Walter Van Oel Discovered Spirit of Bali by His Paintings

There are people who equate the name Walter Van Oel (63) with earliest world painters like Picasso or Salvador Dalli. Probably, it’s not an exaggerated opinion, considering that Van Oel has an extraordinary expertise. This was proved by manifold praises extended to him, either by lovers of art or his teachers when he was in senior high school. In 1965, he graduated with cum laude predicate from an art institute in Den Haag (Holland).
Since he wished to discover his identity as a painter, Van Oel then went in seclusion to Deventer and became a teacher of fine arts there. While teaching, his spare time was taken advantage for painting. At that time, his painting mostly belonged to naturalistic style, like flowers with exclusive colouring. Afterwards, his style tended to poetical abstraction. In 1985, he set in motion to introduce himself as a professional painter.
From thenceforth, his paintings got down to be coloured with symbols. This is indicated by his work theming The King or Magic Windows. For Van Oel, Oriental appeal is remarkably appropriate for his painting, so he then roamed around the world like to Tibet and China. There, he discovered so many inspirations for his paintings that exalted symbolism.
Other than Tibet and China, in fact Bali has also impressed him, and even Bali has been considered to be the second home after Deventer. Bali has the concept of cosmic energy that is believed to have never mildewed and stays to live as part of daily life of its inhabitants. Here, as if Walter Van Oel discovered something unique and became inspiration for his creativity competence that then expressed through his painting like Homage to Balinese Architecture or Taksu Life.
As a distinguished painter, Van Oel has exhibited his masterpiece works all over the world like America, Europe, Jakarta, Bali and Surabaya. (BTN/Gung Man)

“Bali Travel News” Painting Exhibition

On the afternoon, 4 December 2005, located at a renowned resort in Nusa Dua, took place an opening of a painting exhibition of the seventh anniversary tourism tabloid Bali Travel News (BTN). On the occasion were present the Vice Governor of Bali Alit Kelakan, owner of Bali Tropic Resort & Spa, regional officials across Bali, consuls of honorary countries in Bali, tourism components and other invitees.
The exhibition constituted an annual agenda that was associated with the celebration of BTN’s anniversary. For the seventh activity this year, BTN made cooperation with Bali Tropic Resort & Spa at Tanjung Benoa, Nusa Dua that provided the venue for the exhibition. This pleasurable cooperation has been established since the its first anniversary, seven years ago.
The opening of exhibition was inaugurated by ribbon cutting by the Vice Governor of Bali. Afterwards, exhibition was held at upper and lower lobby of Bali Tropic Resort & Spa. There were eight painters and a group of painter of the hotel who took part in the exhibition namely Sagino Artist Group. They were I.G.A. G. Kepakisan, Mangku Wayan Candra, Beratha Yasa, Wayan Surim, Ketut Kasib, Made Karang, Nyoman Suyasa and Gung Man. Thirty three paintings of manifold characteristics and styles were exhibited. A number of 21 paintings were put on show on the upper lobby, while 12others on the lower lobby. This exhibition took place until 4 January 2006.
Mangku Wayan Candra exhibited three paintings in magico-symbolic style. Mangku Wayan Candra, apart from deeply involves in painting, also known as an artist who makes ogoh-ogoh or paper mâché demon and bade tower for ngaben ceremony. Meanwhile, Ketut Kasib, a painter who is also a teacher of secondary school at his home village presented painting of abstract style.
Wayan Berata Yasa, who is also the father of Nyoman Suyasa (alumnus of Indonesian Institute of Arts—ISI, Jogjakarta) concurrently deeply involves in the profession as painter with the style that tends to be realistic.
Wayan Surim, from Bunutan, Payangan, Gianyar is chief of the Tengiling Art Studio at his village. He was once a teacher of secondary school at his village as well and now becomes an instructor at Denpasar Centre for Vocational Training. Most of his works constitutes an abstraction of shapes in nature.
In the meantime, Gung Man as a painter is also known as an active freelance cartoonist, writer and lecturer at the State Teachers’ Training College, Singaraja. His works tend to direct to impressionism. So does that of Made Karang from Medahan, Gianyar. Except for being a teacher of art at secondary school, he deeply involves in painting as well, chiefly of impressionistic style. IGAG Kepakisan is a senior painter of expressionistic style and was once the chief of Citra Fine Arts Studio in Denpasar. (BTN/Gung Man)

Jesus Painting on Egg Shells

Balinese artists do not only paint on canvas and paper. They also paint on the surface of intact eggshell. Definitely, its yolk and egg white has been sucked and taken out so the egg looks still intact. Kinds of egg taken advantage for this purpose vary like that of ducks, swans or ostrich of which size reaches an adult fist. Eggshell painting has developed in Bali for so long. One of the painters is Agung Putra whose gallery located at Batuan, Sukawati, Gianyar. Putra is assisted by nine eggshell painters, including a sales assistant at his gallery.
When Bali Travel News made a visit to his gallery that also used as his painting studio, there were some painters on his working. Hundreds of eggshell paintings of various themes were displayed in the show window. Many paintings took the motif of the wayang legend, Balinese dances and panorama. However, there was also a painting with the theme of Jesus crucifixion and Santa Claus. “The Santa Claus painting is an order of a guest from Europe,” said Made Sudana who was in charge in the gallery.
It was said that before the bomb blast in Kuta, many guests bought eggshell paintings with Jesus or Santa Claus painting. Its price varies, depending on the size of such eggshell painting. “The cheapest is at IDR 20,000 and the most expensive IDR 350,000 to IDR 750,000,” he said. (BTN/Yan Beryas)