A handy hobby

Once you climb the flight of stairs at Sumaira Ahsan’s house, you will find yourself in a realm of serenity that urges you to sit back and bask in the simple beauty of the place, admiring the intricate art pieces that adorn the walls, placed at nooks or hanging from nails. The sunbeams filter through the blinds, illuminating them and creating an ambience of their own.

Sumaira Ahsan is a designer who has chosen a very different path of design for herself. She creates handicrafts ranging from simple key chains to complicated wall hangings — all handmade. Her artefacts are rooted in culture and heritage with the power to transform simple interiors into an appealing attractive space by tastefully decorating bare walls and spaces.

Ahsan does not stick to one form of handicraft, nor does she only use one medium. She plays with Mughal art, Rajasthani art, bamboo work and wood carving to create a diverse portfolio ranging from mirrors and paintings to wind chimes, key chains and purses. Handicrafts like these have always been for the tasteful but more so these days, as interior design themes are inclining more towards decorations that are inspired by the indigenous culture. The prices of her products range from Rs500 to Rs50000, depending upon the size and amount of work involved.

Ahsan started making her handicrafts some 15 years back, without any prior education or training in the field. “My talent is a gift from Allah which unearthed gradually as I started exploring it, my ideas started to overflow and in no time I was able to successfully transfer my concepts into reality,” exclaims Ahsan.

Delight was apparent on Ahsan’s face as she narrated the incident which changed her hobby into a profession. This happened when she went to a shop to get her painting framed and an art shop owner saw her work, appreciated it and placed an order for four wall hangings. “I can vividly remember the feeling I got when I got my first order. I felt so good about myself, having realised that I could practically apply my ideas and benefit from them as well,” says Ahsan.

“From then on I felt that this talent that Allah has given me has to be for a reason and I am responsible for making the most out of it. Every piece I make is because I am blessed with this talent and I keep reminding myself that it can be taken away at any time,” adds Ahsan.

Ahsan started keeping her creations at the Alibaba outlet in Park Towers, then moved on to Rivaaj at Park Towers and currently her creations are available at all Habitt stores in Karachi. She also takes orders at home from both local and international clients. Some of her clients also include the Pearl Continental Hotel and the Salt and Pepper Village.

Mohammad Abdul Moeed, Branch Manager of Habitt says that her handicrafts sell like hot cakes at their store as they are very trendy and eye-catching. “In addition to being some of the running items at our store, we also use them for designing our model houses for our clients who always appreciate the designs,” adds Moeed.

Ahsan also shared her skills with other women on a live morning show but quit after some time because of the time constraint. She has held exhibitions at Avari Towers and Marriot. “My work has reached a level where I have earned a respectable position for myself and this has helped me realise my true potential. I think it is mainly because I have never compromised on my principles or lowered my standards,” she adds.

Her success story is a ray of hope for countless women who have the potential, the talent to do something but are apprehensive about taking the first step. It shows how talent can be transformed into a thriving business through hard work, dedication and belief. Ahsan strongly believes that women should be financially independent.  No matter what their talent is; whether it is cooking, knitting, fine art or handicrafts, if someone believes in themselves and works hard, success inevitably follows. Ahsan’s life is proof of that.

“You shouldn’t think that you are bound by your gender. There are many things that you can do and create an identity for yourself. Exploring your talent gives you power, especially when you start earning from it. Never be afraid of taking the initiative and though you might fail, it will teach you how to alter your ideas and create better chances for you to prosper next time,” says Ahsan.

She also says that while making handicrafts, only the artisan knows what quality material is being used and what is behind the surface of the object. This trust should always be maintained and only the best quality work should be presented. This way you are a hundred per cent confident of your work and that takes away the fear of putting your work in front of someone.

“I love my work like it’s my baby and that’s the amount of attention and care I have put into it to get to this level.” Like any other mother, Ahsan wants to see her child flourish. Her future plan is to expand her business abroad and plans for a store line in California to keep her handicrafts are in the pipeline. Moreover, she also envisions launching a furniture line based on the theme of her work.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 30^th, 2011.