JOIN USYour life starts with paper,’ believes Alekhya Yeluri. An assistant brand manager, this youngster has been creating artefacts from paper for some time now. And there has been no looking back since then.
As a child, Alekhya’s mother ingrained the importance of a hobby in her. “After being exposed to multiple activities, I knew that I was more drawn to crafts. I soon realised that working with paper gave me a rush like no other medium did,” she said. She doesn’t know if it’s the beauty or the versatility of paper that attracts her to it. “One can fold, roll, connect and cut paper to create interesting objects! It’s like opening a big door of possibilities. Every paper is unique and the output varies accordingly,” she says.
Working with challenging 3D themes like the ‘Hot air balloon’ excites her. She explains how this happened. “I was working on a 2D project when the paint accidentally splattered on the wrong side. In an attempt to cover it, I tried multiple folds. After some playing around, I created a tiny yet extremely pretty box to store little things. This is how my love for 3D objects started,” she narrates.
Folded greeting cards like the ‘Hello Sunshine’ card which make the subject looks quirky is one of the highlights of her creations. There are also the matchbox cards that act as little surprises. “While one can gift the card by itself, it would look cute with a candy or any other small gift inside,” she says with a smile.
She loves travelling which inspired her to create cute luggage tags. Some of her projects take at least three days to get the final form. “I do not work on a stretch. After a busy day at work, this is how I relax,” she says. She has a room dedicated to her creations, where she works for a couple of hours every day. “Working with and working on paper is an art. One needs to understand the strength, thickness, endurance of each type of paper before starting a project.”
Inspired by paper crafters like Klo Oxford, Alekhya wants to keep exploring varied themes. “I prefer not to have a particular thought or memory when I begin a project. I am motivated by the material itself and things that surround me. The narrative begins to evolve once I start a project,” she says.
As she continues her journey with paper, she also remembers an interesting incident that had happened to her. Once she got a request from a couple, who were friends with her, to design cards for their anniversary, which was the next day. “The idea was to renew their vows and the cards were supposed to match each other. I randomly chose two different coloured papers and worked with the same theme, but wasn’t sure if they would like it,” she says.
“Surprisingly, the colours I chose were their favourite colours and they loved the cards,” she adds. Encouraged by family and friends, Alekhya recollects one of the best comments she has received till date. “A dear friend of mine once said, ‘your work is fearless just like you’.”
(Alekhya can be contacted at alekhya.y@gmail.com)