Episode 181 - Geetika Agrawal. Vacation With An Artist (VAWAA)
In this episode of Soul of Travel, Season 5: Women's Wisdom + Mindful Travel, presented by @journeywoman_original, Christine hosts a soulful conversation with Geetika Agrawal.
Geetika is a designer, avid traveler and founder of VAWAA: Vacation With An Artist. She discovered her love for learning and travel during her early college days when she spent her summers working with local artisans in small towns of Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu in India. As she traveled to countries around the world, she sought similar experiences where she could immerse herself into the local culture, make things with her hands, and get inspired by learning something new. She noted that there were others like her expecting the same from their travels, but there was no easy way to find local artists and designers in cities they would visit, sitting at home. Thus the idea of ‘Vacation With An Artist’ was born.
On June 1, 2015 she packed her life in New York and took a one year sabbatical to travel to 12 countries in 12 months, while starting work on VAWAA. Since then she has spent one month in each country finding and curating local artists, learning about their creative journey and craft. November 2015 marked the midpoint of her travels and VAWAA was shared with the world!
Prior to her work with VAWAA, Geetika served as a Creative Director at R/GA and held a teaching role as an adjunct professor at the School of Visual Arts. She is also the creator of the Food For Thought, a traveling dinner series. Geetika's creative endeavors have garnered international recognition and have been prominently featured in the New York Times, SXSW, Artsy, National Geographic, Vogue, CondeNast Traveler, and more.
VAWA: Vacation with an Artist
Geetika is a designer by trade who started in architecture and then spent over a decade in the marketing world in New York. She grew up in India and has carried her passion for travel throughout her life, traveling to over 65 countries.
VAWAA is a global curated platform to book apprenticeships with master artists and makers all around the world. “It's truly a life experience where you're spending one on one time with the artist in the studio, learning about the creative processes, learning about the creative life,” shares Geetika. “And really having a chance to find that within yourself while you are immersing in the local culture of that place.”
VAWAA artists represent global crafts, including ceramics, rattan weaving, calligraphy, textiles, bamboo bicycle making, and more. The program isn’t just for professional artists and creatives; it’s for anyone from solo travelers to families, anyone who is yearning to learn more and connect more deeply with people around the world.
VAWAA is a beautiful intersection between travel, place, and the creative process.
Designing a Community-Based Artist Travel Exchange
VAWA came to life after Geetika pursued her dream to create a cultural and creative travel platform through a twelve-month sabbatical, in which she traveled to twelve countries, spending a one-month sojourn in each.
She shares that connecting with the artists in person was the biggest hurdle; these were not folks who were online with websites, so getting into communities and co-creating with the artists was essential.
She shares that she would spend her time meeting with artists, getting materials ready, discovering new artists, and making new connections. “I’m not a travel agent. I’m a designer. And I was coming from a place of building a platform that is going to truly evolve the needs of the artists. The purpose is not to commodify artists and extract things from them that is going to take away from their existing practice–because that is really the magic.”
“Artists really say this to us all the time, is this is an experience that they value because this is a way for the world to come to their studio, and they love that creative exchange as well because it adds and fuels their own creativity,” she explains.
“I've always found that the creative wisdom, the act of creativity and the act of connecting with people at a human level is really what fueled me and made me feel alive. If we are all about our own sustenance, our soul sustenance, what we were building had to be sustainable for artists and for everyone else.
The Pandemic of Loneliness and the Cure in Art
Geetika and Christine speak to the resurgence of art and expression especially after the events of the last few years. She recounts stories of people who are quitting high-pressure jobs to pursue woodworking, the number of ceramics and sip-and-paint studios she has seen pop up in New York, and the increase in the number of ways in which people can engage with their creativity.
The true goal for VAWAA is to teach us to connect more to the physical world, to ourselves, and to other humans–beyond travel.
“Art has always been something that we have used as a way to express ourselves, which is what really makes us feel alive. It helps us understand who we are, what we need, what's our purpose on this earth.”
Christine and Geetika discuss that travel is one of the ways in which they have seen people heal, to find a new perspective on who we are and why we are here.
How Artisan Traditions Unlock the Culture of a Place
Geetika shares that keeping the history of traditional crafts, wisdom, and skills is essential to our humanity. “Our world is filled with these incredible humans who are keepers of wisdom that has been time tested; it's been passed to them over generations and because this kind of wisdom is passed, mostly word of mouth.” This isn’t the kind of wisdom or history that can truly be captured in a book, and the very best way to learn is by doing, before the wisdom-keepers pass away.
Geetika speaks to the history and geography of how some materials are used, how colors are revealed, how crafts and arts have been historically linked to solve problems and tell stories.
Mindful travelers do want to buy more artisanal goods that are handcrafted, and people are interested in the stories of the makers; the time is ripe to preserve and ensure these stories persist.
