KOCHI: Are you looking for some personalised gifts for your loved ones? Well, what better than a wooden jewellery box adorned with hand-painted Madhubani art? Made by Shruthi Rajarajan, an architect, the boxes make a perfect gift for all occasions due to its incredible designs.
Shruthi says she loved doing DIY (Do It Yourself) craft from a young age. However, it was only a year ago that she thought of exploring it. Through her Instagram page ‘fel_t for it’, she started selling a variety of products that she made online, which included earphone organisers, sanitary napkin pouches, bookmarks, photo-frames, fridge magnets, personalised baby pillows, and name banners for babies. “I started making DIY artworks when I was pregnant. I had time on my hands and thought of using it for art. I made baby pillows, banners and mobile organisers and they came out really good. I also sold some to my family and friends. This prompted me to make more,” says Shruthi.
Having completed her post-graduation in Landscape Architecture from CEPT University, Ahmedabad, Shruthi thought of taking her interest in art seriously. “I had attended a Madhubani painting workshop in college but did not get the time to explore it. It was during my maternity leave that I thought of exploring the art on empty wooden boxes. The response was overwhelming. And I am hooked to Madhubani art now,” says Shruthi, who is a professor at College of Architecture, Thiruvananthapuram.
This self-taught artist says that procuring materials is the most daunting task. “In Thiruvananthapuram, most of the materials are not available. As a result, I have to either import them from abroad or buy the materials from online craft stores such as Craftslane,” shares Shruthi. Even the wooden boxes have been bought from ‘Craftslane’. While doing Madhubani art, Shruthi uses matchsticks and pen nibs. The price for the wooden boxes ranges from Rs 100 to Rs 1,000 depending on their size.