Cultural Crocodile Wood Mask, "Balinese Mother Earth"

"I design and create works of Art, therefore I am an Artist. My name is Komang Agus, born and raised in a small village near the city of Denpasar. I am the youngest child in a family of wood carvers, but I never thought I would grow up to be a sculptor.

"Though we struggled financially, I was a lucky child to grow up surrounded by art. My parents used to borrow wood from other carvers to make their own pieces as they couldn't afford to buy their own. But thanks to their persistence and perseverance, my parents were able to save and buy their own wood, eventually offer employment to other carvers.

"I still remember the time when I asked for money instead of giving money to the family, and my mother threw a piece of wood at me. She told me to work so that I would have money. I cannot blame her for what she had done, it was her way of teaching me to be tough and face the hard life.

"I inherited my parents' artistic talents as well as a desire to become a sculptor. My work is heavily influenced by my childhood. I hope I never lose my creativity as I preserve the artistic values that my parents taught me. They are my biggest source of inspiration.

"The themes that I like the most are the Lion, Chili, Garuda, Sri Pudhak, Legong dance and Barong. Rama and Sita are my favorite characters for masks, because they are legendary in Bali. The challenge is to preserve the traditional way of presenting them, yet developed in line to the carver's imagination and creativity.

"I am hoping that by becoming a Novica artisan my living standards will improve, and that I can help the people that work alongside me. I made a promise to myself that I will always continue this art form and inherit it to my grandson. I hope that the Balinese culture, heritage, and works of art will live forever."