A Surrey woman has photos to remind her of a world record-setting spice painting she created last summer, and not much more.
A giant butterfly was made by Preethi Vijay using vast amounts of turmeric, paprika, clove powder and other kitchen spices mixed with water.
She has a framed Guinness World Records certificate to show for the 84.39-square-metre creation (908.39 sf), .
The organic nature of spice paintings means the work degrades over time and doesnB次元官网网址檛 last, which is why VijayB次元官网网址檚 record-setting painting is now shoved in a cardboard box in her backyard, along with the cotton cloth she used as a canvas.
So is she sad about that?
B次元官网网址淎 little bit,B次元官网网址� Vijay said in the backyard of her East Newton home. B次元官网网址淏ut I have the photos and some video of the painting. I was prepared for this because I canB次元官网网址檛 preserve it, but it is a bit disheartening.B次元官网网址�
Vijay says the record-setting butterfly filled her lawn last summer.
B次元官网网址淚t was fun but I had some challenges,B次元官网网址� she admitted. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 powder that I mix with water, so it flies away in the wind a little bit, so I had to rework on it a couple of times because it blows away. I use a regular paint brush for this, and I canB次元官网网址檛 move the cloth around much because it gets heavy.B次元官网网址�
The Guinness certificate says Vijay achieved the record in Surrey on Sept. 12, 2022.
B次元官网网址淧reethi is very passionate about art,B次元官网网址� notes . B次元官网网址淪he wanted to measure her abilities by attempting a Guinness World Records title.B次元官网网址�
Vijay emailed the Now-Leader a news tip about the record in early March, a few weeks after Guinness contacted her with the good news.
B次元官网网址淢y goal was to try for a record but not with the usual acrylic painting, I wanted to do something new and unique,B次元官网网址� explained Vijay, who applied for authentication by Guinness.
B次元官网网址淲ith kitchen spices, I decided to make a butterfly, which goes well with these colours B次元官网网址� yellow and brown and other things,B次元官网网址� she added. B次元官网网址淚 decided on the picture based on those colours, powders to collaborate with it.B次元官网网址�
She prefers using B次元官网网址渘atural itemsB次元官网网址� for paintings, avoiding the chemicals of oils and acrylics.
B次元官网网址淚 used to work with a lot of coffee doing coffee paintings, so I thought, why not explore with other things I found in the kitchen, for other colours?B次元官网网址� Vijay said. B次元官网网址淪o I started working with spices and I also explored taking extracts from vegetables and fruits that give good colour, like beetroot, carrot and other things. Everything that gives colour from natural items, that is how I explore.B次元官网网址�
Vijay says coffee painting is quite common in her native India, and that spice painting is getting popular around the world.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 a self-taught artist,B次元官网网址� she revealed. B次元官网网址淚 started as a passion and started exploring other ways to get my art to other countries and expand it in the community. Now I do a lot of portraits.B次元官网网址�
Asked if sheB次元官网网址檒l create another big spice painting this summer, Vijay said she might.
B次元官网网址淚 have smaller paintings with coffee and spice, ones I do inside, paper-size paintings,B次元官网网址� she noted.
B次元官网网址淚 have some things on my mind, other projects to do.B次元官网网址�
tom.zillich@surreynowleader.com
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