Ashish Mehta

Ashish Mehta wood carvings and brass sculptures

"My name is Ashish Mehta and I was born in 1975 in the beautiful city of Jaipur, known as the 'Pink City of India.'

"I lost my father when I was 12 years old. My mother worked hard and struggled so that my siblings and I could have a good future. I am very proud of her.

"I became interested in carving when I was a child and wondered how a wooden elephant was made. My curiosity to learn attracted me to arts and crafts.

"At first, I tried to learn on my own but I wasn't able to. I decided to learn from different people, who are masters in wood carving. I worked hard to learn this craft. It is very challenging to carve fine details on wood, but I love being able to shape wood into different figures. The wood I use is usually recycled.

"I'm very persistent and never give up. I am inspired by nature and learn from my mistakes.

"Currently, I'm the only carver in my family but I would love to teach my children or anyone interested about the beauty of this craft. I want to spread the splendor of this art to the entire world and want people to appreciate the beauty of my work.

"I also dream about improving my community in the future. I'd like to open a clinic that offers free medicine to everyone because it's difficult to get proper treatment due to the cost of expensive prescriptions."

Handmade: A Global Artisan Marketplace New Delhi, India

"My name is Ashish Mehta and I was born in 1975 in the beautiful city of Jaipur, known as the 'Pink City of India.'

"I lost my father when I was 12 years old. My mother worked hard and struggled so that my siblings and I could have a good future. I am very proud of her.

"I became interested in carving when I was a child and wondered how a wooden elephant was made. My curiosity to learn attracted me to arts and crafts.

"At first, I tried to learn on my own but I wasn't able to. I decided to learn from different people, who are masters in wood carving. I worked hard to learn this craft. It is very challenging to carve fine details on wood, but I love being able to shape wood into different figures. The wood I use is usually recycled.

"I'm very persistent and never give up. I am inspired by nature and learn from my mistakes.

"Currently, I'm the only carver in my family but I would love to teach my children or anyone interested about the beauty of this craft. I want to spread the splendor of this art to the entire world and want people to appreciate the beauty of my work.

"I also dream about improving my community in the future. I'd like to open a clinic that offers free medicine to everyone because it's difficult to get proper treatment due to the cost of expensive prescriptions."

India Artisan Empowerment Hub

Explore colorful, exotic, awe-inspiring India, an ancient center of cultural innovation and trade. Today, the diverse heritage of this vast sub-continent can be found in the artistic handicraft traditions that Indian artisans use to create a vast array of jewelry, home furnishings, pottery, textiles, paintings and folk art that preserve the diverse, complex heritage of a land best described as incredible — Incredible India.

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Maker BadgeCaring for Children

This artist supports children under the age of 18.

Maker BadgeJob Creator

This artist positively impacts their community through job creation and provides jobs for 2 or more people.

Maker BadgeMoving On Up

This artist has dramatically improved their livelihood by working with NOVICA.

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