Clay-ing to relax!

The workshop used marbling techniques on polymer clay and clay cutters

It took the pandemic for this writer to realise the need to chalk out time to express through art. For some it's a disciplined practice of early morning yoga, others prefer to meditate in silence or follow a step-by-step routine while making chai-masala et al.

How one spends time unwinding can be different. This writer can vouch that time cut out to paint loose watercolour florals or doodling in a sketchbook has felt therapeutic. So, with no experience with polymer clay, we signed up for the Unbaked and Happy Brains Collective collaborative earring workshop at the latter's studio in Mahim. Samriddhi Balasubramaniam, our workshop instructor and founder of Unbaked, creates handmade jewellery in Chennai. Tanvi Parulkar, founder of Happy Brains Collective, designs products for anxious adults and organises weekend workshops focused on art and therapeutic activities. Parulkar says that the idea to host workshops is so that people can come and express themselves through art. It's just a way to de-stress over the weekend.

The participants designed jewellery including earrings, pendants, and charms

Clay, roller, depth scales, blades, pliers - once each tool and its function is explained, we kick off by conditioning the clay. All one needs to do is roll the clay and keep folding and repeating the process till the clay is soft. At it for quite some time, Balasubramaniam looks around and laughs, "We often use pasta rollers to condition clay," explaining how tedious the process can be for handmade designers like her. "I'll show you two methods: marbling and terrazzo," she says, as she demonstrates how two colours can be merged to create a new one. The principles of colour theory apply, so we are off to creating lighter blues, softer reds, and accidentally goopy browns in some cases.

We are off to start marbling and begin by coiling different colours we have conditioned and created. Next, we roll out the clay just enough so that each colour stands out to offer a marble-like effect instead of blending into one. Each one of us explores one of the three styles of marbling. The results are starkly different, and colourful. Out come the clay cutters, and we get busy planning our jewellery designs. Multiple shapes are cut, and danglers are planned. Will this need jump rings? Should this be left as a stud?

After much planning (and fuss), a tray of diverse shapes and colours is left to bake in an OTG oven. As we wait for the clay to bake, we sip chai, talk around the table, and are left to play with the clay at the table. It's now that we are exploring and creating with clay by ourselves. A handful even manage to make another set of earrings in the process. The oven goes ting! We know our three-hour-long workshop is at its last leg. It's finally time to use the pliers to attach jump rings, create earrings that dangle at various lengths and attach hooks.

The workshop ends with adults walking out with relaxed shoulders and the realisation that before every new week begins, we need to carve out time to chill.

AT: Gala 109, Hammersmith Industrial Estate, Mahim West
CONTACT: Write to them @happy.brains.collective on Instagram
COST: Rs 1,995 per head (materials included)