Back to earth

The craft of working with raw earth and churning the wheel dates back to the yore. Today, ‘clay modelling’ or the art of making items with clay, is manifesting itself in various forms. Clay-artistes, hobby centres, corporates and youngsters are increasingly pursuing clay art and nourishing this culture, be it through making jewellery, creating murals, ceramic paintings, home-decor or utility items. In short, it is a passion for some and part-time profession for others. 

Pavan Sathya, a clay and a mural artist, says that this art has caught the attention of people mainly because it is eco-friendly.  “This is something which anyone can learn. There are no specific courses that one has to go through and it’s a strong medium to express creativity and provoke thought.” Kavitha, a home-maker who teaches clay-modelling as a hobby to many youngsters, says that it is very popular among corporates as it’s a stress-buster and offers a break from their normal routine. 

Clay-making attracts kids, thanks to its colourful and aesthetic quality. It also has its scientific benefits. Pavan says that clay making improves dexterity and helps children develop small and large muscles apart from strengthening the fingers.

Ramanuja, a clay artiste who owns the studio, ‘Clay Joy’, says that the art of working with clay is also catching up through ‘clay therapy’, which is a prime form of relaxation. 

Ganesh of ClayStation, a hobby centre, points out that the hobby has helped family members bond with each other. “Families feel that it’s a fulfilling way of spending time with each other. They come to learn the art of making earthen ‘diyas’, idols or simple home-decor.” 

However, the art of working with clay has won much attention through terracotta (baked clay) jewellery-making; both for its economic and aesthetic value. Pavan says, “Terracotta jewellery-making is popular because there is not much investment involved. People buy clay in bulk for just Rs 50 and the profit they obtain will vary by a huge margin, starting from Rs 350,” he says. 

 “The time invested and the tools needed for firing and moulding are not much. There is no problem of space as well as the art can be practised ‘in-house’. So it attracts rural women and youngsters and housewives who look for part-time jobs. The demand for terracotta jewellery at retail outlets is huge as there are plenty of takers. People take crash courses or learn online and sell it online. The process too is creatively satisfactory,” he adds. 

Pradeep, a professional, finds clay-modelling an engaging hobby. Shreyashi, a terracotta jewellery-maker, teaches about 40 youngsters in her neighbourhood. She says that the art has picked up outside the City as well. When it comes to pursuing it as a profession, Kavitha says that seasonal requirements push people to pursue the art, especially during ‘Ganesh Chathurthi’ and ‘Diwali’.  
The art of working with clay has always attracted people from all age groups. People in the age group of 20-25 work with natural clay as a hobby because they want to have something customised and handmade for themselves. Two of my students quit their jobs recently to become clay artistes,” Ramanuja adds.

However, if the art of working with clay is growing through such part-time and full-time professions, a profession that seems to be in its last legs in the urban areas is pottery. Pavan says, “It’s quite ironic that pottery which is the oldest art and uses clay in the rich, raw form is a dying art form. It is not a viable option because a lot of time and labour is involved. The cost of the wheel, lack of space and damages while transportation of the products are its cons. While in rural areas, it is skilled labour and one is initiated to it, culturally, in the urban areas, it is encouraged in schools as a hobby. On a large scale, there are very few dedicated galleries and a serious lack of studio potters.” 

However, Ramanuja says that as clay has existed in different forms, it’s timeless and clay-modelling will always continue to exist. “Ultimately, we are all made from clay. It’s one of the five basic elements and a joy to work with.”