Traditional Balinese Creativity
The Balinese are surrounded by art throughout their lives as art is omnipresent in Bali. They make art out of the most basic necessities in their daily lives. However, artistic knowledge is not commissioned only to a special intellectual class, but is open to everyone at all levels. Painting, sculpture, carving and music have traditionally been the province of men, while women channeled their creative energy into creating lavish offerings to the gods. In every festival, you can see spectacular pyramids of flowers, fruit, and cakes up to two meters high, constructed with such love and adoration that it could only be meant for a higher being. Although a religiously regarded practice, Balinese art does not serve religion solely. Bemos, jackets, menus, motorcycles, hotel doorways and other objects are decorated with sacred symbols. They do not view this use as sacrilegious. It is incredible to see so many people in such a small area pour so much energy into creating beautiful things.
Bali Wood Carving
The Balinese sculpture with natural media - wood, stone, bone, horn, deadwood, and even gnarled tree roots. Nowadays, souvenir-caliber wood carving is churned out and successful creations are mass produced. Any visitor to Bali is likely to be exposed to wood carving in all forms, be it the traditional ornate carved doors, the carved figures of gods, or the countless carved items in craft shops. Wood carving is a craft practiced all over Bali. Open your ears to the tapping sound of the carver's mallet and you would know that there is one around. It would be taxing to separate traditional and foreign influences. However, Balinese are intense observers of the outside world, effortlessly incorporating and adapting foreign themes into their work.
For quality wood carving, head to Tegallalang, Pujung, and Sebatu, which is north of Ubud. It is a great area to meet woodcarvers; it is best to take note of the artist's name and visit him at the workshop to negotiate a better price. Bali is a perfect place for western artists to study their crafts. There are wood carving lessons in which you can learn to carve your own mask in about three weeks.
Bali Stone Carving
The technique used in stone carving is very much the same as wood carving since soft volcanic rock is used. Stone carving is relatively unaffected by tourist consumerism as most pieces are too exorbitant to ship. You can vividly see stone carving skills in the distinctive split gates, swirling stone friezes, and absurd and menacing mythological statuary. The centers for stone carving are Kapal and Batubulan. Although stone carvings were mainly used to decorate temples and palaces, the carvers had much more leeway in their use of subject matter than the artists and illustrators. There is little difference between the iconography decorating temples and that of private buildings. Gateways represent the dividing line between the inner and outer worlds, and as such are the recipients of some of the most fantastic carvings. As well as portraying deities and demons, the carvers included many scenes from public life and there are many temple surfaces enriched with the antics of the Dutch Colonialists, including scenes of bicycles, drunken parties, car break-downs and even airplanes. Bali's modem-day centre of stone carving is the village of Batubulan, situated halfway between Denpasar and Gianyar. Although you can see excellent examples of Balinese stone carving all over the island, the temples in the North tend to bc much more creative (with the exception of Pura Puseh in Batabulan).
Bali Textiles
One of the most striking things about Bali is the rich variety of cloths and materials that are to be seen in thousands of shops throughout the island. However, only a small proportion of these are indigenous to Bali. The myriad of batik clothes and sarongs available everywhere are mainly imported from Java. A large proportion of the woven cloths (Ikat) round in and around the Kuta / Legian area, are imported from the islands of Sumba and Flores. However, Bali does have a very rich textile industry of its own. The beautiful Songket fabrics wom by performers of traditional dance are a good example. In Songket, gold and silver threads are woven into the cloth to create complex motifs of birds, butterflies and flowers. Sometimes they use so much gold and silver that the underlying cloth is barely visible.
The first kind of textile that you will find in Bali is batik, which is popular among tourists and locals alike. There is every imaginable style and quality that you can chance upon throughout the island, but it is surprising that batik is actually produced in central Java and then shipped to Bali. Bali's own home-produced cloth is a weft ikat called endek. Ikat is made by tying the weft threads of a cloth before it is woven and then dying them so that the tied areas do not absorb the dye. The cloth is then woven and the pattern, created by the tying of the threads, emerges. This cloth is not very popular with visitors but is indispensable to the locals. Authentic ikat is made of silk but cotton and synthetic yarns are also widely used. Also, keep a look out for kain prada, fabrics woven of silk or cotton and decorated with silver or gold threads or gold leaf. These colorful kerchiefs are worn by temple girls during festivals and take three weeks to a month to weave.
(source:http://www.balispecial.com/bali-arts.html)
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