Soapstone Inlay Jewelry Box, "Chess Master"

"Hello. My name is Gulam Rasool and I was born in the year 1940. My city is so rich in traditional marble sculpting that anyone visiting would never get enough of the exotic beauty and artistic work of the people here. I belong to a family who has a long relationship with the art of sculpting marble. I became interested in this rich work and started helping my father in his work. My father was an expert in marble sculpting and jali (openwork). He was honored with the state award for excellence in marble sculpting in 1979. I learned a lot from him and chose to follow his path.

"After working with my father for a long time, I ventured out on my own. I experimented with different designs and gave a new dimension to the traditional styles. At that time, there were very few tourists coming to India and all we got from a hard day's work were a few bucks from selling souvenir items made of soapstone. Over the years, however, things have changed as far as our work's popularity is concerned. More and more tourists come to India to learn about our exquisite art. And this has helped artisans a lot.

"After years of hard work, I was honored with a state award for excellence in marble handicrafts. Today, I am proud to mention that I have earned a name for myself in the art of jali work. The opportunity to work with Novica is unique and I am delighted to be associated with them. Now I can show my work to the world."