Blog Archives
Q: What stands out from your experiences in India? (Question from “Pastel, Passion, and Perseverance: An Interview with Barbara Rachko” in .ART Odyssey: Healing)
Ahmedabad – Danapith, India
A: The chaos of the cities. The constant honking, the traffic, the sheer density. I used to think New York was crazy until I went to Delhi and Mumbai—then I came home and New York felt peaceful. But visually, India is extraordinary: the clothing, the buildings, the surprises. Once I was in a bus at a traffic light and saw the back end of an elephant sticking out of a pickup truck.
You never forget things like that. They’re unique to a place.
Comments are welcome!
Q: How do you remove pastel dust from your clothing, fingers, etc.?
Pastel dust
A: Pastel usually comes out of my clothes easily in the laundry, unless I have had an intense studio session where I let it make a total mess. I try not to wear good clothes to the studio. Getting it off my hands is easy with Artguard, a barrier cream I always apply before working. A good scrub with soap and water washes the pastel right off.
The worst occupational hazard, believe it or not, is what happens to the tops of my shoes! As I work, the dust falls onto my feet and I usually don’t notice until the end of the day. Whether made of canvas, leather, or whatever, shoes can be a problem when it comes to removing the dust.
Comments are welcome!
