The hands of innovation

Creativity is said to be food for the soul, and Sumathi Vinodh, a home entrepreneur, proves this right. She is the proud owner of ‘Niskaā’, a start-up that one can’t help but admire. From paper craft to pottery, candle making, terracotta jewellery and clay art, she makes them all.

The idea for ‘Niska’ took sprout back in 2012, when Sumathi had to quit her corporate job to take care of her son. Calling it the “usual story”, she says, “We are a nuclear family so someone had to stay home to look after my son. After I quit my job, I had to do something or else I would have gotten bored. That’s when I decided to pursue my hobby of art and craft.” Initially she started with just terracotta jewellery, so that’s how the name came to be.

“My husband suggested the name ‘Niska’; it is the golden jewellery you put around your neck, in Sanskrit. Even though my jewellery was made from terracotta, I would add a golden finish to all of them. I thought that gold adds an extra sparkle to the bright colours.” She continues this practice even today. “Although I have progressed to making other products, I didn’t want to change the name because it would confuse my customers,” she reasons.

According to her, art and craft is in her blood. “My whole family is into art and craft and I’ve been exposed to it from a young age. During our summer vacations, my mother would sit me and my brother down and teach us how to make different things.” Sumathi finds experimenting with different mediums de-stressing. “Clay is my favourite medium because I like the feel of it in my hand; the process of making it rather than the end product itself.”

She enjoys moulding clay into something colourful and bright. “It feels satisfying because it’s something you have made. The thing with clay is that it can be moulded into any shape.”

She plays around with the colours by mixing around with the tones and textures.
How did she learn to make so many items? “I learnt from various sources including books I ordered from abroad. When it comes to candles, I don’t use paraffin wax, instead I import natural waxes like bees wax and palm wax. They are less harmful as they don’t emit carcinogens. These are the best options for regular candle burners,” she says. She also uses natural fragrances to add that special something. “I like to blend different things and give them a texture,” she adds.

Sumathi also hosts workshops for children. “I have a naughty son so I know how hard it is to keep them engaged. It is important to help them channelise their energy towards something productive, and not just on the television or video games. This way, they are learning something and having fun at the same time.” She also hopes to pass the ‘legacy’ on to her son.

She plans to expand into the soap-making business soon. “I like working with new
products. When I don’t have bulk orders, I sit for two to three hours everyday and experiment with things. Or I doodle with designs that are meant to be customised. But when I have bulk orders, I work day in and out for a couple of weeks,” she sums up.