Today we’d like to introduce you to Anjali Varatharajan
Hi Anjali, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Creating in any form brings me fulfillment and joy. As a child, I enjoyed playing in our garden, where my sisters and I would play in mud and make pinch pots. I guess this is where my love for pottery truly began. As I grew older, I pursued my degree and started working. My priorities changed after becoming a mom. I always wanted to explore my interest in art but the timing was never right! In 2021, everything fell into place. I decided to explore my creative side. I tried painting, and different forms of yoga. Though I enjoyed them all , I felt that was not it. Pottery was always on the back of my mind and I suddenly signed up for a class at a local community studio. Working with clay took me back to my childhood days. In short, it felt like home, I realized this is what I was looking for and there was no turning back since then. It felt like clay found its way to me.
I started with an inexpensive wheel to practice at home and fired my pots at the community studio. Eventually, I established my own home studio with professional equipments to continue my passion. I also started an Instagram account at the same time to document my journey which had grown along with me. Currently, I have an online store and I also enjoy selling at markets where people can interact with my work and share stories. Clay keeps me intrigued and I feel so grateful to create..The opportunity to create and learning to let go of things is a great aspect of pottery. It humbles you in its own way.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Being a creator involves many challenges, from setting up and maintaining your own studio to making and selling your work. We are fortunate to have social media which provides a wonderful platform to showcase our creations, but gaining visibility requires consistent effort. It could lead to burnout and also takes a chunk of your creative time. Exploring every platform and choosing what clicks for you is the best way to move forward. Patience is the key, especially in ceramics, where projects can take weeks and may not always turn out as expected. The biggest challenge of all is balancing the creative aspect with the business side. It’s easy to become discouraged when things don’t go well or overly focused on selling rather than creating. We have to remind ourselves to prioritize creating over everything!
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I believe in going with the flow and enjoying the process. This extends to my pottery as well. I often do a free throwing session on my wheel, starting without a final form in mind. I let my hands and mind lead, and love the surprise at the end. My work reflects this approach, as I enjoy creating different forms that reflects my mood. I am not afraid of making mistakes and do not want to confine myself to a particular style. I love to explore everything especially playing with textures and colors. Trying new and challenging things keeps me going. When I look back in five years, I want to say that I tried various things and had so much fun doing it. Pottery is an art form with endless opportunities to learn and explore, and I am here for it.
Do you miss any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
There are so many! Learning to ride bike along with my sisters is a funny one we still laugh about. Playing in mud outdoors and celebrating every festival together with my family is another special one. I love our daily tea times, where all of us would gather and chat over silly and important stuff. Each summer, harvesting mangoes from our tree was a wonderful memory involving planning, playful moments, and enjoying the delicious fruit.I looked forward to it every year!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://quirkyceramics.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the.quirkypotter/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@quirkypotter
