Abstract Hand Carved Wood Ladder Sculpture on Stand, "Ladder to Success"

"When I was a child, I had to leave school at a very young age due to our family's financial situation. Eventually I learnt the wood carvers' trade from my uncle, as well as from Abdul Karim Star and Salihu Ibrahim, both Novica featured artisans. I am now happily married, I enjoy my craft, and I share my expertise with the students I teach.

"Wood carving comes natural to me – I grew up in a carver's household. Tourists would come to the house to buy our works. The greatest challenge I have faced is not having enough funds to purchase the materials I needed to work.

" I mainly work with local woods, such as sese wood or nyamedua. I bake the carving on a gas kiln and then I sandpaper it. I apply sand before painting the piece, and after it has dried I scrape away any unwanted residues. Finally, I soak the work in a foam bath.

"My greatest motivation comes from people's admiration of my work – their comments inspire me to continue. I love this art form! That's why I'm happy that Novica is trying to help me achieve my goals by letting the world know about me."