About Me

Welcome to Luna’Space! My space for writing, drawing and featuring artwork I like.

I am an architect by training. But I do less architecture and work more on picture books these days. However, I didn’t always do this. Nor has it been an easy decision.

In the many years of existential conflict, between my passion for the arts, making a tangible contribution to society – (and paying bills!) – I have bounced around degrees and careers in dance (1976 – 1989), architecture (1989 – 1997), and sustainable building design (1997 – 2007). But a full time career in the arts, seemed too much of a self-indulgence … one for me to avoid till retirement.

But retirement is still far away, and I didn’t adapt very to a 9-6 cube-environment, spending hours away from the very environment that I was trying to protect. By January of 2007, I had reduced tons of greenhouse gas emissions, and improved daylight and air quality for workers and children. I had also gone up one dress size! And that was that.

I started school – again! Thinking that Peace and Conflict Studies would come to my rescue. But the arts kept stubbornly at my heels. And at nearly forty, I finally decided to do what I enjoy the most – draw, and write.

I try to placate my conflict between environmental reconstruction and creative expression by litanizing that the arts and environmental good don’t have to be mutually exclusive after all. Naïve as it may sound!!!

The arts can sear the inner recesses of our soul as nothing – except perhaps falling in love – can. It can rattle our conscience into unexpected awakenings, and push us into spaces that we would rather not see. It can provoke original thought, and call to question our perception of the world. It can cause us to examine our relationship with ourselves, our environment and our humanity.

At least, that’s what I think it can do. At least, that’s what I hope to do – if I can steady my unreliable reserves of patience, conviction and fortitude.

As for making a living, I hope that will come, too!

Mendocino, California. 2008.

As for now, I enjoy my life near the California coast. I am overjoyed by its wild blue skies and thunderous waves, its stony grey beaches, and rich tide pools, its amorous clouds and wind swept trees, its savage grasses and crunchy leaves, its wild flowers and ocean kelp, its sea urchins and its anemones, but most of all, I am inspired by the great whale migration off the coast.

I also enjoy going to Lake Tahoe and Yosemite, where I occasionally hike or climb.

I work at home amidst exuberant ferns, fiery red bins, and my talkative 4-month old.

And, if I ever lose those last 15 lbs. I will revert to eating mousse au chocolat every week! Mmm… mmm… mmm…

I hope that you will stay a while, check out my work, and leave your impression.

Thank you for visiting.

Aditi Raychoudhury,
Oakland, CA. 2011.