Seeing artists with professional status and understanding that the time and skill it takes to create a piece of work gives travelers the perspective to honor and compensate people for their work. Geetika shares an example of women embroidering wedding dresses in western India, a process that would take over a year to complete. Seeing these very pieces in a market for an extremely cheap price, “it’s heartbreaking…when you see these processes that take time, developing that patience and not having that expectation it has to come, gives you a sweet reward.”
Geetika also challenges us to think of our businesses as something that can sustain all stakeholders, staying away from commodifying and creating trending language around these types of experiences. “You have to set those kinds of guidelines very clearly for your community,” she shares.
“The intention from the beginning was just how can people have more meaningful experiences that inspire them, that make them feel alive, and also for artists as well, make them feel alive and create this creative energy that the world needs. ”
Soul of Travel Episode 181 At a Glance
In this conversation, Christine and Geetika discuss:
· The importance of art in our lives and cultures
· The extinction of traditional crafts and keepers of wisdom
· How travel may play a role in the preservation of wisdom
· How we need to be careful in our approach to bringing artists and cultural preservation into our travel experiences
Join Christine now for this soulful conversation with Geetika Agrawal.
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Related UN Sustainable Development Goals
Sustainable Development Goal #3: Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.
Sustainable Development Goal #4: Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.
Sustainable Development Goal #8: Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all.
Sustainable Development Goal #10: Reduce inequality within and among countries.
Sustainable Development Goal #11 Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.
Sustainable Development Goal #12: Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns.
Sustainable Development Goal #17: Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development.
Resources & Links Mentioned in the Episode
Book your mini-apprenticeship with an artist online or in your next destination with VAWAA.
Connect with Geetika on Instagram and follow VAWAA to learn more.
Listen to Soul of Travel Podcast episode 171 with Beth Santos, author of Wander Woman.
Subscribe to VAWAA's weekly newsletter: https://vawaa.com/subscribe.
About the Soul Of Travel Podcast
Soul of Travel honors the passion and dedication of people making a positive impact in the tourism industry. In each episode, you’ll hear the stories of women who are industry professionals, seasoned travelers, and community leaders. Our expert guests represent social impact organizations, adventure-based community organizations, travel photography and videography, and entrepreneurs who know that travel is an opportunity for personal awareness and a vehicle for global change.
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Soul of Travel Episode 181Transcript
Women’s travel, transformational travel, sustainable travel, women leaders in travel, social entrepreneurship
Christine: Welcome to soul of travel podcast. I'm Christine. And today I'm very delighted to be bringing someone to the podcast. Who's new in my world, but I'm like, I'm so very excited that we crossed paths virtually. So today I'm sitting down with Geetika Agarwal and she is the founder of vacation with an artist also known as VAWAA.
Christine: And VAWAA. I was looking back to try to see where our paths cross, and I think it was a post that you shared quite some time ago with Ethan Hawke. And there was an outtake that said, Art is not a luxury, it's actual sustenance, and we need it. And that, like, ignited this conversation. And it's, like, passion in me.
Christine: One, I hadn't heard from him in a long time, which was fun, and two, to think about art as sustenance. And I think it's something that we do think as extra, anecdotal, or unnecessary, and yet it's, really vital to our well being. So this sent me down a rabbit hole to learn all about you and what you were doing.
Christine: And as I mentioned, it really resonated and I just couldn't wait to connect and learn more. I'm so happy to have you here with me today for this conversation.
Geetika: Thank you, Christine, so much for having me and I'm so glad our paths crossed and I'm so happy that you came across that Ethan Hawke post. It's something that I have it bookmarked because sometimes even though I'm working in this area, I just need a reminder for that. And it's just such a beautiful reminder because growing up, you know, we all, we all are born as artists, but somehow like we forget that.
Geetika: So yeah I love that quote as well.
Christine: Yeah. It, yeah, it just, it makes you think about it in a different way. And I think it's important and we're going to touch on this later in the conversation. I have another Kind of idea that I want us to pull apart together. But before we get there I want to just give you a chance to introduce yourself to my listeners.
Christine: Tell us a little bit more about VAWA and, and then we'll take it from there.
Geetika: Sure. Well I'm Geetika and I was born in India. I'm a designer by trade. I studied architecture and then did industrial design and then spent about a decade in the marketing and advertising world at RGA, which is a big digital agency here in New York. And in my personal life, I'm a world traveler having grown up in India and then lived here in the United States.
Geetika: And that I'm, I kind of, carried that passion worldwide to 65 plus countries. And through my life experiences especially during my college years, I was inspired by the idea of what is now vacation with an artist. And it is it's a global platform. It's a curated platform to book apprenticeships with master artists and makers all around the world.
Geetika: So you can go to our website, you can look at incredible diversity of artists that represent the global crafts from ceramics, rattan weaving, calligraphy, textiles, bamboo bicycle making, do you name it. And you can go and book a week of studying with them. And it's not necessarily an academic workshop or teaching.
Geetika: or a pro or even a tour or a course. It's, it's truly a life experience where you're spending one on one time with the artist in the studio, learning about the creative processes, learning about the creative life. And really having a chance to find that within yourself while you are immersing in the local culture of that place.
