Karan Mhatre's blog

A reason to escape - a painting series

2026-01-30T00:00:00Z

A four-part visual journey through the space between nature and artificiality.

This series explores what it feels like to live between two worlds: the natural world we come from, and the built world we have created. It reflects on how modern life shapes the way we see ourselves, often pulling us toward rules, routines, and expectations that can make us feel separate from the flow of life around us.

Through four paintings, the viewer is guided on a journey from noticing, to gathering strength, to questioning success, and finally to letting go. Each work offers a moment to pause and consider what we carry, what holds us back, and what helps us feel connected again.

Rather than rejecting progress, this series invites a gentle return to presence - to the simple, living connections between self, environment, and others. It is an invitation to step outside the noise of structure and productivity, and to rediscover a quieter sense of belonging in the wider world.

Awakening

The journey begins with sight. A temporary eye reveals what has always been present but unseen. The human figure rises to meet and surpass the structures around them, recognizing their place within the vastness of nature rather than beneath the weight of systems. Awareness becomes the first act of freedom.

Power

Strength is discovered in recognition. The bands — symbols of limitation and control become visible. In the distance, the gates of the prison remain, taunting with their promise of release. Energy is gathered not for conquest, but for the final movement beyond confinement.

Royalty

Here, authority and achievement stand tall. The figure holds abundance, yet is burdened by it. Pride and possession obscure what truly matters. In this moment of shame and reflection, the illusion of dominance gives way to the realization of what has been overlooked.

Interbeing

The final stage is release. Artificiality dissolves into meadow and light. The self no longer stands apart, but within. Free of pride and shame, the figure becomes part of a wider, washed by connection, acceptance, and presence.

Making an E-paper display to show BVG timings and weather

2025-12-07T00:00:00Z

I recently made an e-paper display to track train timings and show the weather. Here's a small video of how it looks.

Your browser does not support the video tag.

Materials

Waveshare E-paper display: Berrybase
Raspberry Pi Pico 2W (mit Headers): Berrybase
130x180mm Wooden Frame (Similar to this one - Modular)

Why e-paper

I wanted a display that I could leave switched on all day, so power consumption was a deciding factor. I also wanted it to fit into a frame and be powered by batteries, so that it didn't need a power outlet nearby.

An e-paper display is perfect for this. The major limitation with an e-paper display is that it has a pretty bad refresh speed (2-3s), which makes it terrible for animations, videos, or use-cases that may require a refresh every second. For my use-case I could refresh the display every minute, since that's how most train timing displays work at train stations.

I also wanted to show the weather, and this too doesn't need constant refreshing.

Data

I used the BVG API (https://v6.bvg.transport.rest/) for train and tram timings in my area.

I fetched the data for the U ROSA-LUXEMBURG STOP (ID: 900100016).

https://v6.bvg.transport.rest/stops/900100016/departures?duration=60&linesOfStops=false&remarks=true&language=en

I shortlisted this to just the tram and u-bahn, since I rarely use the bus. I got the timings and directions for each line.

For the weather I used Weather API(https://www.weatherapi.com/). I got the "Feels like" temperature and the precipitation in mm.

Design

Version 1

I used Figma to create the designs. I kept the public transport timing display the same as on Berlin stops, one line for each unique trip.

On the left of the timings I added temperature and decided to show icons for a coat, a cap, a glove, and an umbrella. Since I'm planning on having this near the door (and coat hanger), I wanted the display to inform me whether or not I needed to take any of these with me based on the weather.

A major problem with this version was that the text for the timings was too small to see from a distance.

Version 2

I simplified the timings, and showed one line per direction. So, for example, from U Rosa Luxemburg the train can either go towards S+U Pankow (Berlin), or towards Ruhleben. Sometimes the train towards Ruhleben only runs until Theodor-Heuss-Platz. This is decided to leave out from the display for now (since I don't travel that far on this line regularly).

This design seemed to have better readability from a distance.

Version 3

I created some pixel-style icons for the tram and train, and added some snow as some winter flair.

Creating the image for display

I wrote the code in python for fetching the data from the APIs and I used the Pillow library to create the UI. I used the background image directly from Figma. For the dynamic bits I loaded the font in python using ImageFont (Pillow), and then positioned it appropriately on the screen to match the UI.

