What Pooja Pawaskar Made This Year

Pooja’s grandfather ran away from home many years ago to pursue carpentry. She learned about the importance of wood from him and how it’s more than a material, connecting us with nature. Pooja knew that to pursue a career that she was passionate about, she would have to break her family’s expectations of being an engineer and leaving Mumbai to study abroad. 

After countless weeks of hard work, Pooja studied furniture design in the US, receiving a scholarship for her dedication—she was one step closer to following her grandfather’s legacy. 

Upon finishing her degree, Pooja’s world was shattered by the reality of the industry she had entered. Surrounded by men, and often being the only woman, immigrant, and person of colour, Pooja’s creativity and voice went unseen and unheard by those around her. Falling into depression, she leaned on her instincts to create with wood, spending her free time on weekends commuting to a communal woodworking space to practice sculpting.

“I started using these woods that were discarded by other creators. Often these woods were discarded because they had balls, knots, spalting, cracks and all of these interesting characters. I saw a resemblance in the wood in myself, because there is a beauty in being different and unique.”

With a shift in mindset, Pooja realized that she needed to accept the downs in life as they help shape who we are, giving everyone unique and beautiful stories. This connection between wood and life lit a brighter flame inside Pooja, allowing her to embrace who she is, mirroring her journey through her eye-catching sculptures. 

“Nature teaches us that beauty comes in all shapes and forms. That could be a good starting point for embracing yourself and embracing others.”

Pooja now runs her own business, Whirl & Whittle, creating breathtaking wooden art pieces that bridge our world with nature through their mesmerizing curves and unique features. 

“This year I made art inspired by imperfection and impermanence.” 

What did you make this year?

This story is a part of a series to highlight building a life that you’re proud of and honouring the lives that people make for themselves outside of their finances. 

To follow this series, click here to watch the rest of the collection.