"It was the auspicious Karthigai Deepam festival in south India, during which time lamps are lit all around the house, and I remember making an elephant out of clay for the festivities. I must have been 4 or 5 years old then and I recollect family members and neighbors appreciating my sculpture. As I spent my summer holidays with my cousins and relatives, my focus was drawn to sketching and sculpting classical images. I sculpted the iconographic image of Ganesha for the first time using a piece of Coral, which eventually became a pendant. It was tiny but changed my life forever. It was with this small piece of Coral Ganesha that I began my life as a sculptor. Since that time my work has taken several directions. I have also drawn and worked on numerous floor designs known as 'Rangoli.' I am heavily influenced by the rich tradition of classical sculpture with its focus on realism. Through blending classical and contemporary elements, I feel I have created a voice of my own. I learn more about a piece of art when I have actually finished sculpting or painting." - Suresh Iyengar
