From trash to treasure

She has been in this field for the last 16 years but Rupa Swaminathan has still not run out of ideas. What started as a means to decorate her house has now transformed into a long-lasting affair with the process of creation and her enthusiasm is reflected both in her voice and in her works.

“I entered the field of crafting after marriage when I thought of doing up my own house. I wanted to have things that I had made rather than buying the usual pictures and artefacts. I started off with normal stuff like glass paintings but for the last six years, I have been solely focussed on upcycling,” says Rupa.

She says that her USP is trash to treasure and there is not a better phrase to describe what she does. “I have been making a lot of stuff over the last few years, upcycling everything from tissue rolls to bathroom slippers. The bathroom slipper was turned into a decorative note-holder with a notepad and a pen-holder. An old iron was modelled it into a house after the wire and plug were cut. Last week, I made some planters with fabric softener bottles. These days, I am working with scrap wood and liquor cartons,” she lists out from an extensive inventory.

Rupa, who has her own YouTube channel, blog and Facebook page titled ‘Together for Arts’, also likes imparting knowledge about this phenomenon of upcycling, which she says is definitely catching on. “More and more people are getting interested. Rather than buying something mass produced, they want to create something. Even when it comes to gifting, people prefer to give something customised. But it still has a long way to go, especially commercially.”

She is very particular about the fact that when she does give a new lease of life to some item, the upcycled product should have a longer shelf life; it should be for keeps and not go back to the dump again.

Asked about what challenges she has faced, Rupa explains, “People lifting your work! There is a very fine line between getting inspired and copying somebody’s work. It can be annoying but over the years, I have learnt to take it in my stride. Also, unless I teach you, you will not be able to create an exact same replica of my work because only I know the exact techniques and tricks used in the process. But if you just see it and are able to reproduce it, then I will have to say that you are a genius.”

Her sources of inspiration are varied and myriad. “I am a very nature-loving places so lot of inspiration comes from what I see outside. Also if I see something elaborate yet exorbitantly priced at high-end shops, I think of ways to make a similar item from the things I have, at a very affordable rate. Or miniatures of very large fancy stuff. Obviously Pinterest is there and I do google a lot too.”

She is a regular on the ‘Bangalore Craft Lovers’ group and is vocal about her appreciation for the same.
“I was one of the first few there and the group has given me a lot of visibility. Everyday there is someone or the other thanking me for inspiring them. People give due credit and appreciate each other,” she signs off.

(Rupa can be contacted at rupastofa@gmail.com)