UnDiplomatic Wife

Meet the Makers Shopping Event

I was invited by Sharon of Artisan’s Table to attend this wonderful event called Meet the Makers which is held twice a year. I love attending their events (Artisan’s Table and Borneo Chic) because it is not only for the sake of shopping or buying something but I get to surround myself with (wearable) art and creative people. These companies are not just doing business, but they are also doing works of charity and preserving local crafts. 
I’ve been running around like a chicken without it’s head so of course I forgot my beloved DSLR camera so it was a good thing Twinkle lent me her Canon G11 point and shoot which has an amazing automatic setting that takes fantastic photos in low light. Check em out! I had so much fun with it that I couldn’t stop taking photos!

ARTISAN’S TABLE

It was just perfect because the first person I saw in the event was Sharon herself! With her ARTISAN’S TABLE crafts below.

ARTISAN’S TABLE

  • Sharon Lumbantobing
  • tobings@indo.net.id
  • 0811906636
  • She usually holds it about every 2 months
  • You may also inquire about pottery classes

TOTEM ATELIER

I loved the accessories from TOTEM ATELIER, especially the crocheted-beads necklace and bracelets (it’s the one arranged like a rainbow below). I was super tempted to buy the aqua colored chocker but I’m currently on a super tight budget so couldn’t splurge.
Aside from typical glass beads, Marie of TOTEM ATELIER also does these creative batik necklaces. She uses silk batik and wraps it around beads. What a creative way to use batik!
Beads galore and Twinkle modeling the Bob Marley dreadlock-inspired necklace made by TOTEM ATELIER.
  • +6281 8931123 / 392 351 193 / 580 483 59
  • Jl. Parangtritis Km. 6.5 Puri Sewon Asri, Blok L2. Yogyakarta 55188 Indonesia
  • Look for Marie Pang (mariewarman@gmail.com)
  • Like on Facebook

WEAVES FROM BIBOKI ART SHOP

These weaves from BIBOKI ART SHOP are called soet. They remind me of the weaves in Baguio and also the ones in Mindanao. I love that they place the name of the weaver and village it came from in the tag. It really makes you feel how much work went into the making of each piece. I translated what was placed on the tag below. The small piece is about Rp 50,000 or about 5 USD.

CUTE ACCESSORIES FROM ART ISH

ART ISH makes these super cute accessories. I wish I could place her contact details, but my bag swallowed up her tiny calling card and I can’t find it anywhere! So sorry ART ISH! If you know the contact details of this brand please place it in the comments below. Thanks! You can find the on their website and follow art.ish on twitter!

PEKUNDEN CERAMIC

Check out these ceramics with batik patterns designed on them by PEKUNDEN CERAMIC – don’t you just love how Indonesians integrate batik into their everyday items? It’s so inspiring for us Filipinos. We have so many beautiful indigenous materials that I wish more people would use for everyday items. This is why I decorate my home with capiz and other Filipiniana materials. Okay going back to PEKUNDEN CERAMIC…
PEKUNDEN CERAMIC
  • Jl Serua Pondok Petir/Terusah H. Nawi Malik No.98-99 Rt 03/04 Pondok Petir Bojongsari Kota Depok 16517
  • +621 741 3479
  • studio@pekunden.or.id
  • Like on Facebook
  • Look for Bregas (bregas@pekunden.or.id or +62816 983 470)

AKARWANGI

These are beautiful pure silk fabrics with batik designs from . It was so luxurious! I really like the mint green and blue one (on the top right corner) but I just couldn’t afford it. It was about 1.9M or about 200 USD.
  • akarwangibatik@gmail.com
  • +62 811 161292
  • Office: Grha Tirtadi, Ruang 104 Jl. Raden Saleh No. 20, Jakarta Pusat 10330
  • Workshop/Training Center: Jl. Godean Km 5 Dusun Modinan, RT  13 / RW 22, Ds. Banyuraden Kec.  Gamping, Kab. Sleman Daerah Istimewa, Yogyakarta 55293

BATIK CREATIONS FROM BRAHMA TIRTA SARI

Agus and Nia have been making these fine pure silk batiks in Yogyakarta for 20 years. It was the first time I’ve seen batik ties. I had a lovely talk with Nia about how I admired how modern Indonesian wear batik daily and use the batik design in their everyday items. Did you know that this only happened in the recent years when Batik was declared an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2009. There was a massive issue but this led to the resurgence of batik’s popularity in Indonesia. This is definitely something I think Filipinos can learn from.

