These brief photographic essays depict snapshots of the Bali we saw. We experienced numerous extraordinary events which included the cremation ceremony of three high-level family members of the royal family of Kerambitan, the experience of visually translating the colors found in the rice terraces while listening to a solo gamelan player on a distant hillside, and flying 30-foot-long kites with the Prince of Kerambitan accompanied by a gamelan orchestra on the black sand beach close to his palace.
The four separate workshops thus far allowed participants to be immersed in rice terraces, color, spiritual and cultural activities, and themselves. Everything from gas stations to color was revealed in a new light.
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Introduction
There were four years of our color workshops. Students came from all around the world. The four workshops allowed participants to be immersed in rice terraces, color, spiritual and cultural activities, and themselves. Everything from gas stations to color was revealed in a new light.
Terraces
Because the people of Bali promised the gods that the rice season would never end, it is possible to see all phases of the planting, growing, and processing of the rice somewhere in Bali on any given day. Each phase provided us with a variety of structures for our color translations.
Student Life
We stayed in a palace, Puri Anyar. We took day trips to the rice terraces to visually translate and interpret the colors we saw. We discussed our outcomes during various critiques. Students often stayed longer than the workshop to further absorb Bali. One student even stayed a year after this experience.
Color Studies and Visual Translations
We would head to a variety of sites for an entire week. We used oil pastels and gouache. One day, we did mono-prints off glass. We did plein air sessions in the morning, afternoon, and evening light. We even did night paintings. We visually interpreted the colors on the rice terraces. The light at the equator resulted in us seeing so much more.
Spiritual
Bali is a holy place. The people are realistic about their time on earth. The traditional checkerboard fabric worn by trees and people alike represents equal amounts of good and evil in all of us. Prayers and offerings placed at least two times a day represent gifts to the three gods of evil: Anger, Greed, and Desire. Often these offerings are placed in front of the entrances of homes. This is to appease these gods and prevent them from entering. I personally had several revelations during my visits.
Made in Bali
Our host, Dhr. Rai Giri Guhnadi, Prince of Kerambitan, said, “Artists are the scientists of our culture.” This awareness was throughout Bali. Musicians would reserve one day a week when the children would perform with their accomplished parents. All forms of arts and crafts, music, dance, and theater exist in Bali. Particularly interesting is the theater of shadow puppets and flying 30-foot kites.