FINDING HER HOME IN INDIA

Noelle Kadar talks about her love for all things art, her Jaipur connect, and much more.

- MALIKA HALDER

Creative pursuits brought her from New Jersey to Varanasi, and finally love bound her to Jaipur. Meet accomplished strategic art and design consultant Noelle Kadar who possesses a profound understanding of the intersection between art and culture. With a keen eye for talent and trends, she navigates the art world, connecting artists with patrons in a harmonious dance of creativity and commerce.

“When you go to an art school where you learn how to make things, you realise that no one knows how to make anything anymore,” says Noelle, an alumnus of Rhode School of Design. “[That way] India always fascinated me for its art and craft legacy. Things were still being made at an advanced level. I wanted to go to Varanasi to learn weaving from the skilled master craftsmen.”

Reminiscing about her first visit to the country, Noelle says she remembers every detail from her trip to Varanasi in 2006 and equates it to a month-long meditation. “I felt like a monk. I stayed at a hotel for over a month and my routine was set. I had this one rickshaw guy who took me to the weaving locality. It was a wonderful experience,” she recalls.