Show Notes
“I truly believe that art in any form is a pure gift. When we are growing up, we definitely see each kid is really special and gifted in one way or the other. Polishing that talent and focusing and converting it into a beautiful, precious diamond. It takes time and effort. Every artist should appreciate that we have that gift in us.”
- Swapna Namboodiri
Takeaways from this episode
- Plastic doesn’t have to be a problem - it can be a possibility! Swapna takes something most of us throw away without a second thought and turns it into stunning, sustainable sculptures. She describes her process as “cutting, carving, and assembling repetitive patterns” to create textures and organic shapes. Could the everyday materials around you have more creative potential than you realise?
- Confidence comes from doing. Shifting from software engineering to sculpture wasn’t easy for Swapna, but she kept at it, knowing that if she could work in a field she didn’t love for years, she could build a creative career doing what she was passionate about. What could happen if you simply started - and kept! - going?
- Awareness is where change begins. Many people who save materials for Swapna have told her they didn’t realise how much plastic passed through their hands until they started setting it aside. Instead of something to throw away, it became something to pay attention to. When you become more aware of a material, you start to think differently about its value. What might happen when you take a closer look at the things you discard?
Explore the artwork from this episode below
During the live interview, we shared some images of Swapna’s artwork. Since you’re listening to the podcast version, we’ve made these images available for you below.
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