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House of Curiosity


This is an interview of Fizzah Shaikh, a ceramic artiste.


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Plain ceramic crockery and pottery give her food for thought. So the moment Fizzah Shaikh sees a ‘ceramic canvas’, she immediately starts visualising the design and colours that can enhance the piece of pottery.
“Before I start working, the final look is already etched in my mind. I exactly know how the ceramic art will look after I complete my painting job. Depending on the size and shape of the pottery and intricacy of the design, it takes me anywhere between one to four days to complete the artwork,” says she.
Fizzah, who has always been dabbling in creative pursuits, took up ceramic painting five years ago. She tells us why: “I took it up because painting makes me happy and of course it is challenging and interesting to paint on irregular / odd shapes, as against a canvas, and at the end, ceramic art does make a pretty picture!” she says.
But to make a pretty ceramic canvas, Fizzah has to put in a lot of hard work, time and energy. “Also, I have to meticulously plan my day so that I can run my home and work efficiently. So, I paint the outlines of my art in the morning, and then let it dry. After completing the household chores during the day, I fill in the ceramic colours in the evening,” says Fizzah while sharing her day’s schedule.
The inspiration for her artwork mostly comes from nature and fabric designs. “I love to paint the radiant colours of flowers. What also greatly intrigues me are fabric prints and designs,” says Fizzah who calls her collection Curiosity.
For those who want to take up ceramic art, Fizzah says, “Besides having a flair for painting, you must also know that ceramic painting is an expensive art because you have to spend quite a lot on ceramic and glass paints, and outliners. And secondly, to hone your skills, you need to keep practising on various ceramic canvases like glass jars, candle stands, tea light holders, kettles and so on.
The efforts, however, are recognised by buyers because there’s a lot of demand for beautiful ceramic artefacts. “The sales are good during the festive season,” says Fizzah, who holds regular exhibitions of her craft.
Those interested in buying candle stands, or stringed kettles, wine glass stands, can call Fizzah on 7588277147.

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