Based in Canada, Pooja Pawaskar is the Indian-born artist behind Whirl & Whittle. Crafting wooden and ceramic pieces which celebrate the inherent beauty in each object’s peculiarities, Pooja chooses to embrace blemish in her works and herself in a world which relies heavily on flawlessness and statics. Her work is grounded in the belief that the world around us and the things within it are unique rather than imperfect.
Growing up in a multigenerational home in Mumbai, India, Pawaskar was introduced to woodworking at a young age by her grandfather, a formally trained carpenter and model maker. She spent many of her days observing him make furniture and hand-carved pieces. His love for design and grasp of technique captivated her and bled into her own practice. Driven by a fascination with design and art, Pooja studied architecture at Mumbai University; however, it wasn’t until her final year her passion for building furniture was unearthed. This realization inspired her to shift gears and apply for a furniture design program at the Savannah College of Art and Design. In 2014, she relocated to Savannah, Georgia, USA, to pursue her passion for woodworking and furniture. After the initial cultural shock, Pawaskar recognized that this was what she was waiting for. Surrounded by avant-garde technology and excellent collaborators, she used the following two years learning and exploring her passion for the handmade.
Upon graduating in 2016, Pawaskar began her career as a furniture designer at Stylex Seating in New Jersey—an opportunity that brought her incredible growth but left her craving for handmade pieces. On weekends she would work on honing her woodworking skill at a communal workshop in New York City. In 2019, Pawaskar relocated to Canada and decided to pursue her passion of becoming an artist. In late 2019, she registered her business, and Whirl & Whittle was born.
You can follow along with Pooja on Instagram and her Website.
Wonder Women 23 - Dana of Herdesk
Episode 109 - Conversation with Sami Lee on Inclusion
Wonder Women 022 - Katy of Keene Lane Co.
Episode 108 - Sarah of The Created Home
Wonder Women 021 - Larissa of LOHR Woodworking Studio
Episode 107 - Monica of House of Esperanza
Wonder Women 020 - Bronte of Freeman Fabrication
Episode 106 - Mara of Silverhair & Sawdust
Wonder Women 019 - Monica & Jessy of Cirro Studio
Episode 105 - Marielle & Lisa
Wonder Women 018 - Roxanne of Suite City Woman
Episode 104 - Nicole of Nicole Huppert Design
Wonder Women 017 - Barbie the Welder
Episode 103 - Tiff of Night Carver Designs
Wonder Women 016 - Alicia Butty, Canadian Welder Girl
Episode 102 - Gbeke with Simplicity for Designs
Wonder Women 015 - Sami of Sami Lee Studio
Episode 101 - Emily of Emily Joyce Official
Wonder Women 014 - Britt & Shannon of Britt Builds
Episode 100 - Lauren of Rasp & File Designs
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
99% Invisible
The John Clay Wolfe Show
How to Decorate
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
Frankenstein
Dear Alice | Interior Design
Design Better