Leila Powar and My Journey with Clay (1)

This is Part One of my blog, tracing the journey of how I became a ceramist.

Looking back, pottery has always fascinated me. As a child, I didn’t know what it was called—I just loved making things out of clay from our farm pond, atta maavu (Tamil for wheat flour) from the kitchen, or even hot candle wax during power cuts in the ’80s. I was always drawn to creating with my hands.

My sister and I playing in the farm pond — our very own backyard swimming pool! The water from here used to irrigate the rice fields. We’d also collect clay from the pond to make our own kitchen toys.

Caught in the act — playing with hot wax to secretly make a doll! Check out those anklets. Amazingly, I never got burnt and even managed to create a Chinese man with a hat — not bad for a 6-year-old up to mischief!

At our farm in Kumbakonam, my sister and I would make choppu (traditional miniature kitchen sets) from the pond clay, but my real fascination was with hot wax—it was permanent. I loved the feeling of molding the wax. When the candle burned, I would collect the melting wax, rolling it into balls and shaping it into tiny figures. One of my earliest creations was a Chinaman with a China hat and a pipe, made with pink wax (the candle was pink). I think I was eight years old then. My parents didn’t worry too much—they figured if I got burnt, I’d stop. But I didn’t. I loved the thrill of it—maybe that’s what sparked my love for working with my hands. There was something exhilarating about playing with fire, a mix of curiosity and mischief. Looking back, I suppose that’s where it all started.

Life moved on, filled with school, hospitals, college, work, and eventually independence. After marriage, my love for making things resurfaced. When Upesh and I moved to Bangalore for work, I found a pottery class in 2005. It was a weekend course run by Hamsavardhan and Cynthia, where I learned hand-building pottery. I realized pottery wasn’t just about creativity—it required chemistry, math, and, most importantly, time. But back then, my priority was growing our design studio, so once again, pottery took a backseat.

While my passion for ceramics grew, our studio demanded most of my time and energy. But Upesh encouraged me—he bought books to help me understand the craft better and even got me a pottery wheel all the way from Coimbatore. At the time, I hadn’t learned wheel-throwing yet, but the wheel sat there, waiting. Pottery remained on the back burner due to my health and other commitments.

Once our studio, The Other Design Studio, was well-established and Upesh joined full-time, I finally decided to try my hand at wheel-throwing. Cynthia introduced me to Sumanth, who rented a pottery workspace at Vishranti Farms in Kanakapura and agreed to teach me. This was in 2013—the start of a new chapter in my life, one that involved not just pottery but also an inspiring woman named Leila.

Leila was an incredible ceramic artist who lived at Vishranti Farms. She sculpted the most exquisite tiny animals, birds, and monsters. Originally a painter, she took up pottery at 50, working with scraps of clay from her daughter Priya, a ceramist. Her story gave me hope—if she could begin at 50, I had no excuse to hold back.

Leila at home with the monkeys that sometimes stop by to eat from her hand.

Leila became more than an inspiration—she became a friend. During our visits, she discovered that Upesh and I were designers, and he was good with the camera (though he never likes to call himself a photographer). She asked us to design a book documenting her ceramic pieces. It was an incredible experience. We photographed each piece, capturing the magic of her work. She was delighted with the book, had 50 copies made to share with her family and friends, and got our signed copy too. A year later, in 2014, she passed away, but I’m so grateful we created that book—it was her legacy.

While working on Leila’s book, we were introduced to Suhag through Sumanth. A writer and editor, Suhag is also a talented ceramist in her own right. She helped with the editing of Leila's book, and through our conversations and shared love for ceramics, we became friends. Over time, she became my biggest supporter, gently nudging me back toward ceramics.

Leila’s influence cemented my passion. And thanks to Suhag (who I fondly call my Godmum of Dona Paula Potters—more on that in another post), I finally started doing small pop-up shows.

Now, at 46, I feel like I’m truly stepping into the world of ceramics—proof that it’s never too late to pursue what you love. And the best part? The journey is just beginning.

End Note: I had to accept that wheel-throwing just wasn’t happening for me. Remember the wheel Upesh got me—heroically driven all the way from Coimbatore to Bangalore in a Missionary Jeep (owned by a priest), like some sacred relic? Well, it eventually found its true calling with a far more deserving potter. But maybe that was for the best—Leila had created the most exquisite pieces with just her hands, and I realized that hand-building felt more natural and intuitive to me, too.