Handmade Bone Birth of Jesus nativity sculpture (Indonesia)

My name is Made Wardika and I was born and raised in Tampaksiring, Bali. My family's small house is surrounded by farms and fields with beautiful scenery.

I'm the second of three children and, due to my family's economic situation, I started working when I was 11 years old to pay for school. While I was in junior high, I became a wood carver and kept practicing that craft until I finished high school. After graduating, I painted and decorated carved wood pieces. Then I learned to carve horn, bone and wood.

At 25, I got married and had two sons and a daughter. Being a father isn't easy and we've gone through many happy and sad moments. We went through a difficult time when my daughter fell ill and had to be hospitalized while my wife was pregnant with our third child. I prayed to God and believed he had a wonderful plan for us.

Being responsible for my small family has encouraged me to work harder. I decided to work with you in the hopes that this would help expand my workshop and help my children go to school and and help me provide for their daily needs. My wife and a few family members have helped me in this project. We create jewelry like rings, earrings, bracelets and necklaces from materials like horn, bone, beads and wood. We only use traditional tools like scissors, hammers, knives and chisels. My village also has artisans who make jewelry, but I design unique pieces that are inspired by Bali's art, culture and traditions.