There’s more to calligraphy than simply “beautiful writing”. It requires a great deal of skill and technique to inscribe the words in a manner that reflects aesthetic beauty and creative mastery. Though the demand for hand-penned intricate lettering is on the wane, today’s calligraphers are reinventing their crafts to ensure the artform remains relevant for years to come.
Let’s bring to you the story of one such fine calligrapher who is on a mission to spread awareness about the beautiful artform that’s slowly being pushed into oblivion by its more popular counterparts. Here’s Pooja, the founder of The Write House, a startup that strives to thrust into the limelight of the unmatched charm and elegance of the dying artform.
Launched on 26th May 2020, The Write House focuses on “basically educating people about how beautiful calligraphy is” while also highlighting the emotional toil one has to undergo to bring this art to life. Besides good handwriting, a calligraphy artist requires infinite patience to be able to spend countless hours creating draft after draft in an attempt to chase that ever-elusive perfection.
Best things in life happen unplanned
Pooja had never planned to become a calligraphy artist. All she wanted to do was explore the creative field.
She explains “In the year 2020, right before the first lockdown was imposed, I was browsing through Instagram, and a calligraphy workshop ad popped up. After that workshop, I practiced for straight 8- 10 hours and that’s how my interest grew.”
What began as a hobby turned into a passion. The then-25-year-old decided to delve deep into the subject and invested in a calligraphy machine worth Rs.30000, ordered specifically from California with the lids costing somewhere around 100-200 bucks. As her skills improved, her confidence soared. Eventually, she decided it was the right time to launch her own brand.
The initial days were full of struggle and learning. Since calligraphy is confined to a niche market in our country, Pooja faced challenges in finding calligraphy materials and supply vendors. However, as she interacted with different calligraphers from across the globe, the path became clearer and that initial struggle led to eventual success.
Experimenting with the fine art of calligraphy
As the brainchild of a gifted calligraphy artist and engraving specialist, the Write House 2020 offers calligraphy services in the form of handwritten letters, gift tags, place cards and table cards. Pooja took her artistry to greater heights by recently starting to engrave on alcohol bottles, perfume bottles, wine glasses and champagne glasses. The talented artist has engraved over 300 bottles till date. The products are mostly personalized in accordance with customer requirements. Calligraphy isn’t just restricted to paper. You’d find her work imprinted on “every surface possible” be it a wooden surface or an acrylic one, leather jacket or denim ones – she has no inhibition in exploring her craftsmanship on even the most unconventional surfaces.
The Bombay-based brand has served more than 1000 clients so far and provides shipping facilities across India and abroad. Be it her handwritten letters to popular actress Kareen Kapoor, an engraved perfume bottle for Nicol from Team Naach or engraved champagne lopes for Ranvijay Sinha – her breathtaking calligraphy has impressed them all. Pooja was featured in Vogue as well as Femina just a few months back.
Carving an extraordinary future
Like any story worth telling, this one too is marked by hardships and disappointments. These adversities prepared Pooja for the journey ahead and now with orders pouring in, she’s raring to go.
When asked about her five-year plan, Pooja says “In the next 5 years, I see my startup being recognised by all global platforms. I’m looking forward to receiving bulk orders so that I get to do more of what I love. The process is so joyful and therapeutic that I don’t see myself doing anything else anytime soon.”
She intends to conduct offline workshops once Covid makes a permanent exit from India.
Instagram link :- https://instagram.com/thewritehouse2020?utm_medium=copy_link
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