The E-paper display requires a .bin file. I found a converter (image_to_epd_bin) for image to bin files that I used here.

Github: https://github.com/karanmhatre1/bvg-weather-e-paper-display

Hosting the program

I hosted this program on my Raspberry PI home server. I ran a simple python server and exposed the generated .bin image on the home network. I ran the program in the background using nohup. The program fetches the data and generates a new image every minute.

I had the file output.bin accessible at 192.168.2.80:4141/output.bin

Building the display

I used the Raspberry PI PICO 2 W (with headers) to run the basic logic required to show the image on the display. I got the Waveshare 5.83 e-paper display. This comes with an e-paper driver module that fits directly into the Pico.

Programming the display

Connecting the PICO and Waveshare display was straightforward. I got the EPD library from the Demo code on the Waveshare website (https://www.waveshare.com/wiki/Pico-ePaper-5.83#Demo_codes). This gives a boilerplate library for displaying text and images, clearing the screen, refreshing the screen, etc.

Every 2 minutes, the program fetches the .bin image from the home server and displays it on the display.

Building a Frame

I used a A5 sized wooden frame. I created a thick paper mount for the display. Doubled-sided tape to attach the pico and epaper driver behind frame.

Future scope

Connect some kind of rechargeable battery
Figure out a solution to show the correct end-stop for each trip
Make a good casing for the pico behind the frame

Finding Reefer Rick and other of user data collection concerns

2025-11-30T00:00:00Z

In Stranger Things Season 4 there is a scene where the gang needs to find a person simply known as Reefer Rick. Since Robin and Steve work at the movie rental store, they find a Rick in their database, whose movie rental list consists of a bunch of Cheech and Chong movies, drawing the conclusion that this is indeed Reefer Rick.

Earlier in the show, Steve and Robin have a conversation about Robins crush's Vickie, and Robin is unsure if Vickie is a lesbian. Steve mentions that he has checked Vickie's movie rental records, and can infer that Vickie is a lesbian, due to having paused and returned the movie Fast Times at Ridgemont High after a particularly sexy scene.

These scenes are direct examples of how a user's movie preferences can reveal the user's sensitive and private behavioural traits (drug use, sexual preference, political inclination, interests, ethnic backgrounds). The Algorithm knows I'm black is an interesting deep dive into concerns about Netflix's user data collection and usage.

These scenes unintentionally echo the deep data analysis done by streaming platforms today. Funnily enough, they sit in a show produced by Netflix.

Streaming platforms today are definitely able to harvest tons more data than this, and analyse it faster than 4 teenagers in the 80s. While the Stranger Things gang had to simply rely on the user's movie rental history and the movie timestamp on return, today's platforms have access to time-of-day usage data, scene skips, pause times, rewinds, continuous time spent, and so much more user data.

In Dec 2024 Netflix was fined €450K by the Dutch Data Protection Authority (DPA) for not informing customers clearly enough in its privacy statement about what exactly Netflix does with the customer's data.

This fine points to the fact that Netflix has not been fully transparent with users about how their data is being used, or who their data is being shared with.

While regulations around user data collection, storage, and usage are catch up, we as consumers, need to ask more from the platform in terms of transparency and reduced telemetry.

We should expect more ethical platforms that allow us to opt-out of recommendations in order to further protect us from data collection, and more granular control on what data we consent for collection.

Further reads:

Netflix Thumbnails Say Much More About You Than You Think

Tabling at an art market in Berlin

2025-10-01T00:00:00Z

I am participating in the Berlin art market on the 1st and 2nd of November - next to the Spree river at the Berliner Dom. This market takes place every weekend. This August, I decided to apply.

I have two major reasons for participating in an art market.

One, I love meeting artists and other creatives. And two, I have a lot of art lying around the house that I need to get out, to make space for new works.

Applying for this art market was relatively easy. I had a fill up a simple form on their website and give them a link to my portfolio (I sent a link to my instagram at the time). Then another email and a €106 payment later, I was in!

Once I was accepted for the market, I made a list of all the things I wanted to see. I took out all the pieces of art I had in the house and sorted out things I think people would like to buy (Basically removing my countless self-portraits).

