How a passing fad in micro art helped this Kerala youth carve a niche for himself

Lispo would never forget his tedious high school days. The 20-year-old is indeed indebted to the drab lecture sessions that chiselled out his creativity and paved the way for scripting history in the pages of Asia Book of Records using pencils and chalks. To get over the boredom of classrooms, the grade IX boy would collect chalks and pencil stubs lying around to carve amazing miniature sculptures. With his dexterity in designing little marvels in a jiffy, Lispo now eyes to enter the Guinness Book of World Records.

Though his micro art was born out of boredom, it did not take long for the Thrissur native to figure out that his passion for creating images from chalks and graphite leads of pencils was his favourite pastime, indeed. The self-taught artist put in his heart and soul to perfect his creativity and explore the nuances in the micro art and marched forward experimenting with new designs to keep his passion alive. With the right mix of focus, precision and aesthetics, Lispo devised a range of stunningly beautiful images from chalks and pencil leads. The more his miniature artworks grew in number, the greater was the demand by people to gift their dear ones with the curios.

Off to scripting history

Lispo made miniature installations from 37 pencils, breaking the record of 35 to enter the Asia Book of Records, and that too finishing the task in just three days, far ahead of the deadline of seven days. With two records - India Book of Records and Asia Book of Records - under his belt, an excited Lispo announces his next goal: "I have set my eyes on the Guinness Book of World Records." So, the interior design student at Jain University in Kochi is engaged in strenuous homework to clinch the big title.

Customised gifts

With all the intricate detailing, the tiny soft sculptures initially caught the fancy of his friends and relatives who wanted to present their dear ones with the unique pieces of art. Gradually their popularity grew, and in no time Lispo was flooded with calls from people, who were enthralled by the novelty of micro art and wanted personalised curios with names or favourite images chiselled on chalks or pencils. Apart from the immense pleasure derived from the work, Lispo realised a business potential in the fad prompting him to open a customised gift store. His miniature curios are neatly cased in glass bottles and attractive boxes, ready for sale, building a revenue platform for this university student who wishes to indulge in art alongside studies and be a master micro artist.