Artist delivers a dash of nostalgia through paper quilling craftworks

Remember the days when we visited our grandparents as children and let our dear grandmothers apply henna on our hands or made paper boats when it rained and let ants stay afloat in them? These are some of the timeless memories that come to our minds when we think of childhood days. Artist Swetha Srinivasan, who began working on paper quilling about three years ago, decided to freeze such nostalgic moments through her quilling art, which uses simple strips of paper that are rolled and glued together to create a form.

“I started quilling as a hobby. But instead of jewellery and other accessories that paper quilling has been conventionally used for, I decided to narrate stories that everyone can relate to, through my art. Quilling is a form of art that is less-explored. So, I began teaching myself to use quilling to create dioramas (3D models) that tell a story or portray some scene from everyday life from the past and present. I wanted to recreate some of the memories that stay in our minds forever — like the first time we were tossed into the air by our parents when we were children — one of the memories I turned into art,” Swetha tells DT Next.

The youngster, who is now pursuing a post-graduation course in yoga, has gradually turned her hobby into a daily activity. Some of her art works include an old-school brown leather suitcase, carefully prepared through strips of paper, that holds stationery that is reminiscent of the past — to the days when suitcases didn’t have wheels. Her works fit into a paper cup and depict scenes like the application of freshly-prepared henna on a hand and another one with a young child gleefully sitting under a tree with her grandmother. Swetha’s miniscule artworks come with extreme detailing despite their size. While a small-sized diorama takes about 10 days, bigger ones take about a month to be created, she adds.

As she began receiving positive feedback from friends and family, she began documenting the art on the social media platform, Instagram. “Since I self-taught myself in this art form, social media opened up avenues for me to interact with global artists. I got to learn newer styles of quilling through the help of online networks. I even got invited to take part in art exhibitions through the same digital platform,” admits Swetha.

The artist has so far held art exhibitions in Chennai and Hyderabad, and also conducts workshops during her free time to popularise the craft. She soon wishes to set up a community for people to learn and practise art through an interactive mode. “I had to learn everything on my own as there aren’t many spaces for those interested in art to interact with others in the field. A community where people can participate and learn will be helpful for everyone,” she remarks.