Geetika: So that's what Bawa is. It's typically four to seven days and it's roughly about half a day every day in the studio. So you still have time to do your You know, other exploration, since you're traveling, you might want to see the place. And and yeah, it's, it's a great way for people to travel.
Geetika: solo or, or in an independent way, but still have the safety of having this master artist who's there, who ends up becoming your friend to guide you to all the you know, nice places that you may not come across in your typical travels. It's also something that's not just for artists or professional artists.
Geetika: VAWA is really for anybody whether you are, you know, solo, couples, friends, family it's for you know, we definitely attract a lot of designers and artists and creatives but it's for anybody who's really just curious and wants to learn. So a lot of times they end up being people in different key life stages whether they're young families or they're looking for a career break or midlife, which is often a moment for pause retirement or yeah, or just like a moment where you feel like you want to give yourself some inspiration.
Christine: Yeah I mean this, this is, to me is just the dream vision of travel because what I find myself doing is whenever I connect with someone like this, like the thing I most take home with me is art is, is some sort of artwork. And like, usually you get a quick moment to maybe connect with an artist. I usually try not to buy anything if I can't hear from the artist and hear their story and their vision and why they created it because that's really what I'm taking home with me, you know, and then this thing is this physical representation of it.
Christine: But then I find, like, I wish, like, I could learn more. I wish I could spend time and understand how this was created or you're kind of enraptured by the craft of creating it. And you're like, what would it be like to actually learn how to do this? These are the things that I find myself thinking about.
Christine: And so that's why when I saw what you had created, I was like, Just thinking, Oh, this is so incredible to actually have an opportunity to spend so much time learning from these artists. I just think it's such a beautiful experience.
Geetika: Yeah. I think the beauty of travel is that we get to meet people from around the world who have different ways of thinking, different ideas. And I think what makes travel so meaningful is that exchange of ideas and conversations. And when that happens with. the artists of a place.
Geetika: It becomes extra special because artists and creatives are the people who make a culture of a place. They are the ones who have defined it over the years in history. They are doing that currently and they are really the people who are imagining our future. So they truly become the best representation of the community, the place, the history.
Geetika: and to be able to have this kind of a intimate cultural exchange with them. And of course, their guidance to help you process that and kind of find your own expression through it becomes very enriching. And I think that's what really makes it special as a combination of the travel, the place, and the, and the creative process.
Christine: Yeah, I agree. I love that. Well, I would love to hear more about kind of what led you on this path. I know you mentioned that you traveled quite a lot when you were younger, but I'd love to hear. I know you took a sabbatical to travel for a year. When you did that, did you already know that you were wanting to lean into VAWA?
Christine: Was that an idea you had in your mind, or did this 12 months of travel kind of start to reveal to you that this might be something you would want to create?
Geetika: Yeah, I think it started early on when I was in architecture school because as part of our architecture curriculum we would spend our summers traveling all over India spending a month, you know, sometimes more working with master crafts people all over India. And that was just part of the curriculum because as architects you need to really design for the place, design for people.
Geetika: And so to understand the place is, is really important. And I think that just shaped me at a very early age as a person, what I seek, how I discover the world and see the world and travel. And so that's what I have done in my entire life. And so I always had this idea or I have always found inspiration for myself traveling around the world, learning from artists, learning from designers, or just being totally immersed in places that I traveled to as my own source of inspiration.
Geetika: So I knew I wanted to do this for more people. I wish more people had the ability to do this. So I set out on a one year sabbatical to actually build out the idea that I had for a long time. And, I traveled for one year. I went to 12 countries. I spent a month living in each country. Four of those countries were in Europe, four in Asia, and four in South America.
Geetika: And the reason I wanted to build it this way is because One of the biggest problems when you're trying to have this kind of an experience is one, there is just no platform. Before, before Bawa, there was no platform that helped you find these artists. Unless you are an artist, you have a connection, or you spent a lot of time, you can't just access a master artist studio. And so it was really hard to find these artists. A lot of these artists are also not they don't have an internet presence. Of course some of them, you know, younger artists or modern day artists are on Instagram. So you might follow them, but a lot of artists are not online. Online. And so that it's just literally impossible to find unless you are there.
Geetika: So that's that was just one problem. And I felt I needed to first travel to some of these places so I could find these artists who would eventually end up being on the lava platform. It was also a great opportunity for me to go build this with the artists. So while I had done these experiences on my own for my entire life, it was really important to, to share how I'm planning to build it and kind of design it so it works best for artists.
Geetika: And so every month I spent really researching, exploring, meeting a lot of the incredible artists of that place, really identifying who are the right artists for our platform, and then, you know, getting all the material ready. So that one year was a great way for me to built the first roster of artists who were going to be on the platform.
Geetika: And I discovered some artists that I would have absolutely not discovered if I wasn't in that place. Of course, now we have a different way to find them, but that was like a great way to get started. And I think one of the The like I talked about co building it with the artist was really important for me because I don't, I'm not a door operator.
