Cup to canvas: Artist Hazel’s workshop explores coffee as art medium

In a creative blend of art and daily life, Delhi-based artist Hazel Kamath hosted a unique workshop over the weekend, exploring coffee as an artistic medium.

Held at the Utsav Gallery – The Square, GMR Aerocity, the event drew a diverse crowd, from budding artists to seasoned creators eager to experiment with the unconventional medium.

Titled Coffee Art Workshop by Hazel Kamath, the session demonstrated how coffee—whether in its liquid form or dried powder—could be used to create various forms of art, including paintings, sketches, and sculptures.

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Known for her experimental and mixed-media artworks, Hazel shared her journey of discovering coffee as an artistic tool.

“Coffee has always been more than just a drink to me. It is a source of comfort, creativity, and inspiration,” she told Patriot.

Hazel recalled her first encounter with coffee as a medium. “I was working with watercolours, and my coffee was next to it. While I was painting, the coffee spilled onto the paper, giving it a unique effect. I loved the result and decided to incorporate coffee into my work,” she explained.

She went on to share more about her technique, saying, “When moisture enters coffee, it is no longer good to drink. I add water to make a thick solution, which I then use for creating different forms of art. It is an easy medium—whatever you create with it becomes art.”

Participants were taught various coffee-based techniques. “We started with bookmarks, which are the simplest, and now they are creating their own works. They learned shading, how to add dark and light tones,” Hazel added.

The workshop also included demonstrations on brewing different strengths of coffee to achieve various shades and techniques. Attendees said they thoroughly enjoyed using coffee to create their artwork.

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Neelam Singhania, an artist, said coffee as a medium was a new experience for her. “I have always wanted to try something new in painting, and coffee helped me achieve that. I enjoyed it,” she shared.

Pooja, a content strategist, called the experience “soothing” and a “stress-buster” using coffee in her art.

Diksha Chaudhary, a student, described it as an amazing experience.

Organisers said that the workshop was a celebration not only of art but of the everyday, transforming something as simple as a cup of coffee into a tool for self-expression.

As the event concluded, participants were encouraged to take their creations home and continue experimenting with the medium.