Art Paradise

This is Axel again. Over the years I have done a lot of different kinds of art. I love drawing, painting, woodwork, fake bonsais and other stuff I have done over the years I have forgotten about. I grew up in a family where beautiful things were admired, and more so if they were made by your own hands. My mother's paintings are one of kind, and I still have it in my life's goals that one day I will go back to East Lansing and buy them all back.

My dad was a master with wood. He could make just about anything he set his mind too and they both taught me their crafts.

And I married well in this department. Terah can't draw to save her life, but she is an expert at other forms. Smocking, feather masks, design. She is the one with the eye for color and going slow.

So if there is one thing I do feel pretty good about it is recognizing artistic talent. Some cultures have it, and some don't.

The Balinese have it all. I have never been anywhere where art is such a way of life. Everyone does something. Everyone is making something and everyone specializes at that. Drawing, wood, stone, design, pottery, cloth, you name it, the Balinese do it. You literally can't drive anywhere on the island without seeing amazing pieces that you would love to take home.

Here are just a few of the examples:

An entire warehouse of wood working. Anyone of them would be masterpieces and yet they have them everywhere. You want life sized Komodo dragons? They got it (Xay is sitting on one) Hindu gods, they got it. There is nothing they don't do in wood.

I was in heaven in this place. EVERYTHING was a masterpiece! And I thought the Nepalis knew how to wood carve! The Balinese are masters!

A million different styles of art. From black and white to vibrant colors. Everyone had their niche. This guy gave me a great idea for doing charcoal and then using water to shade with it. I am going to do one.

Bonsais were everywhere. Every one I saw I was dying to own.

The stone work was almost the best part. Here is a monster that wards off evil they have over doors to temples. If you could see the detail you would have felt like me. Where can I get a crowbar to rip this thing off and take it home?

Me pretending that I know something about wood carving. This guy lived in a village where all they carved was this god Garuda and Vishnu on his back. At the time of our visit I used all the cash in my wallet to buy one and I still regret I didn't get more.

A random dragon that isn't done. Looks good from afar doesn't it?

Then you get close up and you can only say NO FREAKING WAY YOU DID THIS WITH HOME MADE CHISELS!!!! I felt like I was looking at something that should be in a museum. Not some dude's garage.

Yeah, I pretty much want to give up at this point.

Ditto

You can't see it so well here, but the leg muscles are perfect here. I could have bought this one for 70 bucks but I didn't have enough cash and the village was in the middle of nowhere. I almost want to fly back just to buy it.

Oh, you need a door for you house. How about this one?

Or a smaller one for the side kitchen door? no worries.

Just random picture taking out the window. Everyone doing their part to provide the best art to the world. We saw African, South American, Dinosaurs, Chinese and Caribbean art. I'll bet you if you bought some 'ethnic' art on your last trip, it was made in Bali and shipped there. I am not kidding. This place keeps Pier 1 Imports and Pottery Barn stocked.

Random African art

More African art

Every temple has its own stone carved gods outside. Each one is amazing.

Only in Bali does a round about need a 40 foot stone god killing a snake dragon. Hell, I live in a Hindu place and if they had ONE of these they would all be worshiping it. This is just for the tourists!

Pottery Barn dishes. Terah bought two. One broke.

Hand painted art you would see in Pier 1. Buy it, it comes from Bali!

Some guys house who just happens to stone carve

Hand made wicker sofas. Because hey, it just might not exceed your carry on limit!

We stopped off at a lime stone carver. He showed me how to do it so I bought a piece to carve and a finished one. Both broke coming back to Thailand.

His day job.

These pictures don't do it justice.

The one that broke. I am going to re-do it in wood this summer.

This girl was everywhere in every outside bathroom. We bought one for Terah and it actually made it!

So if you need some art, come to Bali. Just make sure you take the time to ship it back home professionally. Nothing worse than having these beauties break apart.

I broke down and bought a Garuda. I made sure it came on carry on luggage so it made it OK. These pictures don't do it justice.

Oh yeah, I paid $110 bucks for it. Like I said, all the cash I had on me at the time (he wanted $180).

It was sad that some of our stuff didn't make it home intact. Then again, we look at it as another reason to go back...soon.