AVANTHI'S BIG DAY

I have had many students come and go in my 38 years of teaching,

but these two sisters will always have a place in my heart,

 and we will continue to touch bases for as long as I live.

These are Karisma Dev (right) and her little sister Avanthi.

Karisma,

 you might remember if you've been following my blog for several years now,

was one of the most talented young artists I've ever worked with.

And if you put her name in my search engine,

it will probably be a good hour before you get to the end 

of all the posts I wrote about her and her artwork.

She is now starting her 3rd year in Architecture at the University of Syracuse in New York.

And what a delight and treat it was for me 

to get to work again with her younger sister Avanthi this last year in Ceramics.

I had Avanthi as a 7th grader where she shone like her sister,

but she wasn't able to get back to an Art class until this last year before she graduated.

She made many of the most important and innovative works in the clay class.

You have already been privy to a few this year on the blog;

there will be more as I finish this year off.

It has been an honor to have been invited to both girls Arangetrams,

their 3 hour solo dance recitals.

Both girls have been dancing and preparing for this occasion since they were 3 years old.

I posted Karisma's a couple years back,

but I went to Avanthi's this last August at the Barclay Theater at UC Irvine.

These are lavish affairs,

much like putting on a wedding for their children,

and Avanthis was no exception.

Besides the renting of live musicians and the theater,

spending hundreds on costumes and thousands on dance lessons,

they put on a delicious Indian dinner at the end of the dance performance for well over 200 people.

I believe Avanthi had at least four costume changes,

and this one I feature her in above was my favorite.

I have always adored a secondary color scheme and used it often in my college artworks.

I'm so proud to tell you that Avanthi was accepted to U Mass at Amherst,

as a Sustainable Agriculture Major,

one of the best programs in the country.

Her goal, 

to have her own restaurant with her own gardens.

Avanthi's gardens here at Whitney have been featured these last 3 years on the blog

 and they continue to thrive now with a new group of students.

Both sisters have left their mark on our school and in my heart.

God speed you two.