PAYAL AND HASINA EXPLORE KHANOOM STUDIO IN JAIPUR
At least once a year, we head back to Mumbai and we always stop at Le Mill and Ogaan to get inspired and see their collection of up-and-coming Indian designers. Le Mill and Ogaan curate the most beautiful local brands. In 2017, we were in Le Mill when we came across some beautiful plates by Khanoom. We’ve been following their journey ever since, and during our last trip we visited their studio in Jaipur. What makes Khanoom so special is their commitment to preserving generational artistry by creating unique mediums for the craft to be applied.
The studio, set in the courtyard of a former glass factory, is a little off the beaten path from the heart of the city, but once inside the studio you can really feel the magic. The clay is locally procured from Bikaneer and everything is made-to-order on the premises. From sculpting on the wheel to intricate miniature painting, every step of the process is touched by a set of experienced hands.
We’ve always loved the bright colors and details synonymous with traditional miniature painting, so we had to learn more. At the studio, Gaurav gave us a tour and hosted a workshop for us to make our own pieces with the assistance of the miniature painting masters. Miniature painting can mean painting on smaller objects, but the term actually refers to the detail that comes from painting with a small, squirrel-haired brush. Originally, these paintings were used to depict cultural and historical stories in detail. Khanoom is bringing this tradition into today's time by taking the traditional process and offering modern depictions of flora, fauna, and other lovely works.
For our pieces, we first sketched out what we wanted to make on paper, testing out paint colors and layout. Once we were happy with our references, we selected our favorite and carefully painted directly on the face of a dining plate. We were equally challenged and inspired by how tough it is to bring our visions to reality. 
After we finished our work, they glazed and fired our plates. While we waited for them to be complete, we were treated to a home-made Rajastani meal. This included a perfectly spiced Rajasthani grain salad, traditional steamed rice cakes paired with chutneys and dahl and a delicious creamy dessert to conclude the perfect afternoon. It was some of the best food we’ve had in years. We still dream about our magical day at Khanoom.
