Art from adversity

They say life is not about waiting for the storm to pass but learning to dance in the rain. Arpita Tornal is the embodiment of this spirit.

More than a decade ago, health issues forced her to be bedridden for four years, a circumstance that even led her to discontinuing her studies.

Rather than complain, Arpita utilised the time to discover new interests and took to hand embroidery. After a couple of years, her shoulder started giving up and she had to stop that too.

“That is when I started devoting more time to crafting techniques. I started off with making ‘kundan rangolis’ and torans. From then onwards, it’s been a journey of discovery. Now I do decoupage as well as mixed media. I was  never keen on this field earlier but right now, I love what I am doing,” says Arpita.

Though her movements are still somewhat limited, Arpita is getting better and continues to create colourful creative artefacts on a regular basis.

A quick glance through her Facebook page ‘House of Creations’ will bear testimony to this with it’s vibrant catalogue of boxes, bottles, tray, ‘rangolis’, frames and more. She also conducts workshops frequently.

“I love making the ‘kundan rangolis’ because it involves a little bit of drawing as well as creating. Coming to motifs, I love flowers. That’s the first thing that catches my eye and the first thing my hand makes,” she details, adding that she sources most of her materials online or from ‘Itsy Bitsy’ for decoupage or tries out places like Raja Market for ‘kundan’ work.

Arpita has no favourites when it comes to her creations (“ I give my all to whatever I make so I can’t choose”) and doesn’t really look outside for inspiration. “I do enjoy other people’s works but I don’t look for inspiration there because that seems like copying to me. I just go with the flow; whatever I feel like doing, I make it.”

The appreciative feedback on her creations, both online and offline, are what keep her going.

“I have gifted a lot of handmade stuff to my friends and family and they love it. Apart from this, the comments I get on my Facebook page also motivate me. Artistes really need appreciation to continue working; even the smallest of comments counts,” she says.

Her main challenge is the pain that has become her constant companion now and interferes with everything she does.

Her mother helps her out here. But Arpita wants to continue doing what she loves and plans to learn more kinds of arts and crafts. “ That’s the broad plan. I plan to just go with the flow,” she smiles. 

(She can be contacted on her FB page ‘House of Creations’.)