Aaren School Of Arts

Down in Bopal, inside the C-57 Co Op Housing Society, you’ll find the Aaren School Of Arts. It’s a quiet spot tucked away from the main road. The rooms are usually filled with the smell of turpentine and wet clay. We have people coming in to learn how to draw or paint, and they often leave with charcoal all over their hands and clothes. The tables are stained with years of spilled paint, which kind of adds to the feel of the place. It isn't a very formal setup; people just sit where they can find a spot and get to work on their projects. We have shelves lined with half-finished sculptures and canvases leaning against the walls. Some of the windows don’t close all the way, so you can hear the birds in the housing society garden outside. It’s a place where things are a bit messy because that’s just how art goes. We don't have a big gallery or anything like that, just some boards where we pin up recent work. Most of the people who come here live in Bopal and just want a place to practice their hobby. The light in the afternoons is pretty good for drawing, so that’s when it gets the most crowded. We spend a lot of time sharpening pencils and cleaning brushes at the end of the day. It’s a small, simple operation that keeps the local creative folks busy. It’s not fancy, but it gets the job done for us.