Great painter Salvador Dali once said, "A true artist is not one who is inspired, but one who inspires others." These words perfectly describe V Umapathy, an art teacher from Puducherry, who plants the seeds of creativity in his students'minds through arts and crafts (手工艺).
Umapathy makes beautiful crafts out of biodegradable materials like bamboo, dried leaves, seeds, roots, branches, vegetable waste, and so on. This way, he integrates sustainability into his creations, leaving an everlasting impact on his students.
While growing up, Umapathy was inspired by his father, a government school teacher and expert weaver (编织者). "He spent most of his evenings engaging in weaving. I would observe him and eventually developed an interest in the colours, designs and the art," recalls Umapathy.
While working at the government school, it took Umapathy some time to excite the interest of the students. He experimented with different arts and crafts using a variety of materials. "That's when a big realisation struck me. Most of the students at my school weren't able to afford the materials or equipment to create craftwork. I decided to opt for natural materials, which are available for free," he says.
This move made the students more interested in the craft than before. With his guidance, they were convinced that they could make wonders even out of waste materials. Now the school exhibits over 300 pieces of artwork, all created by the students over the years, on its walls. "I'm only giving wings to their imagination," says Umapathy with a smile.
The craft has also aided several students from poor families to support their financial and educational needs. The students, with the help of Umapathy, have saved their earned income for their education. Several students have pursued their studies in fine arts with the income. One such student, Tamilselvan, completed his graduation in Arts and has followed the path of his master to become an art teacher.