Geetika: I'm not a travel agent. I'm a designer. And I was coming from a place of building a platform that is going to truly solve the needs of the artists. The purpose is not to commodify artists. And extract things from them that is going to take away from their existing practice because that is really the magic.
Geetika: And, and so I had to design it in a way that actually supports their practice. And it's going to be an addition to their practice and something that they want to. Which is why every detail of VAWA, the way it is designed, the experience. The fact that it's one on one, the, you know, the way it's structured for multiple days, everything is designed so that it is a rich experience, not just for the guest, but also for the artist and, and, artists really say this to us all the time is this is an experience that they value because this is a way for the world to come to their studio and they love that creative exchange as well because it adds and fuels their own creativity.
Geetika: So, so yeah, that year was all about, I would say, building the foundation of VAWA And, and really getting it out there and, and putting it out in the world. And it was quite exciting.
Christine: Yeah I love the way that you were talking about, you know, co creating and building it together because I think from a tourism standpoint, You know, that's something we're talking a lot about right now is, is how to ensure that travel is actually serving communities where we're traveling. And so for you to spend that time examining from the beginning how to make this, you know, an equal and even exchange and not be a commodity.
Christine: Let it be something that serves a purpose greater than just tourism alone. I really love that intention behind building it that way.
Geetika: Yeah, because the intention was not to build a travel company. The intention was to. To help people find that, that aliveness in their soul that our society is missing. And you know, we're struggling with that as a society, our, our souls are feeling dead. And I've always found that the creative wisdom, the act of creativity and the act of connecting with people at a human level is really what fueled me and made me feel alive.
Geetika: So, if, if we are all about. our own sustenance, our soul sustenance, what we were building had to be sustainable for artists and for everyone else. It's not just a travel company. And so yeah, the intention from the beginning was just how can people have more meaningful experiences that, that inspire them, that, you know, that make them feel alive and, and also for artists as well, make them feel alive create this creative energy that that the world needs.
Christine: Oh, it's so good. And I wish I could count how many times I've spoken with women who said that their travel company wasn't built to be a travel company. I mean, it is because you're traveling, right? And it's the easiest way to kind of resonate with the people that you're bringing into the experiences.
Christine: But yet it's not. And I had that feeling when I started my business. I'm like, I know I'm going to call this thing a travel company. But that's not what it is. That's just kind of like travel is this vehicle for the experience. But it's not why it exists. And I just think that's such a powerful awareness as well.
Christine: And what you were just speaking about is definitely one of the things I wanted to talk about. You had shared this quote of over the past 10 years, we've been We've figured out how to take care of our physical and mental wellness. And the next 10 years are about nourishing our spirit and our soul and the stuff that makes us feel alive.
Christine: And I think that's so much about, you know, that initial post that you posted that like spoke to my soul. And you also said soul sustenance and I'm like, Oh, that's my new favorite phrase. Like I just want it to like live in a way that, feels like I'm creating soul sustenance. But I think so many people, as you said, are seeking connection and creative expression.
Christine: I think it's something that has kind of diminished, like we don't honor it the way that we, we need to, I think for, for us to feel whole, like it's something that has become undervalued. And I know that you found that, like, making art and doing things with your hands and being immersed in culture really, like, was a catalyst for that, my new favorite phase, soul sustenance.
Christine: But, so I want to, I want to dive into this a little bit about why this is so important and, and how this is meeting a need for people.
Geetika: Yeah. Well, I mean, we all experienced the pandemic. And what is it that we were all doing when the world shut down to feel alive? We were all baking. We were all painting. It's not a new thing. Like, it's not something I have discovered. It is just how humans are made since we have existed on this earth.
Geetika: Art has always been something that we have used as a way to express ourselves, which is what really makes us feel alive. It helps us understand who we are, what we need, what's our purpose on this earth. Like, it's just be in that medium. And that's why like art has existed forever. I mean, from early like cave paintings to today, it still exists.
Geetika: So I just feel that it's, it's always been there. It's something that we as humans naturally gravitate towards. The only problem is we are living in a, in a society and our lives are so fast paced right now. They demand so much from us that we don't. Get the time to really nourish it and really take care of it.
Geetika: And. That's okay. We will get there because I do think the awareness is growing and I say this because if you asked me 15 years ago Nobody was doing yoga. People knew about yoga. People knew about meditation People knew it, you know makes you feel better Like live better, balance yourself and all those like that was a tool people knew about it.
Geetika: But most people I don't do yoga. I don't do meditation. And like you look at it 10 years later, everybody absolutely accepts the value of it, even if they're not fully practicing it. But everyone is striving towards it and just become a thing that people find a way to make time for it. And, and I think now that we have learned how to do that, we've seen the importance of why we need tools like that to sustain ourselves so that we don't get into mental health issues, or we can continue to live and do things.
