NOVICA, in association with National Geographic, offers thousands of limited edition and one-of-a-kind gifts, jewelry, and home decor treasures handmade by master artists and artisans throughout the world. Ganesha, the sacred man-elephant of Hindu tradition, poses nobly for this sculpture by Wayan Rendah. The deity's peaceful expression reveals inherent kindness and generosity. Ganesha is considered the god of auspiciousness. Artisan Info: I Wayan Rendah's work has also been featured in Home Maker's magazine and in Keepers of the Arts, a beautiful hardcover book available through Novica. "I was born in Bali on June 17, 1973. I am the oldest of seven children, in a family consisting of four brothers and three sisters. I started to learn to sculpt at the age of eight when I was still in primary school, learning from my father how to carve traditional statues from wood. Balinese woodcarving touches me very deeply. I have learned a variety of arts in Bali, such as gamelan dance, but carving a piece of wood gives me an incomparable sensation. "At first, I sold my statues to the sellers in the art market and at small shops. After I finished school, I studied with Wayan Purna so as to have a stronger foundation to build upon, because even at a young age I knew that what I wanted was to be able to create the ideas I had in my head. But to do this I needed more experience, and the tools and material I needed were beyond my financial reach. "My ideas were unconventional at the time - developing
