In Focus: Alchemy Stories | Reena Shah and Kushan Jasani
Any partnership is a fine balance, whether marriage or an artistic venture. But for Ahmedabad-based husband-wife duo Reena Shah and Kushan Jasani, their precious art collaborative — Alchemy Stories — seamlessly combines a strongly shared love for art, nature, history, architecture, birds, and conservation.
“It is our happy place,” agree Reena and Kushan, speaking about the platform they describe as a creative endeavour to narrate stories via art, while incorporating many common passions.
The Art of Cyanotype
These narratives come alive through the fascinating 180-year-old photographic printing technique of cyanotype. Their delicate, ethereal paper artworks present a fusion of ink-on-paper illustrations, as do elegant cyanotype paper lamps.
“Before launching, we spent about a year experimenting and refining the cyanotype technique,” informs Reena, adding, “For over a century, cyanotypes have been primarily used as an archival printing technique, widely adopted by botanists to preserve prints of plant specimens. In the past 50 years, it has gained popularity among artists, though most have limited its use to framed artworks.”
Says Kushan, “We took cyanotype beyond traditional art — transforming it from a printing technique into a functional product, our cyanotype lamps. Taking cyanotype from an artistic concept to a tangible, everyday product has been one of our most fulfilling achievements. Lamps do remain one of our biggest challenges as well to design and craft, but they also bring us the greatest satisfaction. Seeing them evolve from an experimental idea into a widely appreciated product has been incredibly rewarding.”
A Two-Person Creative Army
At present, they are a two-person army, nurturing Alchemy Stories gently to delve into newer creative realms. “From sourcing materials to designing and crafting each piece, we handle everything ourselves,” says Reena, as Kushan adds, “Of course, we work with a skilled woodworker for certain accessories, but beyond that, every aspect of Alchemy Stories is solely our creation. For us, this artwork is a form of meditation — something deeply personal that cannot be outsourced.”
Creative Complementarity
How do the couple vibe and collaborate when it comes to creating art? Kushan describes Reena as a perfectionist. “She can’t tolerate even a 1mm error. Meticulous, particular and extremely strict about both quality and precision, she refuses to compromise, happily disregarding time and cost if it means achieving perfection in a piece of work. She gravitates toward minimalist, contemporary designs with clean aesthetics,” he says.
On the other hand, Reena says that with his management background, Kushan has a more practical and realistic approach. “He considers factors like time investment and cost-effectiveness when making design decisions. He believes in fair pricing and rationality, even in the field of art. Unlike my minimalist approach, Kushan prefers intricate designs. He believes a piece of art should be so layered with detail that every time you look at it, you discover something new — something you didn’t notice the last time.”
Smiling, the duo admits that they are at odds 50% of the time and working in sync the other 50%. “The outcome is always a product of our combined efforts, but not before a fair share of creative tug-of-war over the smallest details,” says Kushan.
“However,” Reena says, “We believe this constant push and pull is what makes our work better. At the end of the day, we are each other’s biggest critics — and that’s what drives us to improve.”
Background and Shared Passions
While Reena is a design graduate from the well-known CEPT University, Kushan has an MBA from Nirma University, and has worked in the banking sector for several years. After a stint abroad, the couple eventually moved back to Ahmedabad and both pursued teaching jobs — Reena with the Redelloblue Art Studio she founded and Kushan at his coaching institute.
One of their biggest common interests is ornithology, reflecting prominently in the motifs that adorn their dainty artworks.
“We had been toying with the idea of incorporating nature into our work — starting with birds, expanding to plants, insects, and beyond. Alchemy Stories is a means to tell the stories we encounter during our birdwatching and travel journeys. Through our art, we share narratives about birds, their habitats, behaviours, migration patterns, and the urgent need for conservation. Our love for botany also plays a significant role, so plants, seeds, flowers, and even bugs naturally find their way in,” says Reena.
Ambitious Conservation Art Projects
Kushan further says, “Birdwatching for the past eight years, we have captured thousands of special moments featuring birds and nature. Our goal is to create 365 frames, each showcasing a different bird from the Indian subcontinent, all personally photographed by us. Each frame will include details such as the bird’s name, location, and species. Our plan is to release one frame per day, eventually forming a complete series. Once the project is finished, we hope to donate or sell it to a deserving organization or individual who has made significant contributions to nature conservation.”
Memorable Commissions
Sharing details about their most memorable projects, Kushan elaborates, “A lady from Hyderabad, whose husband was an avid birdwatcher and photographer, approached us with his bird photography. We transformed some of his images into framed artworks featuring cyanotyped birds and hand-drawn pen-and-ink habitats. The habitat selections were based on the landscape of their farmhouse, making each piece deeply personal. Our goal was to create something for their wall that would forever remind them of those photography trips, birds they encountered, and joy they experienced.”
Adds Reena, “While Alchemy started to tell our stories and show what we love, after participating in the Raw Collaborative 2024 edition, we have started to incorporate stories of our clients. We not only want to project our experiences but also help our clients put their ideas and love for nature in a physical form through artworks and lamps. We sit with the client to understand their story, their background and then work our way around it, developing a piece that the client would better appreciate.”
In the same vein, another significant project for the duo was for a villa in Goa, named ‘Blue Bird’. For this, they crafted a 3×4 feet frame featuring 300 hand-cut cyanotype birds in a murmuration formation. “Since cyanotype naturally produces blue tones, we experimented with different hues of blue to create a series of nine smaller frames, also, each depicting birds in their original habitats,” explains Kushan.
Nature as Mentor
Both agree on one underlying factor. “Our greatest mentor is nature itself. While we admire the work of many artists, nothing inspires us as much as the natural world. A glance at our living room would reveal over 100 species of plants, animal bones, dried flowers, seeds, stones, and wood—all reminders of the organic beauty that grounds us in an otherwise plastic-driven world,” they reveal.
Nature also brings several learnings into the endeavour. “Working with nature has taught us an important lesson — every day is different, every project is unique, and failures are just part of the journey. Each setback becomes a note in our diary of learnings, helping us refine our craft,” professes Reena.
Challenges in the Digital Age
Asked about the challenges they face, Kushan says: “The digitization of everything has significantly diminished the value of handmade art. Another major challenge is pricing. Technology has made mass production more affordable, which often pushes handcrafted work to the sidelines. Fair remuneration for craftsmanship becomes difficult when mass-produced art is readily available at lower prices. The biggest struggle we face is helping clients understand the value of handmade art — why it costs more and why it holds deeper meaning. It can be challenging to convince someone that one handcrafted frame, created with passion and skill, is far more valuable than five mass-produced frames available at a lesser price.”
Looking to the Future
On the commercial side, the couple is also experimenting with cyanotyping on fabric to create floor lamps, hanging lamps, and framed artworks, besides exploring soft furnishings and taking up interior projects tailored to client requirements.
Says Reena, “Unlike architecture, which is bound by structural rules and engineering constraints, art is free from such limitations. Art and interior design must go hand in hand. The challenge lies in finding someone who understands both perspectives and can seamlessly merge them. Ideally, an artist should collaborate with an interior designer, who, in turn, if possible, should work closely with the architect. This holistic approach ensures that every element comes together harmoniously to create a dream space.”
Kushan sums up, “Architecture is the body, interior design is the apparel, and art — when chosen correctly — is the accessory that brings a soul to that beautiful body.”
Image Courtesy: Reena Shah and Kushan Jasani
Contributor