Geetika: We know that there's more that we need to do. We're currently facing a pandemic of loneliness, depression And, you know, we're all so isolated. So I feel the awareness is there. And I think it's just when people get a taste of it, and they see how much it feels a lot makes you feel alive, they, they will make more time for it.
Geetika: So it's already starting. live in Brooklyn, and there are just in the last, you know, two years, the number of ceramic studios that have popped up is insane. Everyone's doing pottery. Everyone's doing sip and paint. I mean, these are incredible, you know, things that people are spending time towards, and I think we're just going to need more and more.
Geetika: So many people are quitting their high pressure jobs to do woodworking. That's what they want to do. Because it's all, because art has always been medicine. Creating has always been medicine. We just, you know, are not aware that we have this tool. And I think the more people know about that tool and they use it and make time for it, and it just becomes a thing we do on a day to day basis.
Geetika: So I think that that's what I feel going to happen over the next 10 years, and we are just providing ways for people to have that experience to devote that time to get started on that path and for VAWA right now, that is one of our products, which is you. Travel and you have this one week immersion to kind of almost like you get a boot camp in it and really see the change that happens.
Geetika: But our goal is that we want to create other products that help you do this on a day to day basis. Like it doesn't have to happen only on travel days. But how do we do that in our day to day lives? How do we connect more to the physical world, to ourselves? Through art and, and other humans.
Geetika: So that's, that's what I feel about. And it's going to be really important for our, our, our life, our happiness, our joy, and the world is only going to get faster.
Christine: Yeah. Well, two things in that one, the idea of bringing travel or bringing these elements into our daily life. I think this is a conversation too, that keeps coming up for people that are really using travel as a way for like healing and growth is we realize it can't happen just in this booked in container, right.
Christine: It needs to be pulled through. And so I love. people that are starting to look at that. Like, how do we see who we are and how we feel in these short expanses of time, and then bring that through. I think it's an important practice, like you said. And then the other thing that resonated for me as you were speaking about you know, the pottery and, and the ways people are craving creating.
Christine: I had a, I'm working with an Ayurvedic practitioner actually, and she was asking me just like in this conversation, like, what's something you need to heal? And I said, like, I just have this deep desire to create something with my hands. And that was just like this. It's without me thinking that was my response, right?
Christine: That was just like my soul saying, like, this is what you need. And then I was having another, another conversation with someone and we were kind of talking about this a little bit and art. And I said, I remember looking at a house that had a wood shop in the back and I just wanted to buy that house cause I couldn't imagine myself as the person who has a wood shop in their yard.
Christine: And like, it felt like I would be very. Like nourished and and full like that just felt like such a beautiful expression. And then we were talking about sculpting class I took once and I'm like forgot how good it felt to just like take something and just like create something else and so I Again, just what you're saying.
Christine: I think maybe there isn't like an evolution of understanding of The actual health aspect of art, not just art as something beautiful or something that when we see it, it's valuable to us. But like when we do it, it's valuable to us.
Geetika: Absolutely. Well, I mean, the main reason is because when you're creating, you go into a meditative state because the I mind body connection is so strong because you can't create anything on a wheel if you don't have that bulk. Connection. And whenever you're in that state, which is typically achieved during meditation which for a lot of people is really hard to get into that state because of a lot of distraction.
Geetika: But when you're creating something, you have no choice to be in that state. And that's why it feels so good. That by creating feels so good because our mind, body, soul connection is one. We can't, we're not thinking about anything else. anything else in that moment. It is just that one thing and it feels so great.
Geetika: And, and that's why people are moving away from consumption to creation. That's what we're wanting.
Christine: Yeah. Oh, so good. So good. I knew I was excited to speak to you. Well, the next thing I wanted to talk about is you know, we've talked about this being a powerful experience, but I also think it's an important one. And you talked a little bit about this in an article in Conde Nast Traveler where you discussed how artisan traditions help to unlock the culture of a place.
Christine: You know, we, you already mentioned this a little bit but also you mentioned how the extinction of traditional crafts is a real issue in so many places around the world. And I know for me as a traveler, this is something I've witnessed. The, you know, traditions, skills, wisdom, craft is being lost as like, you know, the value of some of these things isn't valued by next generations or the wisdom keepers are passing on and not having someone to share it with.
Christine: It's something. That just makes my heart ache because it's fleeting quickly like in many places and a part of my travels with Lotus Sojourns, which is my travel company, I really wanted to emphasize on meeting with artists and healers and keepers of wisdom. Like as a way to expose travelers to these practices, but also to maybe try to create an increased perception of value in communities about why we need to keep these things alive.
Christine: So this is the next thing I would love to talk to you about is, is this thread of conversation.
Geetika: yeah, no, you're, I love how you refer to them as like keepers of wisdom. Because yeah, I, our world is filled with You know, these incredible humans who are keepers of wisdom that has been time tested it's been passed to them over generations and, and because this kind of wisdom is passed, mostly word of mouth.
