Last classes, getting reach for the beach

June 17, 2013

We completed our last day of our classes today. I can hardly believe how much we’ve done in such a short time. Anom, our puppetmaking teacher, will keep our puppets and shellac them for us before we leave Bali since we didn’t quite finish the last step in time. When we get them back, I’ll take some pictures.

After we come back from our time at the beach and when the kids come back from their homestays, we’ll give a dance performance along with gamelan to the families of our teachers. 

The pictures below are from our painting class with our teacher, Gusti, who is an accomplished artist. His father, now deceased, was famous in Bali. In these times, no one is buying many paintings so it is hard for Gusti to make a living. I was told that he can support his family the whole year on what he makes giving us classes for two weeks.

Gusti supplied us with small canvases and told us to draw whatever we wanted. Some people couldn’t come up with anything, so he supplied a book of pictures of traditional Balinese scenes that people could copy. I sketched out one of the monster-like figures that protect the doorways to all Balinese homes and temples. Gusti had one right in front of us in his courtyard for me to copy. I find these figures intriguing. We eventually painted our sketches, with lots of help from Gusti. The students created some amazing pictures as you’ll see below.

I’m ready for the beach, ready for a break from all these wonderful classes, full schedules chock full of amazing experiences. 

Bye for now.

Leslie from Santa Fe High. Ceremonial dancer

Picture made by Johnny, valedictorian of Santa Fe Indian School

Jacob from Monte del Sol. Ganesh, Hindu elephant god

Mathew from Monte del Sol. Something from his imagination

Erica, OG, definitely not much of an artist. Protector god. Colors from her imagination.

Picture copied from a book of traditional Balinese life, by Mary Ellen, OG

Mai Ting, OG. Fellow doctor on trip. Taken from picture in book

Marina, aka Madhe, taken from picture in book of goddess

Gusti, our painting instructor. Very kind man

Pool at the YG's hotel. It is located right in a jungle of plants which gives it an exotic character

Balinese food served on banana leaf. Those little packets in the background are duck meat wrapped in a banana leaf packet and steamed.