Handbag, 'Crosswise'

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. Dramatic diagonal lines divide this ocher-tinged composition, creating spectacular rows of suggestive fleur-de-lis designs. Circular handles enhance the handbag's refined mood. Ketut Wida weaves the piece by hand from local ate grass, which has been burnished to accentuate superb natural tones. Artisan Info: "I was born in a cool green farming village in Gianyar, Bali. I am the fourth of eight children. None of my brothers or sisters loves art except for me. Dancing and painting are two of my hobbies. From elementary school through secondary school I frequently performed Balinese dances both in school and outside school. "I wanted to continue my studies at an art school, but my parents, brothers, and sisters didn't have the same opinion as I did. They wanted me to study something other than art as, in their opinion, art isn't the right way to make a good living. Thus, I studied at Pendidikan National University in the faculty of Economy, and graduated in 1995. "I worked at a bank in Denpasar and at a furniture company in Kuta, and from this I learned to do business. Motivated by family, I started my own business making varied shapes and motifs from ate grass. "Here is a story about something that once happened to me. My love for art led me to create something new. At the time,