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Shyam Sunder

"Hello, my name is Shyam Sunder. I was born October 1, 1955 and I have been dedicated to this craft of sculptures for 30 years now. I belong to the fourth generation of this rich art form.

"I have never been to school, nor have my brothers. Since my entire family worked as artisans, they never felt the need for an education and so my parents never encouraged us to study. For them, this art was more important than attending school. I became involved at a very young age, then working professionally in this magnificent art from the age of 18.

"My main source of inspiration comes from the exquisite sculptures found in old temples. They really tell the story of how great and rich our culture and tradition is. My works deal with sculptures of religious deities. Each and every product is so dear to me. I craft them with great care and love.

"So, far I have been successful in my work and I am happy the way I am today. However, I regret not educating myself. Therefore I am letting my two sons concentrate on their studies. As time goes by, I want them to get involved in my work and carry on the tradition but I leave the decision to them. I do not want to put any kind of pressure on them, but I would be happy if they got involved."

Sunder casts his sculptures in brass. First he sculpts the model and makes a mold from it. Then molten brass is poured into the mold. After drying, the figure is colored with the desired patina and fired at about 100º C (212º F).