Today I make my living from silver jewelry findings, which isn’t all that different from how I spent my time as a kid. Like many of us in the jewelry biz, I grew up playing with beads and enjoying various crafty pursuits. I fancied myself “artistic”, which made me a bit different than most of my peers and I liked the distinction. On my first trip to Bali as a teenager, I felt immediately at home in a culture where art is woven into daily life but I also realized that I am not particularly artistically gifted or skilled. Everywhere I looked, there were people, even young kids, creating beautiful art under the most rustic conditions. To the Balinese there was nothing exceptional about this activity. Every surface deserved an ornament, every occasion an ornate offering of flowers and palm fronds. I did not find this epiphany depressing. On the contrary, I took comfort in the realization that art belongs to everyone. No need to feel guilty, the more art the better! When I visit Bali today, I see the same drive to decorate everything. I love to watch people casually weaving baskets, making jewelry or building offerings while they chat and visit. Nothing special, just another beautiful day…………..
Sterling Silver Pendants are the focus of our design session this week. Leah and I are in Bali working hard with breaks to walk in the rice fields. There is a gaggle of ducks just off our porch that quack just like Donald Duck and sound like they are laughing at our efforts, but they are super cute and funny, so we laugh too.
Bali is a very inspiring place to work. Everywhere we go, from the garden to the temples, there are shapes and textures that spark new ideas. Ancient stone walls are covered in frothy green moss, orange lichen and tiny orchids. Vines that look like braids climb rock enclosures. Paths are paved in small black and white stones, arranged in patterns of flowers, fish, and soaring birds. Even the enormous spiders have orange and yellow mandalas on their backs!
We are creating new filigree, mother of pearl and hammer finish pendants. Any suggestions?
As Nina mentioned in one of her earlier blog posts, I was lucky enough to visit our production facility in Bali in March to see just how our sterling silver beads and findings are made. We started in the office where the orders are received and jobs are assigned to the silversmiths, where I finally got to put some faces to the names I see on e-mails and orders in our office.
Next I was taken out to the workshop where I got to see the silversmiths hammering, soldering, and carefully forming each link, charm and earring finding by hand. Once the silversmiths are finished, the pieces have to be polished and oxidized before being perfectly matched and packaged.
When I was done at the silver factory I was taken to a nearby village where our newest wood and mother of pearl pendants are carefully carved by hand. In the hands of a skilled carver, a raw piece of recycled arang wood or mother of pearl is carved into a detailed pendant in a few hours. It amazes me that the carvers can look at a dull flat piece of material and then completely transform it, creating sophisticated and enticing centerpieces for a necklace.
Watching the steps involved in making even the simplest looking earring hook gave me a new appreciation for all of the detailed work that it takes to make each silver jewelry part. It was so wonderful to finally meet some of the people who make the beautiful jewelry parts that have been such a large part of my life over the last 8 years.
Polishing Hook Earring Parts
Hand Carving Wood Pendants
Matching Hook Earring Parts
Bali Beads are famously intricate and well crafted, a trait they share with a plethora of Balinese crafts. When I first visited Bali, I was stunned by the level of artistry on display. The smallest, most prosaic items were ornamented and made beautiful. It was an impulse that seemed almost compulsive. Even the cement walkways were embellished with impressions of giant leaves or mosaics crafted from pebbles. I fell in love with this side of Bali. It forced me to re-evaluate all of my Western ideas about Art.
In the West we tend to divide people into groups who are “artistic” and those who are not. In Bali, they assume that everyone can create art, and they do. In the West we tend to segregate “art” objects from “regular” objects, by putting them in frames or galleries. In Bali, they assume that anything can and should be made beautifully. They put just as much effort into flower arrangements as they do into paintings. I found this attitude prevailed in other Asian countries as well. Flowers are a wonderful example. From Balinese Offerings, to Indian Marigold Curtains, to a Petal Mandala in Thailand, you can see how floral elements are combined in surprising new ways to delight the eye and enrich lives. (The simple dahlia bouquet is from my garden).
India has one of the most ancient traditions of silver jewelry production in the world. From silver charm amulets to necklaces and bracelets, jewelry is a time-honored way for Indian women to store wealth. Silver jewelry in India developed as an art form over thousands of years. Today’s silversmiths channel this rich heritage into their work. Despite this history, Indian silver often fails to meet high quality standards. I believe this is a result of extreme financial pressures. We spent years tracking down a production facility that we trusted. Our Indian silver is the same high quality as all of our other silver jewelry findings. We also have confidence that the silversmiths receive a fair wage and good working conditions.
