KOCHI: Diya Johnson, a Kochi-based photographer, loves travelling. Her job as a freelance journalist helps her live this passion too. During her travels, however little or long, she collects knick-knacks from nature to keep the memories alive. Little leaves and flowers between the pages of a book she was reading, seashells and shiny stones on tabletops and shelves, butterfly wings and insects inside quirky boxes, beautiful ferns and mosses - all of them find a place in her list of keepsakes.
The painter-cum-photographer’s thirst to preserve memories continued for some time until she stumbled upon a small piece of jewellery made of preserved flowers inside a glass. “I couldn’t buy it then because I was broke,” quips Diya. She learned that it was possible to keep her collections safe from wear and tear.
Diya completed her engineering in 2016. Straight out of college, she joined a studio and started work as a photographer and followed her passion. Diya later decided to get professional training as a photographer and joined the Light and Life Academy in Ooty, Tamil Nadu. After graduating in 2019, she started working as a freelance photographer. “My grandmother used to do crafts and was a trainer. Let’s say it’s in my blood. I didn’t train under her. Most of the things I create is my imagination followed by YouTube videos and tutorials,” she says.
Preserving memories
After two years of research, Diya found out about resin art. She didn’t waste any time after that. “I went and bought some resin solutions and started making all my knick-knacks into jewellery and memory blocks,” she says.
The idea of selling the jewellery came later. “Earlier, it was for me. A way to preserve all the little things I collected. I used to sell other little stuff like pendants made of paper and such. Now, I make whatever I can with resin and keep experimenting,” says the artistOn her Instagram page, customers can now request her to make jewellery or crafts they need.
“Sometimes, people ask about preserving flowers from wedding bouquets,” says Diya. Her Instagram page is filled with beautiful chains, wall hangings, rings, memory blocks etc made from resin. She preserves natural flowers, leaves, shells, etc using the technique and customers can make requests by messaging her on Instagram. There are pendants made of roses, little parts of oceans in paper eights and memory blocks, dried sunflowers in pendants, mosses and small stones in wall hangings.
“I love oceans. I am obsessed with them. I had made a series of ocean-themed items too. That was also a favourite of my followers,” she shares. The price of the items varies according to customer requests. “As everything is custom-made, so each product has a different price,” Diya adds. Small pendants, etc start from `150 and then changes according to customer requests.
Follow Diya on Instagram @hootcrafts93
EXPENSIVE CRAFT
Resin is slightly expensive in the market but that doesn’t stop Diya from making her crafts. The resin is set in a mould to get desired shapes. There are specific combinations to create the resin solution. “After you pour the solution into the mould, you can add the knick-knacks you want to preserve. If you are adding flowers or leaves, make sure it’s dried thoroughly. Moisture is the enemy of this method,” Diya explains. After that pour the other half of the resin on top. “Depending on the amount and the product, the drying time varies,” she adds. One can also use different colours of resin and make colourful pieces out of them, she kindly explains.