Geetika: because this is like life wisdom. It's hard to capture in a book. Has, you, you need people to transfer it to. And if there are people who are not learning, then these keepers are eventually going to die. And when they die, the wisdom dies with them. So if, if their children are not taking this on, how do we continue to Keep passing on this wisdom and the good news is that we, you know, there's, there's been a renaissance happening because You know, we just talked about people craving, wanting to make with hands, people wanting to not buy mass produced goods.
Geetika: They want to buy more artisanal goods that are handcrafted. People are interested in the stories of the makers. So I think it is creating a beautiful draw where people want to seek that wisdom. And we just have to create more opportunities for people to receive that wisdom. And, and, and, you know, of course, it takes a lifetime to receive it.
Geetika: So you won't receive everything. But even if we can keep passing a little bit of it to more people, the chances of it surviving are higher, but also it will elongate it a little bit more. And so yeah, we believe, I mean, through our work at VAWA, we see there are masters who've been carrying on traditions for over, like, six to seven generations.
Geetika: We have the, within the United States, we have the Gee's Bend Quilters in Alabama. They have an iconic history I mean, iconic is not the word, but They have a very important place in history because the whole craft of Gee's Bend quilts happened because they were Dover Hill slaves in the country and how they started making quilts.
Geetika: And so when you're going and learning about that craft you are learning a lot. Learning about the history, what happened? Why did they start making quilts? How were they making it? Why is their style and so distinct? And I think you suddenly, like in, in that time that you spent with them, you get to almost experience a hundred year old history.
Geetika: And you get to live their life a little bit. And. And so if we don't have those opportunities, we will never know what that history was like. So it's really important to preserve and and those crafts survive a bit longer.
Christine: I love the idea of seeing history through art, and I think that's something, again, that I've always been drawn to when I travel, but I also studied for a while interior design, and I took a seminar on the history of architecture and furniture, and I had never really been a history person, but that course, like, watching the evolution of, like, furniture, through like the, the growth and transitions of different people and like, you know, why chests were created or why this style of furniture, because of the exposure to this material, as people, you know, were enduring this thing in their life, like then history became alive for me in a way that kind of was more relevant to me because I just was more curious about art and architecture.
Christine: And then I started to even be able to understand like, you know, wars or pandemics or things like that in a different way because I just had a different lens. So I think that's the other thing that really insight is exciting to me is it is another way, like you said, to understand history and to tell a story and an artist's story.
Christine: do it so naturally, like that, that is what most artists have been doing throughout the course of being of history of being artists is, is telling stories and and sharing again, that wisdom, right? Like it's, it's, it's beaded into things, it's sewn into things, it's painted into things. And I think it's such a beautiful opportunity to preserve both history and culture when we're connecting with and supporting artists.
Geetika: Yeah, and I would add it's history, it's geography, it's science, it's everything else too. Because for example, when you look at ceramics, you look at ceramics in Japan in Chile, where they use black clay or you look at red clay in New Mexico, or red clay in India, or you look at just different clay all around the world and how different kinds of clay help develop different pottery styles.
Geetika: You understand about the land. You understand about the geography. Oh, there are mountains here, that's why it's this kind of clay. Oh, there's a river mixing in and hence this is this kind of clay. There's weather, it's hot weather versus this weather, you know, so that creates different techniques. So how do materials behave?
Geetika: Why are certain colors that can be produced from nature in certain parts of the world, but you know, but they're not natural to other parts of the world. The colors you get in the Amazon. Versus, you know other parts of the world. So I think like, to me, like craft or art has always been about you use natural resources.
Geetika: You, You take what's in the environment and you create things out of that. You're using palm leaves, you're using wood, you're using like all these things that are available in nature. And then you use techniques that have been developed over the years to work with that. So to work with the world around us.
Geetika: I mean, that's, that's literally the understanding of how science works, how the world works. That's why I almost feel like. Art is not just art. I mean, craft, like what we're talking about, is more design, it's science, it's, yeah, art as well, but it's a combination of everything. And, and that's why to me it's like the epitome of learning, because it's like, how else do you get to learn about the without going out into the world and actually making things?
Christine: Yeah, and I think, too, going back to kind of understanding the value of, of of art, not just, you know, the appreciation, but one of the experiences I saw that you offer is a wet felting in Slovenia, and that's something I've had the opportunity to do. And as well as I've had opportunities like embroidering in Guatemala and other things, and one of the things that always comes to me is like, This is fun, but it is so humbling because It is so hard.
Christine: I remember meeting with the women I met with in Guatemala and they wanted to embroider my logo while I was with them for this day. And we started and they're like, I think we'll have time to do two, one for you and your traveling guests. And they were, they were big, like a foot by a foot. We started working on it and I could see the women like around me, like, I don't know if this is going to go the way we thought it was going to go.
Christine: And then they called in like more friends to help us and more. And they were like, Oh yeah, you're not very good at this. They kept saying, you'll be able to do this. It's not hard, but it's not hard because they've had so much practice. Right. They are so good. Skilled artisans, and we were horrible at it.