We get emails regularly from people heading off to Bali who are looking for a few juicy travel tips on where to go and what to do. I prefer to spend my time in Bali in Ubud, a village in the hills where the temperature is cooler and the culture is very artsy. While in Ubud, you can take lessons in Silver, batik, Dance , Music, Yoga or Cooking. You can also tour surrounding villages which are organized by craft. For instance, Celluk is the Silver Jewelry village and Mas is the mask carving village. My favorite restaurant is actually a Japanese restaurant called Kagemusa but truthfully, the town is full of great places to eat including Cafe Wayan and Casa Luna. Here are my top 10 tips:
1. Spend AT LEAST 2 weeks in Bali. It takes a long time to get there and a few days to recover from jet lag.
2. Pack light and buy an extra bag in Bali for all your purchases. If you love handmade clothing and crafts the shopping is spectacular.
3. Hire a car and driver (about $40/day). Tell him your interests and let him show you around.
4. Don’t over schedule with lots of touring. You will really enjoy days to be still with time to look and listen.
5. Get up at dawn while you are jet lagged and take a walk through the rice fields. You will be transported to a magical place that will stay with you forever.
6. Keep your eyes open for processions and temple ceremonies. Carry a sarong with you so you can join in.
7. Take a class at the Yoga Barn and then have lunch at Kafe.
8. Get a massage with Tumeric Scrub and Flower Petal Bath at Nur Salon. Tel 361 97 5352
9. Herb Walk (I think it should be called Edible Bali) with Westi. He takes you through gardens and rice fields pointing out vanilla vines, nutmeg plants and other fragrant wonders. Tel 081 2381 6024
10. Take a day trip to the ancient temple of Gunung Kawi in Tampak Siring and make a stop at the Sacred Springs.
I often speak to people who have always wanted to visit Bali but need a little encouragement to take a chance on such a big trip. I think of Bali as a lush, green jewel with many facets. The island is very welcoming to tourists and the people are extremely friendly. A woman can travel alone in Bali and have a fabulous time. I have never felt nervous or threatened, even at night. It is also a great place to take kids. If people in the US sometimes shoot a hairy eyeball at you for showing up at a restaurant with little ones, the opposite is true in Bali. They practically throw a party and everyone wants a chance to hold the baby or play with your toddler. (This seems like a just reward if you have managed to survive the long plane ride with squirming babes). On the other hand, Bali is also an extremely romantic destination. Think flower petal baths and spa treatments for two…… In short, YES, you should visit Bali! The airfare can be pricey but accomodations are reasonable and delicious food is cheap. If you stay a month, you could actually save money.
It is time to get ready for the busy fall and holiday seasons by stocking up on jewelry supplies at your local bead show. Since I spend about a third of my year at bead shows I thought I would put together a survival guide to help you navigate your way through those long hard shopping days.
1. Wear comfy shoes – the floors are usually cement and being on your feet all day is hard. I like to have a second pair with me to change into half way through the day, or for your ride home. You would be surprised at how much this helps.
2. Layer your clothes. It can start out chilly in the morning, but by the time the afternoon rolls around and the lights have been on all day, most busy shoppers are breaking a sweat.
3. Food and water – Show food is terrible. Sure a hot dog will seem like a good idea when you have been shopping for 5 hours, but if you just plan ahead and bring a sandwich, some nuts and dried fruit, and a bottle of water, you will be much happier. I always go to the grocery store in the morning to stock up on pre-made sandwiches and snacks and plenty of water.
Nina Designs in Tucson 2008
To read the rest of our handy bead shopping tips, click below.
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Our Silver Charms are intrepid travelers, exploring the great unknown with a true spirit of adventure. Follow along as our Lion Silver Charm cuts a path through dense bamboo, our Turtle Silver Charm hitches a ride on a monster tortoise and our Koi Silver Charms skim across a lily pond.There are other images from my trip to Bali that I hope to translate into silver someday: the graceful herons, the large comedic toads and my favorties, gaggles of quacking ducks that forage in the rice fields. It isn’t hard to find inspiration in such a beautiful place! Where do you find your inspiration?
Silver Findings share their color with the moon. In the United States, we don’t pay much attention to the moon. In Bali, the lunar calendar dictates the cycle of Hindu ceremonies that binds the culture together. Like almost every building in Bali, our factory has a temple. Women gather daily to bless offerings that they scatter throughout the work rooms. During my visit, we celebrated the new moon with a small ceremony before work. The Balinese use flowers, palm leaf offerings, incense, holy water and rice to pray. It is a beautiful tradition that always leaves me feeling calm and centered. The man officiating this ritual is Ketut. He is an amazingly talented and skilled silversmith and artist who shepherds our silver finding designs through the sampling process. In his free time he also studies sacred mask dances to perform at large temple ceremonies.
