Sketching awareness: Shubhashree Sanghameshwaran

Born in Bangaluru, based in Hyderabad, Shubhashree Sanghameshwaran, is one of those few people who dared to quit their lucrative job to pursue their passion. Shubhashree worked as an IT professional and called it quits when she found her true calling – sketching. 

For a couple of years, she has been doing freelance sketching and illustrations and now she has come up with a unique concept of illustrating a message through sketching up stories and that attracted people.

Shubhashree has recently released her book ‘Let’s Talk Trash’ and wants to come up with workshops that help people understand the concept of zero-waste lifestyle.

Excerpts:

Tell us about your book ‘Let’s Talk Trash’?
A couple of years back I came across this concept called ‘zero-waste’. An American woman, Lauren Singer, who is an environmental activist made me aware of zero-waste lifestyle. I was amazed to see that people are living a lifestyle where they generate almost zero trash on a daily basis and in a year the waste is very minimal. I was really impressed by this concept.  They reuse stuff like jam bottles, etc to keep things after its use rather than throwing it away.

That was something that helped me read about zer0-waste, it also kept me thinking how our previous generations who were very naturally frugal and wasted a lot less as compared to today’s generation. Our income has become more disposable. Then I had this idea of doing the set of illustrations and series around this. I came across a sketchbook project, which is a global crowd-funded art project. Essentially you should fill a sketchbook and send it to Brooklyn Art Library in New York and it becomes a part of their exhibit along with 1000 and 10,000 sketchbooks.

I signed up for this end of last year and was thinking what to specialise the sketchbook with and then I put this idea of trash because I even had a deadline to submit the sketchbook. I finished the book and sort of pushed myself to it. I posted about this on my Instagram and got a lot of feedback, a lot of people could relate to it.

I spoke a little bit about the 80’s that I would take a can and buy milk and so a lot of people connected to that. I have also spoken about tips to reduce the amount of waste around the home. So, after that, I got a lot of feedback and people asked if we could buy a copy. Then I thought that I should print a few copies and see how it is published and the response was really good I happen to sell all the books.

How many copies have you printed until now?
The first batch I printed around 110 copies, which were sold out quickly. I also put up a stall at a sustainability exhibition ‘Bhoomi Habba’ in Bengaluru and the response was good there also. Then I started putting these sketches online. This time I have printed 250 copies and I am working on it.

Are you planning to digitise your book?
I would love to get into the digital market. I have done a few illustrations earlier, however, my style is hand drawn sketches. Digital is something that I have been looking at, I also have people who say we don’t want to waste papers can you give us the digital version. I am exploring on that for now. 

Have you tried tie-up with schools?
That is my plan; I am talking to people, who told they will put me in touch with a few schools. I would like to translate it into multiple languages so that it reaches far wide and that is what I am looking forward at the moment.

What are your future plans?
I am hoping to do a lot more works like this and connect with people. Essentially art is something that connects with people if I had written a book of 30 to 40 pages it may not have the same impact. So, I want to make use of art and create more awareness. I am also hoping to do workshops with some interactive activities for kids which would be fun.