| | | | | With his handcrafted silver bracelets, earrings, and necklaces, Wayan Buana shows the world the creative inner workings of his mind. In the process, he transforms the livelihood of his entire community. | | | It all happened by accident. He happened to be passing by. A friend happened to be walking out the door. If chance brought Buana to NOVICA's office in Bali, he can take credit for turning the lucky coincidence into a life-changing moment.
Before selling on NOVICA, Buana’s situation was dire. His family had no home. His young son drank only water, because the family couldn’t afford to purchase milk. The future was precarious as he traveled from one consignment store to the next, checking to see if any of his jewelry had sold to tourists. If it didn’t, they would go hungry. If it did, it might still take weeks, or even months, to get paid.
On that auspicious morning, Buana noticed the NOVICA office sign even before he spotted his friend. Curiosity drew him in. | | Most of us can’t pinpoint a specific moment in our lives when our fortunes change. Buana can. | | |  | Perhaps it is fitting that this signature piece—the serene image of the moon’s face, with its eyes closed as if trusting in the universe—has become the symbol of Buana’s rise to success.
Today, he goes through the same motions he did all those years ago: he melts down raw silver, forges, sands, polishes, embellishes with granulation, gemstones, and silver wire. But everything is different. | | |  | | Now he pursues his craft in his own workshop; he regularly employs thirteen silversmiths from his own community; he has built a home for his family; provided an education for his children; and dedicates his time to nurturing his creativity. In fact, he’s so busy with NOVICA orders he has had to stop selling his jewelry offline. | | When asked what else he hopes for, his answer is clear: “It’s enough for me to feel content and be grateful each day.” | | | | |  | | |
