Pottery, animal figurines or dough that kids play with: these are what spring to mind when we think of clay. But, Priya Nanthakumar has found that a lot more can be done with clay, which is available in different forms in different countries.
A craft enthusiast from a young age, Priya turned to clay crafting to kill boredom. On her visit to Thailand a few years ago, she was exposed to an all-new world of clay modelling. Making intricately designed flowers was what she learnt through a workshop.
To explore what more she could do, she visited Malaysia, where dolls are made from clay.
“Everything from dress to shoes is made from the material. It was also interesting to learn the difference in textures of the clay in both the countries. Thai clay is more flexible, hence lends itself to intricate designing, such as what goes into the design of a flower. Malaysian clay is best suited for doll-making, which we call cuties,” she says.
After a while, she started posting her creations on craftziners.net, an online platform for art and craft lovers. Here, her work got a lot of appreciation, and requests for conducting workshops in India started to pour in. Now, Priya had a hobby and a job too.
Now, this Chennaiite travels to Thailand to conduct workshops thrice a year during vacations.
“I have students in Bangalore and I conduct classes there as well. The workshops are usually 10-days long. The number of days will vary depending on what students wish to learn. Miniatures, garland-making can be made in two days, while doll making takes three days. Thai clay is easily available in Chennai. For the dolls, I source clay from Malaysia,” adds this T. Nagar resident.
Priya never sells her creations. “Every piece is unique, so I don’t part with them. They are used as decorative items in my house.”
Not just clay modelling, students also learn decoupage through the exercise. “The dresses on dolls are made using decoupage. She says one learns two arts while enrolling for one,” she says.
Priya, who also does stitching, embroidery, quilling and fabric flower-making, will conduct her next session in July.
Her works can be viewed at https://www.facebook.com/officialHOM.
For details, email to clayflowerart@gmail.com
