Sinha. Antra says, “I am intrigued by the different types of shelter that exists in our civilization, and their status. I continue to think about hives, bees, and the collaboration that exists in communities of sentient beings and compare it to humans.”&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:70.96%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/earth_we_share12_8169d71f20.webp" alt="earth-we-share12.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_earth_we_share12_8169d71f20.webp 145w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/large_earth_we_share12_8169d71f20.webp 800w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/earth_we_share12_8169d71f20.webp 800w," sizes="100vw"></figure>&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:71.08%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/earth_we_share13_17f5b72bbe.webp" alt="earth-we-share13.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_earth_we_share13_17f5b72bbe.webp 145w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/large_earth_we_share13_17f5b72bbe.webp 400w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/earth_we_share13_17f5b72bbe.webp 400w," sizes="100vw"></figure>&nbsp;Indrani Singh Cassime shared her insights on the artistic collaborative community developing at the Ceramic Center. “I have made some lifelong friends, so overall it has been a fantastic experience. We have markings and angles. Hidden and seen, yet to be explored. To me exploring a new material and pushing its limits is just like exploring a new friendship.”&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:71.25%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/earth_we_share14_e27cd1e84d.webp" alt="earth-we-share14.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_earth_we_share14_e27cd1e84d.webp 145w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/large_earth_we_share14_e27cd1e84d.webp 800w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/earth_we_share14_e27cd1e84d.webp 800w," sizes="100vw"></figure>&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:49.16%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/earth_we_share15_61d6b2ef3f.webp" alt="earth-we-share15.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_earth_we_share15_61d6b2ef3f.webp 145w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/large_earth_we_share15_61d6b2ef3f.webp 500w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/earth_we_share15_61d6b2ef3f.webp 500w," sizes="100vw"></figure>&nbsp;Indrani used this opportunity to experiment with the distinctive features of her environment and the synergy emerging within the group. She brought her own materials, like volcanic sand from a beach near her studio in Pondicherry, and mixed them with clays, glazes, and wood fire ash from the Ceramic Center, creating pieces with unique textures and effects. Her series of Memory Vessels are made of various mixtures of clay collected from her fellow artists’ workstations.&nbsp;<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">To me exploring a new material and pushing its limits is just like exploring a new friendship.</h4><hr>Khageswar Rout is inspired by the unique materiality of the medium: “All the natural elements work together to create a ceramic piece. It emerges from the earth, and water gives it malleability, without which you cannot shape it. Air dries it in place, but keeps it fragile and tenuous, until it is cast in fire to give it strength and hold its form.”&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:60.3%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/earth_we_share16_42123ea71e.webp" alt="earth-we-share16.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_earth_we_share16_42123ea71e.webp 145w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/large_earth_we_share16_42123ea71e.webp 800w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/earth_we_share16_42123ea71e.webp 800w," sizes="100vw"></figure>&nbsp;He, along with others, observed that in India, very few community-centered studios exist, where artists have the opportunity to work on equal ground, share ideas and knowledge, and draw inspiration from one another. “We have become used to working in our own studios, to make and promote our own work. We have forgotten that art is meant to be learned and created by receiving from and giving to one another, not in isolation. It used to be that way, but we don’t teach young artists that, and we don’t practice it ourselves.”&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:70.35%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/earth_we_share17_16a7fcaf44.webp" alt="earth-we-share17.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_earth_we_share17_16a7fcaf44.webp 145w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/large_earth_we_share17_16a7fcaf44.webp 800w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/earth_we_share17_16a7fcaf44.webp 800w," sizes="100vw"></figure>&nbsp;<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Art is meant to be learned, and &nbsp;created, by receiving from and giving to one another, not in isolation.</h4><hr><figure class="image image_resized" style="width:70.66%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/earth_we_share18_412abff9ae.webp" alt="earth-we-share18.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_earth_we_share18_412abff9ae.webp 145w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/large_earth_we_share18_412abff9ae.webp 800w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/earth_we_share18_412abff9ae.webp 800w," sizes="100vw"></figure>&nbsp;After just a few days in each other’s company, a sense of togetherness and harmony emerged in the space. Each participant supported and collaborated with the others to enhance their knowledge and explore new avenues, lending a fresh set of eyes and a helping hand when needed. They expressed the need for artists to share their learnings and experiences in community art spaces so young creatives have access to more knowledge and opportunities. Many generously shared their new discoveries and recipes with the Ceramic Center, facilitating upcoming generations of ceramic artists, and nurturing an environment of respect and care where they can produce meaningful work that pushes boundaries.<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Photographs from the CERAMIC CENTER, BARODA</h4><hr>

The Earth we share

Vanessa Patel: Vanessa is a Heartfulness practitioner, a Heartful Communication facilitator, and an
 editor of Heartfulness Magazine. She lives in Baroda, India, where she has worked with schools and educators to bring
 dynamic English language programs to children of all ages.

Amruta Patel: Amruta lives in London and works for the UK Ministry of Justice. She is a facilitator
 for Heartful Communication and a yoga practitioner, and spends her free time on long walks exploring London with
 friends. She is an avid reader of mysteries, as well as literature on public health and Greek mythology.

Ananya Patel: Ananya is a designer and illustrator who enjoys finding dynamic ways to tell stories.
 She works on projects with social impact, and runs a youth collective bringing innovative design approaches to climate
 action and gender equality.

Vanessa Patel, Amruta Patel & Ananya Patel

Ananya Patel

Ananya is a designer and illustrator who enjoys finding dynamic ways to tell stories. She works on projects with social impact, and runs a youth collective bringing innovative design approaches to climate action and gender equality.

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