Handmade Ceramic Figurines Inspired by Family Heritage
I never knew my mother, but her old ceramic collection helped me find her. Every whimsical creature I sculpt today is a way to keep those memories and that legacy alive.
I never knew where my love for ceramics came from until I found these. This is my late mother's collection of animal figurines, which I discovered in an old box. They are my most treasured possessions.
This video shows my mother's precious collection of ceramic animals. Holding them connects me to her in a way I never thought possible. They are the inspiration behind all my whimsical creations.
A photo of the tiny ceramic animals my mother collected. Finding them felt like finding a piece of her, and it confirmed that this love for clay is in my blood.
About My Mother's Collection: The Inspiration
Every owl, rabbit, and cheeky bird I sculpt is a nod to that dusty shoe box I found in Kolkata. When I work with clay, I am not just crafting decor; I am continuing a conversation that started decades ago. These are not factory-made items. They are hand-pinched and slab-built, meaning each piece holds the slight imperfections that make them feel human and loved.
Finding the Inspiration
For the longest time, I felt like I had no physical connection to my mother. That changed during a trip home to Kolkata, when I discovered a carefully wrapped collection of ceramic animal figurines tucked away in an old shoe box. As I unwrapped those pieces, I realized where my love for clay came from. This cluster is my tribute to that discovery.
The Craft of Whimsy
My studio in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region is where these stories take form. I primarily use two techniques:
- Pinch Technique: This allows me to keep the form organic and grounded. It is how I ensure that every owl or gnome has a unique, thumb-pressed texture that no machine could replicate.
- Slab Building: Used for my larger decorative pieces and platters, this gives me the freedom to create those irregular, natural shapes I love. It results in varied thicknesses, reinforcing that these are handmade items, not mass-produced goods.
Why These Pieces Matter
Every piece in this collection is a one-of-a-kind (OOAK) creation. I do not use molds. When you bring a figurine home, you are getting a piece that was sculpted by hand, painted with intent, and fired in the kiln with a lot of hope. Whether it is a small desk companion or a larger decorative sculpture, I build these with high-fired stoneware to ensure they last for years to come. I hope that when you hold them, you feel a little bit of the magic I felt when I first opened that box.
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