Full-time pharmacist Shivani Sawant Bhende from Porvorim turns her after-hours love for clay into her growing creative venture, Clamistry.
KALYANI JHA | NT BUZZ
Despite having a busy schedule throughout the week as a full-time pharmacist, the creative itch didn’t let Shivani Bhende rest, and she founded Clamistry as an outlet for her creativity. “It started as a hobby, inspired by Pinterest,” she says
“During COVID-19, it just caught my eye and I got curious about how someone could make such beautiful things out of clay. So I started to research a bit. At that time, things made from clay were not very famous and not many people did it, mostly because it’s expensive to work with,” she says.
“I learnt everything online, mostly by following a lot of people. There are a lot of tutorials available on YouTube, and of course, through trial and error. In the end, it’s all about trying,” she shares.
Her 9-to-6 job takes up most of her time during the week, but during COVID-19 she made a few pieces and gifted them to friends and family. “It was just to get some reviews on what and how I should change or do better, like packaging or designs. That’s how I came to know that people might like it if done properly.”
The appreciation she received for her clay pieces led her to found Clamistry in August 2021, and in December 2021 she had her first pop-up. With the pop-up, she realised her work could become a serious business.
The name of her business is inspired by her profession as a pharmacist. “I combined the words clay and chemistry, which ended up being Clamistry,” she explains.
She started with earrings initially, and now her range includes hair clips, fridge magnets, keyrings and bag charms.
Bhende’s day starts early and she feels exhausted by the time her day job ends, but she makes sure to spend some time in her small corner of creativity with clay.
“I find peace in working on my pieces, usually during the latter half of the night. On weekends, I try to give 100 per cent to this, especially when I have orders,” she says.
Bhende takes orders via Instagram and ships all over India. She would like to experiment and add phone charms to her list of products. According to her, they are trending among youngsters.
She can also be reached through exhibitions, which she has been participating in lately. “It’s always nice to meet people, because that way they can view the product and choose according to their preference,”
she says.
“Every time buyers say how much they like it, it really brings joy and happiness to me. And I think that’s the true essence of having a business and makes it worth pursuing as a side hustle,”
she says.
