Artisans
Wayan, our lead carver, does the rough cut on one of his signature fat ladies dancing. Several members of the family work on each carving.
Made, Wayans’s brother-in-law who lives in the house compound next door finishes a Buddha. The family Buddhas have beautiful peaceful faces prized by our customers.
Our pottery comes from Pejaten village in West Bali. Each piece is made by hand and then high fired in gas fired ovens. Potters work in large, roomy, open air “factories.
Our genuine Balinese sterling silver beads, findings, and jewelry come predominantly from Bandem Community of Silversmiths, what we would call a cooperative. One hundred silversmiths work in their individual house compounds while Mr. and Mrs. Bandem and their family operate a retail shop and handle the wholesale orders.
Our pottery is made in individual homes in the villages of Banyumulek (West Lombok), Penujak (Central Lombok) and Masbagik (East Lombok). They are fired in community fire pits and sold in community facilities.
Lombok baskets, like the pottery, are made in individual homes. Beleka village in Central Lombok and Karang Bayan village in West Lombok are the weaving villages. To tighten the baskets after weaving, they are smoked in community smokers.
Bone carving is the specialty of the village of Tapaksiring. Dewa have been carving for more than fifteen years. His skill and creativity are evident in his work. He also carves water buffalo horn, shell, tagua nuts, and wood.
Kali, owner of Sarawati Papers, isoriginally from Australia but has lived in Bali for many years. She is one of the leaders in the green movement in Bali. She gets waste paper from offices and hotels around Bali. Her team of ladies makes it into beautiful new paper which then becomes our teapot boxes. She also designs and makes our recycled newspaper and magazine purses and accessories.