CHENNAI: It is that time of the year when everybody in the Kodambakkam neighbourhood looks forward to stopping by CA John’s home decked up with thematic cribs. While sustainability and eco-friendly might be the buzzwords of recent times, John has been using them in his creations from his childhood.
The 62-year-old is an art enthusiast whose works involve only recycled and waste materials. Torn shuttlecocks, broken egg shells, expired tablet sheets, molten wax and coir — you will find them all in his art. He recently won the Art Maestro Award 2018 in an international art exhibition held at Kochi for his spider web model. The web was stitched with thin transparent threads from a courier cover using iron strings and the spider was made from rubber.
Originally from Thrissur, he has been living in Chennai for 28 years now with his wife and two daughters. John makes thematic models for most festivals. His eco-friendly and hand-made cracker-like-structures for Deepavali found an audience. “Despite the risks involved in working with broken glass or rough materials, I do it because it gives me a kick. As a child, I always wanted my artworks to stand out. My costumes for fancy dress competitions were popular and ahead of the time.
I once made a crib-like set up on our bed and my parents had to sleep down due to lack of space. They’ve been very supportive throughout,” said John while flipping through pages of his album containing photographs of his exhibited works from childhood till date.
What started out as a hobby has now become a ritual every Christmas. He has made 11 cribs since 2006, of which the hummingbird nest and houseboat have been the toughest to make. The theme for 2018 is ‘The Manger’. “I completed the project in 16 days. My creativity peaks when everybody is asleep. Ideas keep flowing in and out throughout the day. However, with the expectations of church people and friends, maintaining consistency is challenging,” said John, who works in a private company.
The Manger is a livestock equipment, and it is believed that Jesus Christ was born here. John has used straw and coir for the hay set-up; gunny cloth, corn outer layer and root to the facade of the manger; sawdust to ensure a mossy look; thermocol painted in black for the six-foot building structure; PVC pipes, old dried bamboos, clay pot and cardboard pieces. He has stuck notes from the Bible on his crib to bring out the religious vibe. He has crafted all the decor from baubles, stars to wreaths manually.
The drawing room glimmers with red and green colour. “I’d love to help people set up their own cribs. It is time-consuming so I’ve kept myself away from seeing it as a commercial business due to several constraints. Sometimes my brother helps with ideas. I want to make a honeybee and a comb. My passion has always driven me to experiment all sorts of materials and see what works the best. Await a surprise theme next year,” he said.
John has prepared plantain wine for this Christmas based on his mother’s recipe. Also, this year, his wife will be dressed up as Santa Claus.
Quick five themes
● 2007- Lotus pond ● 2010- Bamboo forest ● 2011- Tree trunk ● 2012- Candle ● 2016- Water can
CA John lives in C12, Balamurugan Apartments, United India Colony, 4th cross street, Kodambakkam.
For details call: 9043521772