Bali’s Jon Stuart Anderson takes masks to a whole new level with this 15.8 x 9.4 x 2.8-inch beauty.
In Bali, the gods are considered to be present in all things and art-making is revered. Masks are created as beautiful ‘homes’ for the spirits and energies to dwell in when they visit the physical world.
Look at all the eyes and imagery in Jon’s mask. There are multiple colors in every cane. Even solid colors are actually made of several shades.
Don’t go looking for this exquisite dragon from Jon Stuart Anderson. It’s already gone and yes, there are problems with the site but let’s focus on the bigger picture.
We’re coming up on Father’s Day and the site is being handled by Jon’s daughter. Transitions are sometimes difficult. I like the story of father and daughter getting back together, no matter how messy. Let’s just sit with that for a moment.
Jon’s pigs and bowls are available. He is a character. Brilliant but not easy. Jon has wormed his way into our hearts and he has a loyal staff in Bali who can execute the wild ideas in Jon’s head when his health is challenged. You’ll find him on his site, on his daughter’s and on Facebook. Be patient. Happy Fathers Day.
Here’s my interview with Debbie Jackson from last week’s StudioMojo. We often talk about color in polymer but we rarely broach the subject of the black experience. The conversation will be on-going. We’ll settle for easier news items in StudioMojo this week. But don’t get too comfy, we’ve got work to do.
Snakes for Monday? But these snakes from Bali’s Jon Stuart Anderson are not your garden variety.
This sculptural shrine crawling with snakes and topped with a glass ball is the most densely ornamented item I’ve ever seen from Jon. He collaborated with Luke Brown and Sudida to get the imagery just right. You’ll find frogs, masks, and many more caned images hidden throughout the highly decorated piece.
Some of his in-progress shots on Facebook show how the insides and hidden parts of his works are created with the same care and attention as the main elements. Here are a top view, a closeup of patterns, an early photo without wildlife.
If you haven’t visited Jon’s site for a while, you’ll be surprised by all the new products. Jon recently had joint surgery and I thought he’d be sidelined for a while but his creativity is more apparent and he’s more prolific than ever!
Barb Alexander’s spring 2019 tour of Bali is full so she’s added a second one if Bali’s wonders (including polymer) have been on your bucket list.
It’s below zero here but it’s a lot warmer where Warren and Robbin Moeller-Smith (ebu Robbin and ebu_jewelry) are putting these earrings together in their open-air studio in Bali. If you’re feeling a chill, Warren and Robbin’s Instagram photos will warm you. They’re getting ready for their annual trip to the Tucson bead show next month.
They have so many materials from the beach at their fingertips that Robbin doesn’t often feature polymer prominently in their contemporary primitive jewelry. But sometimes she needs to get her hands on color she can manipulate. Warren creates the findings.
