KOCHI: Happiness filled his eyes as he pointed to his carefully sculpted pieces. He kept running to his workroom and each time he emerged, he held a visual treat in his hands. Thomas Jacob never thought that his self-taught micro art - carving miniature sculptures - would fetch him quick attention.
He started Thomas Art World five months ago after a decade in the corporate world in Qatar. “I was well-paid and also got the opportunity to travel to a lot of places but there was a void which art-filled,” said Thomas, without a tinge of regret over his decision to quit.
“Art has always been a part of me, even before I became an engineer. I started sculpting when I was 10. Back then I did not know it was called micro art,” he said.He opened an old jewellery box with tiny chalk sculptures with intricate details and patterns he sculpted when he was in school. According to Thomas, Kerala gives children a lot of opportunities to explore art, unlike in north India where there are hardly any cultural fests or art competitions.
A flea market at Panampilly Nagar marked his debut as a micro artist. “There were not many spot sales, but many people called and ordered customised sculptures and in March I put up a stall in Chennai to exhibit my pieces,” he said.
According to him, chalks are easier to work on than pencils. He imports good quality pencils and chalks from abroad for his carving work. Initially he used pins, surgical needles and compass, but after venturing into the art fulltime, he uses tools from the US for all the intricate detailing. Although he calls it an extended break from his corporate life, he wants to continue with micro art as it brings him a lot of satisfaction.
“It has been five months since I got into this and I am very happy. My family is also very supportive,” he said. When asked about his proudest moment in these five months, his face lit up; it was when he gifted Mohanlal a micro-sculpture of ‘Pulimurugan’. “I had sculpted it when the movie was released. It was my dream to gift it to him in person. I got the opportunity to meet him on the set of Kayamkulam Kochunni. I could see his interest in art when he spoke about his collection at home and I am proud that my sculpture is one among them,” Thomas said.
Thomas takes art classes for around 50 children in his building and plans to conduct workshops on micro art for youngsters in the city. He also collaborates with Kakkanad-based ‘La Belle Gateau’ in doing cake art. Apart from micro art, Thomas does theme-based event décor and jewellery making. “I picked up an old bicycle from a garage, painted it white and turned it into a vintage wedding prop,” he said.
He works on rice grains without the use of a magnifying lens. “I get the precision without the lens. I just use a lens to review my work,” he said. He carves personalised sculptures based on photographs. He said micro art needs a lot of concentration and patience.
“Mostly, I lock the room and sit alone but now my kids know I need concentration so they stand silently and watch. Sometimes I have to hold my breath to do some detailing,” he said. Thomas hopes to venture into new areas of art in the near future. Thomas lives with his wife, Priya and sons Ryan, Ethan and Ezekial.