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A large collection of exquisite handmade cards and other craft items will be on display at the annual craft exhibition organised by the Golden Hands School of Hobbies and Craft at the Art Gallery between August 19 and 21.

Over 1000 cards decorated with beads, sequins, silk leaves, pressed flowers and ribbons using techniques such as the Irish folding (for a 3D form), Spirella, embossing, prick point, tea bag folding, burnt copper work and stained glass make up the collection. The blank cards can, of course, be used for any occasion.

Best of all, the exhibition promises visitors a glimpse of novel and exciting trends in craft. While cutwork, paint and embroidery are used in the parchment craft, beads and stitches form the basis for stump work used on ornaments such as brushes and combs, making for a brilliant transformation. What’s more, items such as lanterns, cake boxes, clothes and wedding cards, skilfully highlighted with either tuffeting, paper quilling, glass painting, fabric painting or paper tole would make striking decorative ornaments.

Most of the exhibits are the work of 50 students from the Craft School done over the last year. School leavers and mothers, they are students of Charmaniy Hemachandra and Manil Gunawardena. “What we are teaching is something that they can earn an income from, while they have fun learning,” explains Charmaniy of their sessions.

Of their collection, “Handmade cards and scrap books are in vogue – popular all over the world,” they say. Charmaniy says the latter is slow to catch on in this country. “We have taught our students various methods, and they are creating their own designs,” she adds.

Manil, who is trained in the US, and is licensed to give international certificates to students, along with Charmaniy, conducts craft classes for deaf and dumb students, who are 13 and above at the Deaf and Blind School in Ratmalana, a project of the Soroptimists Sri Lanka Branch. Although the organisation provides material, proceeds from the sale of their items would go to the individuals who made them.

Doll making, dress designing, flower arrangements, macramé, pottery painting, patchwork – you name it, Charmaniy and Manil have at some time dabbled in it over the past two decades. “The world is constantly changing and new techniques keep evolving. We try to learn them,” Charmaniy says.

As many are aware craft work can be very relaxing. It is like meditation that one needs to concentrate on. Those involved in a project tend to forget everything else, and hence it is a universally recommended pastime, especially when one is feeling down. Such sessions have apparently proved therapeutic even at the National Hospital among staff of various levels, when Charminiy conducted sessions a few years ago. Not only is handwork an ideal stress buster, it provides a welcome diversion from monotonous routine. “Try it and you may be surprised at what you are capable of,” she says.

Seeing their students’ progress has been very rewarding for the teachers. A former student of the Golden Hands centre currently has her own TV show, while others have started little businesses or their own classes. “Anyone with basic interest can develop such skills and use them as a resourceful hobby.”