It took a while to convince myself that maybe majority of the people coming to this exhibition won't want to buy expensive originals and I needed to do some prints of my work.

I also had a illustrated booklet that I'd been working on for a while.

I went to a few printers across town, and finalised on the ones listed below.

Central station (Website) - Pankow This place looks very professional. A bunch of large printers whirr-ing on the sides. I got assigned a computer. I downloaded my files and started the prints. The colours came out really good and each booklet cost me €4,20 to print. I was very happy with the double-side alignment and the print quality here, so I printed all my booklets here.

Solid earth (Website) - Prenzlauer Berg This place is very convenient for me to visit since I live nearby. The person here is very passionate about printing and helped me select the right paper and patiently explained how he wanted me to prepare the files for printing. I got all my postcards printed here for €0.80 each.

List of things I'll be having at my stall:

Screenprints I did at a workshop at Leracet
Barque plate recreations I'd done for practice
A booklet of illustrations I made and quotes I picked from the book "The more beautiful world our hearts know ispossible" by Charles Eisenstein
A couple of oil paintings
Some cardboard cutouts and paintings
Postcard prints of my watercolour work

I decided to bind the booklet pages that I got printed. I think this adds a lot of character to the booklet and shows my care for each one. Each binding took me on average 10 minutes.

But, but, what about style and medium consistency? This is something I struggled with when I first began drawing. I thought I would keep "practicing" until I had a good art style, and then I would "create" art. I finally realised, that what I kept calling "practice" was my art. This was my expression - doing. I now think of art like I think of hiking. I do it because I enjoy the process of creating. There is no pursuit to be better, or compete, or sell and make money. Long story short, no, there is no style consistency in my work, and that's ok.

Now the tough part, pricing.

For now I'll keep it simple. Postcards for €5, booklets for €10, original pencil drawings at €15, and a couple of oil paintings at €40, and €50

But pricing is a broader issue I think to frame my thoughts around further in the future.

I highly recommend artists (even if you think you just do this as a "hobby") to do something like. There are a number of flea and art markets in Berlin that you can participate for cheap rent/free.

Here's a non-comprehensive list of art/flea markets that I've found in Berlin:

KunstMarkt (Website)
Every weekend from 11-17
Table price: €104
Location: Mitte
Type: Art & Craft

Flohmarkt Arkonaplatz (Website)
Every Sunday
Table price: €20-30
Location: Prenzlauer Berg
Type: Flea market

Art Minius 21 (Website)
Every Saturday
Table price:
Location: Moibit
Type: Art

Be Market (Website)
Multiple times (Subscribe to their newsletter to be informed about open calls)
Table price: -
Location: Wedding
Type: Design & Art

Berliner Kunstallee (Website)
Multiple times
Table price: -
Location: Charlottenburg
Type: Art & Craft

Comic with quotes from a beautiful book

2025-09-20T00:00:00Z

In late 2025 I came across a book called The more beautiful world our hearts know is possible. The book talks about the need to imagine a better world than what we live it. It is a great antidote to the pesimissm we constantly hear in the media today. It is an arguement against the practicality that is expected from our thoughts and discussions.

I soon started collecting some quotes from the book that I really resonated with. Quotes that could stand independent of the book. Quotes I could share with others.

I started tinkering with some visuals and drawing based on the quotes. I wanted to imagine narratives that connected some stories that communicated these quotes.

Whenever I'm working on a creative project and I feel like I'm having a hard time finishing it (or I'm not even sure what the finish line looks like) I set up constraints for myself. One of the constraints I set early on was to make each comic/quote four panels, not less, not more. I liked this format, there was a setup and a delivery.

I finally decided that I would make a total of 5 quotes. So, the final product would be,

20 (5x4) pages for the quotes
2 pages for the front page
2 pages for the back page
4 pages in the middle as separators
Total: 28 pages (7 sheets of 4 pages printed on each sheet)

After multiple test prints and rearranging pages multiple times, I finally was happy with the final booklet.

The last piece of this project was the binding on this booklet. I first settled on book stamps, but luckily I was introduced to japanese binding. And, it looked amazing with a beautiful red thread.

I made 20 of these, and had them at the Berlin art market in November 2025.

