<div>Empty coconut shells are often handed over to a waste picker or left discarded at public spaces. However, here are a few inspiring citizens from the city who turn them into creative artworks. <br /><br />Nandini Subramanya, who provides customised craft and art products, including recycled items, under the banner ‘Craft World,’ makes beautiful doll hangings out of the shells.<br /><br />She said that the advantage of shell crafts lay in its simplicity and easy availability of coconut shells.<br /><br />“All you need to create a simple piece of coconut shell artwork is neatly broken shells, paints and decorative items (if necessary) to make it more eye-catching,” said Nandini, a resident of Banasawadi. <br /><br />Dhananjaya Balan, an ambulance driver at Manipal Hospitals, works 12 hours a day and in the little free time he gets, collects shells from hotels and his house to turn them into art pieces. His first work was a simple lamp stand that was made using two to three empty coconut shells. <br /><br />“I was inspired to take up coconut shell craft after watching ‘Do It Yourself’ videos. I see shells often lying discarded and hence, decided to make something useful out of them. Recently, I made a baby lion using sand paper, discarded screws, nails and seven shells. Right now, I am making a Ganesha idol using the shells,” he said. <br /><br />Shankar Rao, who works for a waste water treatment company, makes piggybanks, ashtrays, pen holders and other interesting household items out of coconut shells in a creative way. “I felt why throw away coconut shells when we can create so many useful products out of them,” said Rao. <br /></div>
<div>Empty coconut shells are often handed over to a waste picker or left discarded at public spaces. However, here are a few inspiring citizens from the city who turn them into creative artworks. <br /><br />Nandini Subramanya, who provides customised craft and art products, including recycled items, under the banner ‘Craft World,’ makes beautiful doll hangings out of the shells.<br /><br />She said that the advantage of shell crafts lay in its simplicity and easy availability of coconut shells.<br /><br />“All you need to create a simple piece of coconut shell artwork is neatly broken shells, paints and decorative items (if necessary) to make it more eye-catching,” said Nandini, a resident of Banasawadi. <br /><br />Dhananjaya Balan, an ambulance driver at Manipal Hospitals, works 12 hours a day and in the little free time he gets, collects shells from hotels and his house to turn them into art pieces. His first work was a simple lamp stand that was made using two to three empty coconut shells. <br /><br />“I was inspired to take up coconut shell craft after watching ‘Do It Yourself’ videos. I see shells often lying discarded and hence, decided to make something useful out of them. Recently, I made a baby lion using sand paper, discarded screws, nails and seven shells. Right now, I am making a Ganesha idol using the shells,” he said. <br /><br />Shankar Rao, who works for a waste water treatment company, makes piggybanks, ashtrays, pen holders and other interesting household items out of coconut shells in a creative way. “I felt why throw away coconut shells when we can create so many useful products out of them,” said Rao. <br /></div>
