Worldly Style: Original Art in Ubud, Bali

Photo by Lori RiceBali, Indonesia is an island well known for sand, surf and upscale resorts. It attracts everyone from backpackers to the pampered high-society. While the coast is inviting, those seeking a bit of history and culture tend to find themselves in Ubud at some point during their visit. The center of all things creative, it’s no surprise that a piece of local art is a top souvenir purchase.

While not the beach, this town can still be considered highly touristy especially when you head into the central area to the market and temple. During our visit I learned that the key to finding beautiful, original art and fewer crowds was to explore the streets away from central area.

We stayed at the Green Field Bungalows and made our way up and down nearby streets such as Padang Tegal. One afternoon a beautiful painting of elephants hanging in a rustic gallery caught our eye. After some hard negotiation with a young girl who couldn’t have been over 13, we walked away with it for 65 USD, a price that almost makes you feel ashamed considering the skill and talent reflected.

If you want to go a step further, consider taking advantage of local hotel tours which take you out into the villages surrounding Ubud. We took part in the Morning Journey from Tegal Sari which turned out to be a private tour. It included a visit to a local art school. Water colors of rice paddies, spirits and natural scenes covered the walls.

Photo by Lori Rice

No painting was more than 10 USD and our only regret was that we couldn’t also take the hand carved frame that came with them. While the paintings are nicely packaged in transportable and protective paper, the frames were too heavy for our luggage.

If you’ve yet to travel to Ubud, prepare yourself because the hardest part will be deciding what you can buy and still get it back home. You’ll likely press your limits, but seeing the original pieces hanging about to remind you of this mystical place will prove worth it in the end.