Weekly art classes

2025-08-18T00:00:00Z

This journey started when I wanted to start volunteering in Berlin in my free time. My online search led me to the Freiwilligen Agentur in Pankow. This is an agency that helps to connect organisations with individuals who are interested in volunteering. I had a great first meeting with them in November 2024 and they noted down my areas of interest. I happened to mention that I do art (without expecting anything to come out of it).

A couple of weeks later, they put me in touch with KulturMarktHalle. A week later, I went in to meet with them. I showed them my sketchbook and some other works on my instagram.

At first, I was skeptical about teaching this class. Firstly, I do have experience making art, not teaching. And these are widely different things. And secondly, this class was to be taken in German. Und, mein Deutsch is nicht so gut.

However, they showed a lot of confidence in my work (and my German abilities) and that gave me a lot of confidence. So, I took up the offer.

The classes started in April 2025. I was extremely nervous about my first class. I'd made a list of german words that I'd need in an art class.

For my first class I took print outs of cats in various positions. I had the participates create stylistic drawings from the reference photos. This did not go well. The class had a wide range of expertise. Some participants who sketched often were able to run with the prompt. Others, expected more handholding.

The next few classes I did,

Perspective drawing for urban sketching
Barque plates to improve measuring and proportions in drawing

At first, my class format was me teaching a concept (eg. understanding values in colour), and then give them exercises to practice. But, this format did not work because my german was not good enough to engage in monologues, and because people where here to not necessarily to improve their art. People want to spend time in a community, making fun art. That's all this class needs to be.

In one class I played Difficult Pictionary where I gave them the following words to draw,

Dream - Traum
Future - Zukunft
Hunger - Hunger
Friendship - Freundschaft
Warmth - Wärme
Lazy - Faul
Fear - Angst
Crispy - Knusprige
Dry - Trocken
Fall - Herbst
Taste - Geschmack

While difficult, the class enjoyed the exercise.

I started to look at my role as more of a facilitator than a teacher. I would provide activities for the class to engage in and help as and when needed.

This was a lot more fun for the class. I started bringing in printouts of works my illustrators and artists that I liked, and we played around to try and recreate some of those works.

I chose to do watercolours because I believe this is a medium that is easiest to get started with. I also offers a lot of expression by default, since it is unforgiving and makes you commit with your happy accidents.

Dealing with negativity: Some of the participants where feeling not great about the artwork they created. They thought it was subpar and that they were not talented enough to make art. So, one class I took in this piece, which is a paraphrasing from The Artists Way. I read it out to the class, and people loved it! They related to it and during the class even quoted from it when someone was showing negativity during the class.

Art is a vehicle through which we can explore the world, it is a safe space where we can experiment what it feels like to work without stress and to work without expectations because I think true creativity comes when you take your eye off the result and concentrate on what you are doing. It's not a good to habit to constantly think about what you are doing in terms of good or not good. There is a time and space for it, but it is not when you are creating. Art is a good safe space to practice this as a virtue, where you can keep creating without thinking, constantly thinking, whether this good or not good.

Materials I use in my class: Some participants have large watercolour and acrylic sets, and struggle with colour mixing or colour understanding. I wanted to provide a simplified material set.

Pencils
Watercolour paper (300gsm Fabriano)
Watercolour boxes (I created my own same watercolour sets a 6-colour limited pallete)
Watercolour brush

Coming soon: A PDF of all my class lessons, so people can use this format at other community centres.

Painting reproduction dog with a sausage

2024-10-31T00:00:00Z

A study of Wilhelm Trübner’s ‘Dog with a Sausage’, or as he’d named it - ‘Ave, Caesar, morituri te salutant’ (Hail Caesar! We Who Are about to Die Salute You).

Fun story about the dog and the sausage: The dog actually posed as a model with the sausages. During the painting session, Trübner had to briefly leave the studio to answer a knock at the door. When he returned, the dog was sitting exactly as before, motionless and stiff, but the sausages had mysteriously vanished in that short interval.

I learned interesting things from how Trübner cleverly used brushstrokes to show the form of the dog’s muscles.

My friend, who first saw this painting at the Alte Nationalgalerie in Berlin, fell in love with it and asked if I could bring this piece to her new apartment. Happy to see it now hanging there, reminding us both of its story. ✨🙂

Here's the final painting.