Aasai stands for wishes and dreams…everything I imagined the brand to be. The words “chinna chinna aasai” instantly resonated with me. Words that we kept throwing about included “little”, “ chinna”, “ kutti”, “ chhoti”… Knowing how musically-inclined my family is, it was a matter of time before someone sang Chinna Chinna Aasai (Tamil version of the song Chhoti Si Aasha from the film Roja). As she wrote, we kept tossing probably names around. We were simultaneously talking about how I felt inspired to make more artefacts commercially. While returning home by car that day, Amma decided to post online about the mela. Never had my love for art and craft been monetised. I was selling tiny objects, so Little Things seemed like an appropriate name. I also quickly made some business cards for the mela and wondered what to call my desk for the day. Making fridge magnets out of them would render them better keepsakes, I thought, and so the magnets were bought.
I then pored over websites and books to find the right template, until I shortlisted a format and finalised the three sizes they would be made in. Narrowing down the idea was the easy part. During my research, I realised I could make miniature books! One friend was making handmade books, so I trudged on for ideas that befit the theme and were also unusual. Since the products had to be book-related, I found myself researching various idea options for what I could make for the event. Happy shopping!Ī few years back, a friend of friend of a friend got me involved in a crafts mela at Hippocampus Children’s Learning Centre. And you’d have probably gotten that by now though, so I’m going to leave you to your browsing. When I’m not working on my art, I tend to talk a lot. You could say I’m socially aware (steering clear of “woke” and other such nomenclature to describe myself) and my Sociology/Psychology background finds its way to inspire me and my work.
Or not.Ī strong sense of community drives me and my work, so social issues such as equality, gender, caste and more are dear to me. I’m also training in multiple Indian classical music and dance disciplines, and can dance for hours, or until the music stops. My idea of unwinding often involves listening to old Bollywood songs. My home is filled with hearty laughter, all kinds of music, a kaleidoscope of emotions, and delicious food, all of which you’ll find have made their way into my works of art. My parents and sister are my sounding board they patiently cheer my ideas, indulge my most random whims, and inspire me to try out new things constantly. My family is every reason why I enjoy doing what I do. I’m an arts practitioner (senior facilitator) at Snehadhara Foundation, an NGO that uses the arts to work with children and adults with special needs. I finished my A levels from Centre for Learning, an alternative education system. While these come naturally to me, they’re also a function of my educational background and the wonderful relationship I have with my family. I’m a lot like the works on display at Kutti Kutti Aasai: part creative, part connective, and part cultural. Hi! I’m Divya and I’m based in Bangalore.
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