In the past, Indonesians, mostly adults, wear batik only at formal events. Nowadays it has become increasingly popular even among the younger generation with batik factories starting to manufacture more wearer-friendly and fashionable batik outfits. Many office workers now wear batik on a daily basis, while local designers compete to produce more attractive designs.

BRAHMA TIRTA SARI

  • Fine Art Batik Studio and Gallery by Agus and Nia
  • DS. Tegal Cerme KD V. RT 08 RW. 14, Banguntapan Yogyakarta 55197 Indonesia
  • +62 274 377881
  • isniabts@gmail.com
  • Also in Bali:
    • Jl. Wanara Wana (Monkey Forest) ubud – Gianyar, Bali
    • +62 361 973231

SHADOW PUPPETS FROM MUSEUM WAYANG

I loved how they showed us the stop by step process in making wayang shadow puppets. I am not normally a fan, but after seeing how painstaking the process is I can now see the beauty of such a creation. The puppets are made with leather and each details are chiseled with tiny implements then painted. It is truly an art form. I was lucky enough to watch a shadow puppet show at the palace of the Sultan of Yogyakarta when we were invited there for a dinner. These dolls are in the back casting shadows on the screen so during the actual show you can see the all the details, but no matter, they still make sure they are beautifully colored. Now that is dedication!

MUSEUM WAYANG

  • Jl. Pintu Vesar Utara No. 27 Jakarta Barat
  • +621 6929 560
  • museum.wayang@yahoo.com
  • Look for Katimo (+62812 8114099)
  • Like on Facebook
I loved that they held it in a gallery so all these pieces of wearable art are amidst all this amazing antique furniture and beautiful paintings and decor!

They also had a demonstration of how they make the weaves. It drives home the fact that these weaves are works of art. They come from tufts of cotton, made into fibers, died red then woven into the beautiful fabrics. Isn’t that crazy?!?

These are the most beautiful Indonesian dolls I’ve ever seen and in beautiful silk clothes! Then I crossed this hall decorated with all these elaborately carved antique furniture…

BORNEO CHIC

 

These BORNEO CHIC bags aren’t only items of fashion but help the tribal people of Kalimantan continue the tradition of their dying their local crafts of basket making and weaving. The group pays them fair market price for their tedious labor so they can support their families. I really admire the work that they are doing. Click here to read more about Borneo Chic.

Borneo Chic

SUTOPO DESIGNER BATIK

I really liked this blue and white fabric from this brand. And it was affordable at Rp 600,000 or 60 USD for 3 Meters it was quite affordable too!

SUTOPO DESIGNER BATIK

  • Jl. Suryodiningratan No. 25A Yogyakarta 55141
  • +6274 374504
  • +62812 272 60029
  • sutopo_yk@ymail.com

ASMORO BATIK

 

I loved this flowing bronze-ish see-thu top from ASMORO BATIK. They also have beddings.

ASMORO
  • Gan Mesjid ArRachman no. 15A Cilandak Barat Jakarta Selatan 12430
  • +621 750 2316
  • asmorodamais@hotmail.com
There were so many more things to see and details to catch but I had more things to show Twinkle and Happy so we took a few photos by the entrance of Rumah Jawah and left. If you get a chance to go to a Meet the Makers event in the future, I say take it! You will see makers of different Indonesian crafts from all over the country like Bali and Yogyakarta. So far this is the 5th Meet the Makers and they hold it twice a year.

DID YOU KNOW?

Aside from the ubiquitous batik, Indonesia has 2 other successes in securing UNESCO’s non-material global cultural heritage recognition. In 2003 UNESCO named wayang (Indonesia’s traditional shadow puppets above) and keris (traditional wavy blades) as elements of non-material cultural heritage. A lot of work and research goes into getting into this list, but the Indonesian government has worked really hard to get these recognitions. I admire the Indonesians for their efforts to protect their cultural heritage. As Filipinos what can we do to protect ours? Can you name anything that you think deserves to be on this list? 

 

Comments

  1. Marie Pang/Totem Atelier says

    Thanks a lot to cover ‘Meet the maker’,my friend Sharon sending the nice picture of our Totem Atelier collections,please visit our fb totem atelier to see more our design..hoping to see you soon at our ather bazar program.

    Reply

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