An observation of ritual painting in Bali and its implications for the teaching and learning of art

The traditional painters of Kamasan, Bali, Indonesia, have a precise schema for the paintings they produce. They live in a close community, which seems to outsiders to be peaceful and cohesive. Painting technique has been taught by parents to children, and preserved relatively unchanged for centuries. What can be learned by an artist from another culture, about Balinese technique and lifestyle, that could be of use to painting and educational practise? As an artist/educator who had, to some degree, learned to abhor ritual, became bored easily with repetition, and saw self-expression as the main reason for art production, I was personally challenged by going to Kamasan and working with a painting family there. Throughout the process of working in Bali, and reflecting on ritual, my philosophy has changed. This thesis describes some of my experiences as a student in Bali. Based on my subsequent reflections upon return to Canada proposes that increased acceptance of ritual may be beneficial for art education practise