Medical student finds healing, resilience through arts and crafts
When Raveena Taraman launched her online arts and crafts business near the end of the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, she did so with a practical goal in mind—to offset the cost of her tuition as a medical student. But for Taraman, 26, ArtsyCraft has proven to be so much more.
In an interview with Stabroek Weekend, Taraman, who hails from the ancient county of
Berbice but relocated to the East Coast of Demerara to further her studies, specialises in a wide variety of hand-poured scented candles that are made from natural, eco-friendly soy wax and phthalate-free fragrance oils. “This simply means that our candles do not contain any carcinogens— substances that cause cancer, or any other potentially hazardous chemicals,” she explained.
Taraman’s company also offers personalised string art, string lanterns, light-up canvas art, and popsicle stick crafts. “All of our products are handmade with love using the best quality materials to ensure they are safe for your home and health,” she stressed.
According to her, while the business was officially launched in 2020 on November 29, which is her mother’s birthday, the planning phase for ArtsyCraft started one year before.
“The reason for starting my business is to aid in making my childhood dream a reality, which is to become a medical doctor. I am currently a third-year medical student of Greenheart Medical University and ArtsyCraft was established to help offload some of the expenses for med school.
In addition, I’ve always had a love for scented candles and creating things from scratch hence why I chose to get into the business category of arts and crafts,” she explained.
Taraman admitted that she took a risk and launched her business amid the ongoing pandemic.
“Because of the pandemic, all my classes became online and there was a delay in the practical aspect of my studies which gave me more time, in the long run, to focus on my business and develop it to the way I wanted.”
She added that there were many challenges that she had to overcome in order to get her business to the stage it is presently at. “Apart from learning the candlemaking process, the art in making a lantern and also having to find ways how not to hurt my fingers with a hammer every time I had a string art project, I had to learn how to market my products while ensuring that I deliver the best service to my customers.”
That being said, Taraman also said she enjoys making her products because the process is extremely therapeutic for her.
“I find when I am overwhelmed and I make a candle or any other of my items, it helps to centre my thoughts,” she shared.
She also enjoys the ability to create something meaningful which can have a positive impact on the lives of others, even if it only serves to help them relieve stress for a while. “Nothing brings me greater joy than to know I’ve brightened or made someone’s day better with my handmade products,” she said.
According to the young woman, the production time for each item varies. The scented candles can usually take a few hours to a day, depending on the quantity and the number of color layers. The raw materials for the candles are imported, however, all other materials are acquired locally. “For string lanterns, they usually take three to five days. Light up canvas art and popsicle stick craft take two days, and personalised string arts take one to four weeks, depending on the project,” she explained.
Taraman added that the response from the local market has been quite amazing “and I am extremely grateful for all the support that I am receiving.”
She added that with the Local Content Bill being passed, she hopes and wishes to see more emphasis and attention being placed on small businesses like hers.
“I would like to see more avenues opening up, like marketing and training programmes, to help us - small business owners - better equip ourselves to be efficient and proactive in today’s competitive market,” she noted.
In about five years Taraman hopes to become a doctor while also continuing to build her business.
“The goal of ArtsyCraft for the next five years is to continue delivering the best quality products that will be more accessible in various supermarkets and craft stores throughout the country,” she said, while also voicing her hope of also establishing the business on the international stage.
Meanwhile, Taraman advises aspiring entrepreneurs “to take the risk and believe in yourself.” She said, “If you’re good at something find ways out how you can make those skills into a business. You’ll never know the outcome of your efforts unless you actually try it.”
She pointed out that Henry Ford famously said