A skill that bloomed afresh during the pandemic

From origami classes at Rosary matriculation school to the two-day Makers Market in Mylapore, Chennai resident Priya Subramaniam has come a long way.

The pandemic has been an inflexion point for many, giving them the mental space to revive old passions, sometimes dusting off an old hobby or rejuvenating an old skill that had all but atrophied.

Adyar resident Priya Subramaniam can relate to that. For her, a fascination for paper crafts began with an exposure to origami at school, Rosary Matriculation School in Santhome. She was sold on the idea of creating snowflakes and flowers with nothing but paper. She would turn her hand at paper quilling and paper cutting, but that was about it, the interest and aptitude were stunted, not reaching its potential, until the pandemic happened, when it bloomed afresh and big. It has only gotten bigger since then.

“The pandemic happened and I chanced upon the world of paper flowers. These were more realistic and lifelike than the ones I had made before. I came across Youtube videos and started attempting them. It took me a while to learn different techniques of colouring paper, stretching and moulding it to resemble real petals. Books on paper flower making and online video tutorials helped refine my process,” says Priya.

The pandemic had a markedly clear silver lining for her; paper flower making would soon graduate from being an interest and hobby horse into an enterprise.

She has discovered a hugely responsive marketplace in Instagram.

“Instagram has opened me to a world of amazing artists and helps put my work out there and get feedback and appreciation,” she elaborates.