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Arts
and Crafts in Bali
Bali
was founded by Javanese artists, artisans, nobles, educators,
and priests who fled during the takeover of Java by Islam.
In Bali, the Arts influence everything. Art in Bali is considered
the most natural way to fulfill the spiritual aspirations
of people, so everyone on the island is encouraged to create.
The Balinese consider that flowing creative energy through
one's body through hand-work (wood, metal, etc.) or bodywork
(dance), is one of the surest ways to contact Divine Energy.
As with
everything else, creation of art is a community event, too,
with all artifacts being made available to the community.
Art is not created "just" to be sold, it's created
to be created . . . some works, we found out, had been in
families, offered for sale but not yet sold, for 80 to 100
years! The inner sense of beauty, linked to the deep religious
motivations, reflects in everything they do.
A delighted
weaver shows off her cloth.
The
Balinese are prolific and excellent basketeers whose designs
are similar to those I've seen in the Southwestern United
States and Mexico.
The Balinese
are among the finest woodcarvers in the world today. Several
of their galleries have consignment lists with waits measured
in years. Often, but not always, their art reflects their
religion. This carving, in one such gallery, is about 5'
high. This picture shows the exquisite understanding by
the artisan of the movement in the grain of the wood.
Because
Bali's artisans are so highly regarded, students travel
from all over the world to study with them. The world-famous
mask-maker, Anom, has his studio in Bali and we were able
to visit it. Pictured here is a U.S. student from Connecticut,
on a 3-month grant to study wood mask-carving with Anom
and his artisans. She declared the work, "very hard,
yet very rewarding."
 One
of our tour members chose to buy this delightful table.
We laughed uproariously as the sales rep contemplated how,
in front of us, (a group of attentive and joyous Americans!!!)
he was going to pick up the table to prepare it for packaging
and shipping!!!
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