My jewellery is essentially handcrafted from seeds and seedpods, foraged by me from the forests and trees, mostly in Uttarakhand. Washed, sundried and varnished for a longer life, I then bring them together in various combinations and designs. It's time-consuming, and patience is of utmost importance. Holes have to be drilled into each seed to be strung. Sometimes my mind runs faster than my hands, and it can get frustrating, I lose many ideas and designs in the bargain.
My paper mâché objects are again a game of patience, as each stage takes its own sweet time and can't be hurried. Tearing paper to bits, soaking it, pulping it, and then preparing a pliable dough itself takes days. I use salt in the dough to prevent fungus and insects. Then comes shaping, drying, and finally sanding it down. I'm gravitating towards using natural dyes to colour my objects. I've experimented with walnut shell and pomegranate peel, and indigo, lichen and oak bark are on my list for the near future. A protective coat as a finish is, of course, mandatory.
- Manisha
Creator's Note
Gaura of the forest, comes from Gaurav devi of the 'chipko movement'. Her contribution to the preservation of the forests is iconic and remembered even today.
Growing up among the deodars, oaks and rhododendrons, the connect was obvious. Pine cones and woodroses were not a novelty for me. Once, in my teens, I'd made buttons out of a particular variety of eucalyptus seedpods.
Reusing and upcycling came with seeing the gross use-and-throw culture we live in today. Gaura was born out of these two aspects: creating from forages found in the forests, and upcycling paper, mostly from delivery packing.
