KOCHI: Akshara Santhosh recreates miniature worlds and scenes that transpired in one’s life. She even gives imaginary scenarios a lease of life. Clay is Akshara’s most trusted partner and she weaves stories with them.
It all started years ago when she was nine years old. Akshara always loved making shapes. As a kid, she would make shapes out of chapati dough. “None of them lasted long though. The rats would claim them!,” chuckles Akshara. And as she grew up, her craze for art was sidelined.
But during the pandemic, the craze returned. The lockdown happened when she was a final year college student. Like everyone else, she was also stuck at home. “College authorities asked us to go home. While surfing the internet, I chanced upon Youtube videos where they made clay miniatures,” recalls Akshara, a native of Thalassery. Soon, she started making miniature comic characters. She shared those on social media and got great responses. “I never thought of making it a business. For me, it was all about connecting with art after so long. When orders started piling up, I realised many people wanted me to recreate scenarios from their lives,” says Akshara.
A self-taught artist, Akshara now creates a range of miniature collectables with clay. “People love miniatures. They are tangible and versatile and we can create any scenarios with them,” says Akshara. Her latest product includes miniature clay frames of memories. For her, art is her stress buster. “It brings me such joy creating these miniatures for people. And the greatest joy comes when they share their feedback,” she says.
Even as she dreams of building her brand as an artist, she also wants to pursue her career as a civil engineer. “I chose civil engineering since it was a creative field. It has helped me with my art as well. The dimensions are very crucial when you create models,” says Akshara.
