Arts
Finding their own piece of heaven through batik
View(s):
By Shanali Fernando
Being a mum is hard. Having a job is hard. When you put those two together you get a constant struggle of balancing career, raising children, and finding time for personal growth. For Vindya De Silva building up ‘Heavenly’ – her passion project of customised batik pieces has been a mix of it all. Together with her two daughters Sneha and Ashenka, she creates beautiful one-of-a-kind batik pieces.
Sneha: Creative mind behind the product
Starting with some batik fabric scraps that she received from a friend pre-COVID, Vindya went back and forth experimenting with creating various items hoping that it would spark off something of her own. “It was when masks were made mandatory that I hopped on to the fabric mask trend I saw online and started with creating batik fabric masks that became a hit among many,” she recalls.
Post-COVID she went on to learn the basic techniques of this traditional craft at Hela Batik, after which she “started experimenting on different ways I could add my own touch to the basics I learned and create a unique piece.” “Which is why no two pieces we do will ever be the same, nor can we repeat anything we have ever done before,” chips in Sneha, her eldest daughter, who is the creative mind behind Heavenly.
“She is the one who thinks outside the box, gives me colour mixing ideas and I put it into work,” Vindya says speaking with motherly pride of her daughter.
After looking into diversifying its product range Heavenly started with batik shawls which made great personalised gifts that carried a little bit of home for a loved one flying abroad. “While there are some big names that have taken Sri Lankan batik internationally we are not at that capacity yet to do clothing, so we looked at other products that could reach customers and we receive great responses for the shawls we do,” adds Sneha.
Shawls and purses: Personalised gifts
Explaining the concept behind the brand, Vindya says she is against wasting any amount of fabric because a lot of hard work goes into making it. “I love the idea of recycling as well so a lot of by-products like oven mitts, pouches, coasters are also created along the way. Even though batik is a more traditional craft I want to do something different with it, after all, it is art and art cannot be constrained into one set of rules and techniques.”
Balancing ‘mum’ duties with her orders is no easy task but with two wonderfully supportive daughters who are equally passionate about their mother’s passion doing both has not been too stressful. “Sneha is the creative force behind the products while Ashenka who is still schooling does the photography,” Vindya says.
“We would always help Ammi with her craft work starting from party décor those days. When she started this, I started chipping in with my ideas on how to mix and match colours and it has been a success,” Sneha adds with a smile.
“I’m very fortunate to be able to follow my passion and now even convert it into a business while having my two daughters beside me,” says Vindya, while Sneha adds jokingly, “although there is no work-life balance at all” as she speaks about how proud she is of her mother for following her dreams and persisting with what she believed in.
Follow them on Instagram @heavenlybyvindy or contact them directly on 076 056 7082 for orders.
Vindya: Adding her own touch to the basics she learnt. Pic by M.A. Pushpa Kumara