It took the pandemic for this writer to realise the need to chalk out time to express through art. For some it’s a disciplined practice of early morning yoga, others prefer to meditate in silence or follow a step-by-step routine while making chai–masala et al.

How one spends time unwinding can be different. This writer can vouch that time cut out to paint loose watercolour florals or doodling in a sketchbook has felt therapeutic. So, with no experience with polymer clay, we signed up for the Unbaked and Happy Brains Collective collaborative earring workshop at the latter’s studio in Mahim. Samriddhi Balasubramaniam, our workshop instructor and founder of Unbaked, creates handmade jewellery in Chennai. Tanvi Parulkar, founder of Happy Brains Collective, designs products for anxious adults and organises weekend workshops focused on art and therapeutic activities. Parulkar says that the idea to host workshops is so that people can come and express themselves through art. It’s just a way to de-stress over the weekend.