237 INDIA: CULTURE, TRADITIONS AND GANDHI

Join us for an exploration of the rich cultural diversity of India. Each week we will engage in interactive sessions with guest presenters including musicians, dancers, artists and scholars from the Indian sub-continent. Come listen to musicians trained in the classical and folk music traditions of India and see classical Indian dance. Specially invited artists will provide demonstrations to add to your appreciation of these art forms. Other speakers will introduce the lives of Mahatma Gandhi and Rabindranath Tagore, as well as bring an understanding of the origins of Indian languages, which vary from state to state and even village to village. Class members will also be offered tastes of India, with food samples. Each session will add a new layer of culture and tradition.

PRESENTATION BY INDIA-INSPIRED ARTIST: Shanthi Chandrasekar

Shanthi is a self-taught artist who has been drawing, painting and sculpting since early childhood. While much of her work is influenced by her Indian heritage, her true inspiration comes from the mystery and majesty of the world around her; her muse lives where the scientific overlaps with the spiritual. Known for the vibrancy of her works, Shanthi uses a wide variety of media, including paint, ink, wood, and stone. She is also interested in doll-making, embroidery and ethnic crafts. Shanthi offers lessons, workshops and residencies at her studio as well as at local art centers and schools. Her studio is located in Bethesda, Maryland. www.shanthic.com