How Poonam Shah a Mumbai Artist Turned Childhood Toys into Resin Art Furniture Loved Across India

A Mumbai artist with an eye for nostalgia and sustainability, Poonam Shah is quietly changing how we preserve memories — not in albums or boxes, but in actual furniture. Through her boutique studio, Poonam Shah Art, she transforms children’s forgotten toys into colourful, glossy, custom-made resin art furniture. Think chairs filled with building blocks, side tables studded with Hot Wheels, or lamps glowing over a swirl of dolls and crayons.

The idea is as emotional as it is artistic: to capture the fleeting joy of childhood in a tangible, everyday object. Blending her background in finance with her passion for resin art, Poonam Shah  has created a niche that bridges sentimental value and sustainable design in her resin art furniture. And while the process may look like play, it’s crafted with the precision of a seasoned entrepreneur — one who dared to pivot from Deloitte spreadsheets to glitter-infused memories.

From Finance to Frozen Memories: The Creative Leap of Poonam Shah

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For Poonam Shah, resin wasn’t love at first brush — it was curiosity during a walk through the art-lined streets of Philadelphia. “I stumbled upon a piece that had this beautiful, glossy, almost glass-like finish. I had no idea what the medium was, but I was instantly drawn to it,” she recalls.

That moment sparked what would eventually become Poonam Shah Art. Born and raised in Mumbai in a home filled with murals painted by her mother, art was always present, but not her first path. Armed with a commerce degree, a CA qualification, and a Master’s in Finance from Aston Business School, UK, she built a solid career in finance with Deloitte in the UK before moving to the US after marriage.

It was in Philadelphia where she encountered resin art for the first time, took a couple of workshops, and later taught herself through online videos. But the real turning point came from her daughter, Ayana. “She was outgrowing her toys so quickly. One day, I just thought, what if I could preserve these memories? Not in a drawer, but as art.” That thought led to her first piece — a rocking chair embedded with Ayana’s old crayons and toy figurines — now her most sought-after item.

From 2020 to 2023, Poonam Shah honed her resin skills while managing motherhood and a corporate job, until she took the plunge in 2023 to go full-time. “At one point, I was juggling analytics and resin art, but my heart was with the colours and the stories. I knew I had to choose.”

That leap gave birth to Poonam Shah's resin art furniture, a niche yet growing business focused on sustainability, emotional storytelling, and customisation. Her process is deeply personal — it starts with a memory. Clients send in their child’s old toys; she discusses their story, maps out design and layout, and then painstakingly sets the pieces into hand-poured resin. “I often ask: What do these toys mean to you? That gives me the emotional base to design around.”

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What sets her apart isn’t just the product, but the feeling it captures. “It felt surreal — like I had frozen a moment in time,” she says about her first piece. From Hot Wheels mirrors to candy-filled tabletops, no two creations are alike. Children are often wide-eyed and delighted when they see their favourite toy inside a chair. “It teaches them that something doesn’t have to be new to be special.”

Though initially met with scepticism — “explaining resin art to Indian audiences wasn’t easy” — the business has grown organically through Instagram, where visuals do the talking. With a team of 7–10 members supporting moulding, sanding, and delivery, Poonam Shah focuses on client interaction and final design touches. Her clientele now includes interior designers, architects, and even brand collaborations like Asian Paints and Elle Beauty Awards. And while her furniture is making its way across Mumbai, Delhi, and Bengaluru, the soul of the brand remains rooted in memory. “Each piece is like a 3D memory book.”

Now, she’s planning to expand — exploring larger installations and community-based art, especially with children. But her message stays clear: “It’s never too late. Motherhood wasn’t an end, it was a beginning. Your creativity, your dreams — they’re all still there, waiting for you to say yes.”  In a world that values productivity over purpose, stories like Poonam Shah’s remind us that the two don’t have to be separate. Her journey — from finance professional to Mumbai artist creating resin art furniture — isn’t just about career change; it’s about remembering what makes life meaningful.

Start small, but start.