Learn the art of decoupage with a nature-inspired twist

CHENNAI: Apparao Galleries will host a creative workshop titled ‘Reflecting Nature: Capturing Gardens of Memory in a Decoupage Workshop’. The event centers on the delicate relationship between nature, memory, and art, aiming to preserve the fleeting beauty of the natural world through the timeless craft of decoupage. At the workshop, which will be held on April 18, participants will create mirror frames inspired by gardens, seasonal landscapes, and transient floral moments—such as the rare blooming of the Kurinji flower or the short-lived splendor of the Valley of Flowers. The workshop seeks to highlight not only artistic expression but also ecological sensitivity and an emotional connection to nature.

Creative Director Sharan Apparao says, “Ecology is delicate, and so is our connection to it. Some landscapes can only be experienced in passing: the kurinji flower blooms once every 12 years, carpeting hills in violet before vanishing again. The Valley of Flowers is visible only to those who make the journey, open only for a season before retreating under snow. A garden in spring is never the same garden in autumn. So, what remains when the flowers are gone? Memory. This workshop is about capturing that memory — about holding onto the beauty of something transient. Just as flowers fade, so do landscapes; over time, nature itself can become a distant memory. Decoupage becomes a way of preserving these fragile moments, of placing them into something that lingers — a mirror frame that reflects both nature and the self, a piece of the past that stays within reach.”