Lord Ganesha the Guitarist in Clay

Ganesha is arguably the most beloved God in the Hindu pantheon. He is generally portrayed in gaudy popular art (see illustration). However, he is lovable enough to be portrayed in various guises and actions like dancing or playing various musical instruments. 

His companion is a humble mouse who invariably features in Ganesha art. Regrettably, the mouse is invariably relegated to the inconsequential role of being merely being present.

I had never come across Ganesha depicted playing a guitar, perhaps because the guitar is not a traditional Indian instrument. As a classical guitar student, I decided to sculpt a Ganesha singing and playing a classical guitar. I also elevated the mouse to a far more prominent role of joining in the song. 

Malleable wire armature, modelling clay, wooden stand, acrylic paint, polyurethane paint (sourced from a nearby craft store) and aluminium foil (sourced from my kitchen).

I constructed an endoskeleton with a malleable wire armature which I then wrapped in aluminium foil.

 Using clay that does not need to be oven-baked, I modelled Ganesha over the endoskeleton. 

The Tyrolean-style hat was a whimsical afterthought.

The piece was allowed to dry out for about 48 hours and then painted with acrylic colours. A polyurethane coat was applied to serve both as a sealant and as a polish. A suitable wooden stand was similarly treated to match the sculpture.

To transport the model from Boston, USA to Coimbatore, India, I packed it in a sturdy cardboard box filled with puffed rice. Unlike styrofoam beads, puffed rice can be consumed after unpacking (on another note, I believe that the idea of using puffed rice as packing material is original).