Christine: And it was so important to have that experience. And the other one that was really resonant for me. I was in Bali and met with people that were creating a weaving and I wish I could remember it right now, but I can't remember the term, but the tradition that goes into it was, you know, that the, the dyes, like certain dyes could only be picked in certain areas.
Christine: Moon cycles, and then they had to be held for a certain amount of time, and then they could be like, you know, pressed and created into the dies, and then only on certain days could you weave, like, the weft, and certain days you could, and I'm getting all the language wrong, but it was a year to create this wall hanging that I created.
Christine: Okay. like have in my room and is such a treasure because it was a year of those artists lives that's on my wall. And this beautiful tradition, and I think because we are in this fast paced kind of consumer culture where we're so detached from where things come from, meeting with artisans like this also gives you perspective.
Christine: And such a value that when you next the next time see like this hand knitted sweater, you would never say, I can't believe that's 200. You would be like, I can't believe this is only 200. So maybe we could talk a little bit about that value in these kinds of experiences as well.
Geetika: Absolutely. I mean, you gotta set that exact. It's I think there are two, two things that I commonly see, you know, the perception of, of art and craft, especially worldwide, like people who are, who don't understand what it takes is one, they all think artists are poor. And so they're just charity.
Geetika: And so I think, you know, To see them as professionals, to see them as people who have spent their entire life dedicated to that craft, building those skills and developing that level of mastery to mean they're as great masters at the, as the CEOs of a company, you know it, it's a different kind of experience, but it's if not more, you know, equal and so I think one is just like Giving them that status and understanding that they, they, they are professionals.
Geetika: And hence, to be able to compensate them for their work, because then you see the amount of time and skill it has taken to create that piece of work. I grew up, like I said, in India, and I traveled to Kutch. This was like in my college years, as part of the travel I used to do. Kutch is the westernmost part of India.
Geetika: It's a desert. And I saw these women who were doing the embroidery that took them Like up to two years to create the embroidery on the on their wedding dress and when you look at that piece and you see it being sold in markets for a, you know, extremely cheap price, it's heartbreaking. And so yeah, it's a very humbling experience and it it, it helps us value not just the artist, but also the act of craft.
Geetika: But additionally, it, I think, helps us connect to time and nature. I think we are in this mindset that we can get anything at, you know, by a click. And this expectation that we create of the world is so not in sync with how nature works. Which is why we are, you know, at a time in our lives that we are because we're not moving at the speed of nature, we're moving at a completely different speed.
Geetika: So when you see these processes that take time, the ceramics, they just need time to dry. So you just have to wait and developing that patience and not having that expectation that it has to come gives you kind of like a sweet reward it really slows you down. So you develop that appreciation as well.
Geetika: So, so yeah to summarize, I guess what I think about it is, yes, it's a very humbling experience. It gives you appreciation for the amount of time and energy artists devote to creating what they create for us to value it better and for us to also then just value time and, and the nature around us, the materials around us in a different way.
Christine: Yeah. Well, one last thing I wanted to touch on is going back to another another thing that I read that you wrote online. And in the post you were mentioning, you know, that the world is curious and ready. And that in travel, we need to really be thoughtful in how we approach this. And I think you know, we, we've already mentioned how much people want this experience, but how we need to be careful not to let this become a cool thing that we're doing.
Christine: And you end by saying that it's too delicate and that that's the line that's really struck with me. Like, yes, this is important, Yes, I think as you've said, you want other people to experience this and there's a balance. So I'm just curious with maybe how you would approach that balance.
Geetika: Yeah, I, I think. I think of it usually in two ways. One is I come from the marketing advertising world, right? So like everything you're communicating, you're communicating in a way to sell. And sometimes to sell, we romanticize things a bit too much. And I think we just have to be careful about like not over romanticizing it, where it creates an unnatural rush for these kinds of experiences.
Geetika: And. We have to kind of steer away from words like this is an authentic experience and then use the word authentic as a way to sell. I think that's where we have to be very careful of how, how we label things, how we call things or even talk about like why this is the thing that people are doing right now.
Geetika: And this is what people should be doing. So I think the, anything that creates a very trending idea. versus a timeless idea is, is that's kind of the balance I see is how do you create solutions and experiences that are going to be timeless versus trending? How do we think of our businesses as things that can sustain all stakeholders?
Geetika: So whether it's the artists, whether it's the guests, whether it's the company too. So to me that means the artists we work with as we start growing, are we going to start asking them to do you know, Oh, you should be able to take guests all the time. No, we should never do that. So where you have to be very careful of where you draw the line of what you're expecting out of the artists in this case also what you're expecting out of the guests in this case.
Geetika: So you have to set those guidelines. Very clearly for your community as to what this is and what this is not. So people know what they are signing up for and, and hence that can sustain the things for a much longer period. For example, we always tell our guests, this is not about creating a product.
Geetika: This is about the process. It's about getting into the process. It's about learning. You're not going to learn everything in five days. Absolutely not. So we're not, we're not promising anything. We're not forcing anything that's not unnatural. So I think just being very true to the nature of things is, is, and being really honest with our product, really being honest with our communications.
