Today on the blog, we feature Nayantara Quader, Creator-in-chief of Trove Craft India, a design label based in Hyderabad; specialising in hand painted functional art. Meet the maker, at the February 2020 edition of By Hand from the Heart Makers Market in Chennai.

Tell us a bit about yourself. 

I’m Nayantara, and I’m 40 years old. Growing up, I had the privilege of travelling across the country, thanks to my being in the army. Now I’m married and settled in Hyderabad.

I’ve had 13 years of corporate sales experience. My last job was with a real estate MNC, where I was heading the commercial leasing division.

I decided to quit my job in 2015 and focus entirely on Trove. It was a tough decision but I’ve never regretted it, and have never looked back since.

I’m passionate about design, even though I have no design background, and I’m a compulsive DIYer and décor enthusiast.

How did you begin Trove?

I think of myself as a hoarder or a collector of sorts, constantly on the lookout for anything handmade that is both interesting and tasteful. Trove was never a ’plan’; it wasn’t a well thought-out venture. And I think it’s just as fluid now as it was before.

Starting Trove wasn’t a planned move;it was just something I woke up to one morning. It started when I participated in a local art fair in 2014. I displayed all my hoarded treasures, including some that I sourced from across the country. The response was exceptional; people liked what I had collected! And that got me thinking. I realized that I needed my own in-house range to be able to design products that were exclusive to Trove. So, from sourcing merchandise initially, I slowly shifted to making my own.

Manufacturing control gave me the flexibility to cater to clients’ requirements and also to plan my inventory better. I consciously try to not repeat my designs, to keep the store fresh and new. It also keeps the clients coming back for more.

When I started out, I had one Kashmiri artist on board. Now, I also have seven Pichwai artists, and recently brought a Patachitra artist on board as well. I also work with freelance artists for one-off exclusive projects. Luckily, most of the artists I have engaged have stuck with me through thick and thin.

What is the story behind your brand name?

Trove was a name that my husband came up with. I wasn’t sure what products I wanted to do when I started out, so the name was meant to cover everything that I hoped to source or create at the time: a treasure trove of handcrafted products. However, now I have mostly streamlined my range to focus only on hand painted products on unusual canvas styles.

How has your business evolved over the years? 

Its been slow and steady. I am not sure I can call it a ’business’ yet, but it sustains itself. It provides employment to all my artsiest, and gives me enough income to keep it afloat

Like for all start-ups, the initial response was slow. I operated only from my Facebook page at the time. When I later discovered Instagram, that really helped my business evolve, and now I have a website, too.However, I have consciously decided to be conservative in marketing my products,because they have a long lead time and I can’t scale up the process without compromising on quality. For me, design is more important. Scale is necessary too, of course, but I would any day prefer organic growth to exponential growth. In this world of consumerism and volume-based businesses,I rely on word-of-mouth the most. That is the strongest form of advertising for me. It’s slow, but it’s steady, and it’s healthy for my set-up. People who understand how I operate are far more patient with me. And I prefer to work with clients who allow my artists the luxury of time.

Your work space & the artisans you work with.

I work out of home. I’ve built myself a small studio, which is primarily where all my inventory from various parts of the country ends up. There, we do the finishing, quality control and labeling, before listing it on the website. I do not have a physical store,so my products are only sold online.

I have a team of three who help me with administration, billing, packing and shipping.

I have artists who specialize in three main styles of folk art: Kashmiri, Pichwai/Rajasthaniand Patachitra. The Kashmiri artist is based in Hyderabad, the Pichwai artists are in villages close to Jodhpur and Udaipur, and the Patachitra artist is in rural Odisha. I have managed to scale up my Kashmiri and Pichwai range a bit over time. But for Patachitra, I have only one artist at the moment, and even he has a full-time government job and only works for me in his free time.

I prefer to build up a team of artists under one master artist who understands me. It makes my life easier and the main artist stays motivated to manage the team, and feels accountable. Also, there is no conflict on prices because I pay them on a per-unit basis, rather than a salary. Lastly, I also do not interchange canvas styles so my artists don’t compete with each other. For instance, my Pichwai artist only paints on plates and wall décor items, and my Kashmiri artist on steel ware. Similarly, the Patachitra range will also have a unique canvas style.

What is currently on your work table?

I have so much on my plate right now! I have Patachitra-style bull heads in the works, as well as lots of wall décor items in different shapes and sizes. I am very experimentative, so chances are you will see something absolutely new every quarter!

What is your personal favorite pick from Trove right now? And why?

I can’t pick a favourite, because I don’t make anything that I wouldn’t want to buy myself. I have trouble selling some of my products because I am never sure when I’ll do them again and I’m tempted to keep them for myself. And that’s why I have no personal favourites.

What are your displaying at the By Hand, From The Heart.

I’ll be a displaying a bit of everything from my ranges. From  some absolutely exclusive, never to be repeated again pieces to some that have been popular and that are synonymous with Trove designs;products like the Patachitra bull heads, wall décor accents in Pichwai style, Kashmiri painted kitchenware and lots more.

Meet the Maker @
By Hand from the Heart: Makers Market – 29th Edit
7 – 8 February 2020, Friday – Saturday | 10 a.m – 9 p.m
Hanu Reddy Residences, No. 41/19, Poes Garden, Chennai 600086, India.

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