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. Surrounded by a majestic aura, Baruna, guardian of the cosmic order and god of the sea, arises from spellbinding filigree. Worshiping with devotion and praising with flowers, in Bali, the millenary Hindu philosophy has taken a path of its own - blending a deep religious mysticism with the artistic vocation coursing through the veins of Balinese people. Oka Pastika and Ketut Mustika carve this extraordinary mask of acacia wood. Artisan Info: We are saddened to say that Ketut Mustika recently passed away in an accident. His son I Putu Gede Oka Pastika, pictured above, continues the family tradition of carving. This is his father's story. "I am a wood-carver from Bali and my name is Ketut Mustika. I was born in Sukawati village, Bali, on December 20, 1960. I started learning wood carving in 1968 when I was just an elementary student. I began carving seriously when I opened my art studio in 1980. I learned the basics of carving from my father, as well as from senior artists who taught me a lot about design, material, and different techniques. "Local Balinese art and culture is deeply related with the everyday practices and customs that have lived on from generation to generation since ancient times. The stories of Ramayana and Mahabharata that are performed in shows and depicted
