Handmade in Bali, Indonesia
Handcarved and Handpainted wood and bone pendants. Some are on "loan" through the end of the year, for you to enjoy and treasure as your own.
Each is measured by height, and if you'd like more photos, please webchat us! Aloha!
Susan's Bio:
Susan Tereba / World on a String was born in 1990 with the magical Balinese culture at its core. The spirit of the work is expressed through carvings created out of various natural materials such as fossilized mammoth tusk, jet, bone, tagua nut, exotic woods, semi-precious and precious stones.
While Susan is the creative designer, she feels more like an orchestra leader, intuitively conducting her band of talented Balinese carvers, beaders, metalsmiths, painters, stone setters and assistants. Through their collaborative artistry, the process reaches a point of harmony, and the unique art works begin to sing.
The designs often tell a story, and with the painted bone, that story is enhanced with vibrant color applied by a master Balinese painter. He ‘gets’ the feeling Susan wants expressed and fills the piece with taksu, the Balinese word for spirit and aliveness. Together they dance the piece into its final form.
Susan says, “Our pieces begin with an idea that comes to me from a dream, a meditation, reading, or seeing an object. It might also be something that touches me while traveling, like an architectural element.
After I get the idea on paper, our production manager, Becol, prepares the material for the carvers, cutting it to size before taking it to the carvers in their home studios.
Depending on the size and complexity of the design, most pieces take a few days to a few weeks to carve. The carver contemplates the material before beginning. He maps it out and decides if there is a flaw to work around. Then he begins.
Becol checks on the quality and makes suggestions during the carving process. Sometimes a carver will send photos to me for consultation. When the carver feels the piece is finished, it comes to me for the final quality control. Occasionally a piece needs to be tweaked and is sent back for more work.
Ceremonies, an integral part of Balinese culture and daily life, take priority over work. Because I honor their culture, I gladly work around this.
Our painted pieces are on carved bovine bone which is bone from the meat industry. I choose the color pallet I want for the piece and give that to my painter. I don’t tell him how to paint the piece, but I suggest a color sensation. I don’t want to stifle his creative energy. Each piece is carefully painted using the highest-grade artists colors available and very fine brushes. The piece is sealed with a clear coat to protect the delicate painting.
Once done, I decide how we will use the piece and design earrings or necklaces. Suarni, my beader for the last 34 years, does the actual professional stringing. Multi strand necklaces take several days to complete. We attach our own signature clasp to most of them.
We hope our work will touch the viewer’s heart and bring joy to their day.”