Geetika: I think that's, that's how I find myself finding balance. I never, Want to say anything or do externally or even internally how we do things that I don't 100 percent believe in or that I don't feel is true. And I think, you know, it's one way to go. I understand, you know, business has to do a lot of things to grow.
Geetika: But I think that's something we can be careful of.
Christine: Yeah. That is such a beautiful and I think powerful way to end the conversation. Because I, I feel like I need to go back and just listen to how you said that again and again because it speaks so true to how I, how I feel about travel but it's so easy to get caught up in the business of things and then for some of that other like louder influence to take over the things that you feel in your heart because maybe they're at odds with one another and to just constantly me.
Christine: Be reminded to check in. And I think the other thing that you've said that's really important. And I've also talked about with some of the other guests is this idea of what growth has to look like or should look like. And, and to know that we can choose a growth that is actually a sustainable point for our business and the people that we're working with and know that there's a tipping point where what you have will no longer be what it is.
Christine: When you pass that and, and to just really be aware that you can't grow past a certain point and still have the product or the experience that you want to offer people. And I think it's so hard because it's at odds with. this culture that we're in right now that I also hope that we're shifting out of.
Christine: But, but I think that's a really, really powerful way to think about, about this.
Geetika: Yeah, yeah, it's not easy, but I, I think it's the right way to do it. Yeah, I'm always looking for ways to stay on that track, and I, I hope to stay on that track.
Christine: Yeah. Well, thank you so much. I think you'll really be inspiring others to think about their businesses through a new lens or even just revisit maybe where they started, because like I said, I think so many people start there, but we, we become a part of the machine. Whether we chose to or not, and so to come back to that, I think, is a great awareness.
Geetika: I'll actually just add to that. If there's a second, I think it's also good for the business. And I say that because in our experience, you know, we've been working with these artists not, you know, for many years now, we have almost negligible attrition. It's because. It's sustainable for the artists. And so it's also good for the business.
Geetika: We don't have to spend a lot of energy trying to constantly acquire new artists and, you know, get them on the platform. It, it works for all of us. So it actually reduces the costs in the long term. So I do think, you know, it's also good for the business, not just for, for, you know, this idea of building a sustainable business.
Christine: thank you, but I think that is also a really good awareness. Well, before we end, I have what are called my rapid fire or rapid fire ish questions, so we'll just take a moment to go through those. The first is what are you reading right now?
Geetika: I am actually reading a do you know Beth Santos? She, she, yes. So she came out with a new book, Wonder Woman. So I'm actually reading that right now. It's a great book. Everyone should read it. I actually have it right here with me.
Christine: I love that. I just spent last weekend with Beth at WITS and interviewed her at a book signing for that book. So that's such a timely connection. What is always in your suitcase or backpack when you travel?
Geetika: Socks what else is there? Just always comfortable clothes. Ver comfortable, versatile clothes.
Christine: Yeah, that's okay. Socks is a good one that I learned always needs to be in your bag and you never know why, but when you realize it, you're so glad they're there.
Geetika: Yeah. Yeah.
Christine: To sojourn to me is to travel somewhere as if you live there for a short while. Where is some place that you would still love to sojourn?
Geetika: Iceland.
Christine: What is something you eat that immediately connects you to a place that you've been?
Geetika: Oh, Zatar. The, the spice, the Middle Eastern spice always connects me to my travels to Egypt.
Christine: Who was a person that inspired or encouraged you to set out to travel the world?
Geetika: I think it's probably my parents. They're both travelers. We, since we were little, we were always going on road trips, so. So yeah, I think it's probably my parents,
Christine: If you could take an adventure with one person, fictional or real, alive or past, who would it be?
Geetika: Bjork.
Christine: Oh good, I love when I get answers that you would never expect.
Geetika: I think she's my go to person for everything. I just feel like her creativity is, is so imaginative. And, and so I'm always very curious of how she sees the world. And so I would love to travel with her and just see the world through her eyes.
Christine: I think she would really enjoy the experiences you create as well. So that would be a great pairing. Who is one woman in the travel industry you admire and would love to recognize here in this space at Soul of Travel Podcast?
Geetika: So many women that I'm such a big fan of. Well, since I'm reading Beth's book, I, I want to give a shout out to her. I think she's doing God's work to really empower women to travel more. And, and I just love the incredible global community she has created to really, champion women to go out there and not be afraid and, and live their life.
Geetika: So I guess she's top of mind for me right now.
Christine: Yeah, thank you. Well, I'm always happy to include her here. So Thank you. Well, and also thank you again for being here. Like I said, I just was so happy to be able to connect. The conversation was as nourishing and as insightful as I hoped, and I'm so glad to be able to share it with my listeners.
Geetika: Thank you so much, Christine. This was really wonderful conversation. I loved all the topics we touched upon and they're all very dear to me. So it's just really nice to talk about it.
Christine: Thank you.
Geetika: Thank you.
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