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. The color and fantasy behind Balinese masks make their way into this hand-crafted bag. Nyoman Wirata selects three bondres masks, which represent cheerful fellows. Used in many traditional dances, bondres masks are designed to personify regular, non-mythical characters. They usually appear at the end of the story, bringing the audience humorous relief. The fourth mask personifies Rangda, queen of witches and symbol of evil. The masks are painted by hand and embellished with glistening beads. They adorn a lined, cotton handbag featuring a pocket inside. Artisan Info: Nyoman Wirata was born in 1963 to a family of dedicated farmers in the Balinese countryside. The challenge of becoming a designer came about the time when he got married, and his family's economic situation was not very good. Wirata did several jobs, including working in a factory, or as a driver. Wirata came up with the idea of designing new and original bags that combined Balinese hand-painting and beading techniques. He took it upon himself to learn about such techniques all on his own. Eventually Wirata began crafting a variety of bags that began to draw the admiration of others, and eventually his personal venture began to grow. Nowadays, Wirata's wife assists him with the accounting, and he has been able to
