In a sunlit studio in Pune, rows of ceramic tiles covered in hand-painted florals and winding vines quietly rest on long wooden tables. Shades of cobalt blue, earthy green, and burnt orange give each piece the warmth of something made slowly, patiently, by hand.

Over the years, these handmade tiles have found their way into celebrity homes like a 6,000-tile kitchen installation for Sonam Kapoor, international projects, and even collaborations with IKEA. 

At the centre of this world is Shibani Dhavalikar, an artist who transformed her love for painting into a thriving ceramic studio that brings heritage-inspired art into modern Indian homes. 

How a side hobby became something bigger

But eight years ago, her life looked very different.

After spending nearly a decade in education, Shibani gradually moved into the ed-tech space, where her work became increasingly technology-driven and desk-bound.

“It wasn’t that I hated my work,” she says. “I just felt disconnected from creativity.”

Art, however, had always existed quietly in the background of her life. As a child, she would constantly paint, doodle, and make things by hand. But like many people, she never imagined creativity could become a livelihood.

So after work, she began painting again — mostly florals, colourful illustrations, and patterns that brought her joy. Around the same time, Instagram and Facebook were becoming spaces where artists could share their work, and Shibani started posting her paintings online.

To her surprise, people noticed.

“They responded to the colours and the handmade quality of it,” she recalls. “That was the first time I wondered if creativity could become something more.”

The flea market stall that changed everything

Her earliest products were hand-painted wooden photo frames and nameplates. While still juggling her full-time job, she signed up for a flea market in Bengaluru almost on a whim.

“I remember making around a hundred frames and just showing up,” she says. “I used to visit flea markets and wonder what it would feel like to be on the other side.”

The response overwhelmed her. The frames sold quickly, and people who missed the flea market began reaching out through Instagram. Small orders started trickling in, and........

© The Better India