gift guide

From the delicate petals of a carved lotus blossom, a seated Buddha emerges, framed by floral latticework. Master woodcarver Wayan Rendah uses local suar wood to carve this statuette, achieving remarkable details. Rendah presents the Buddha figure in a peaceful and meditative state with his eyes closed. The Buddhist teaching of love and meditation plays an important role in the Balinese Hindu belief system. In short, Buddhism preaches that a wholesome existence guided by the right thinking, conduct, livelihood, mindfulness, and concentration will release one from the painful cycle of life and death.

Nyoman Indrawati Subrata of the Subrata Family carves this exquisite image by hand. She carries on the extraordinary art work of her late father, Nyoman Subrata.

Siddhartha Gautama (Buddha), c.563-c.483 B.C.; b. Lumbini modern-day Nepal.

It is said that a fortune-teller divined that Siddhartha Gautama would become a teacher of the world. At age 29, Siddhartha left his wealthy family in pursuit of the truth. After six years, Siddhartha had the religious epiphanies on which Buddhism is based. In short, a wholesome existence guided by the right understanding, the right thinking, the right speech, the right conduct, the right livelihood, the right effort, the right mindfulness, and the right concentration releases one from the painful cycle of life and death. Today, hundreds of millions of people follow his philosophies of compassion and detachment. This sculpture of Buddha is carved in suar wood.

A stunning recreation of ancestral grace, this sterling silver bracelet finds Indonesian favor. Made Sriasih's style guides her to create this piece featuring concentric miniscule jawan (balls) on chained silver encasings. Makes for a touch of Balinese chic for a splendid attire.

.925 silver.

Rooted in spiritual tradition, this bohemian mala necklace by Bali’s Ketut Sulastri is both meaningfuland stylish. Traditionally used in meditation for mantra counting, mala beads carry a calming energy. This necklace features mala wood beads, symbolizing grounding and stability, interspersed with labradorite beads and 22k gold-plated sterling silver accents for a touch of elegance. A serene blue-grey tassel completes the design. Wear it as a spiritual guide or a beautiful statement piece.

Guided only by the radiant glow of moonlight, the nocturnal owl takes to the sky, led by her natural instinct to seek a quick meal for her and her young. The fly-by-night nature of the wise bird is captured in this pendant necklace in beautiful detail by Made Wardika. The circular pendant features a smiling crescent-moon hand-carved from bone, with a sterling silver owl family perched beside on a blooming branch. Below sits a faceted one-carat garnet in a setting of Balinese swirls and granules.

From Gunadi, these decorative bowls showcase the ancient Javanese art of batik. Three centerpieces in graduated sizes are carved from native wadang wood. The motif is called truntum, and represents the jasmine bud. This motif is usually worn by the parents of the bride and groom, as its meaning is "to guide."

The set is for decorative use only.

Sure to inspire the writer in you, this pair of handcrafted notebooks appeals to the senses. Covers crafted with textured banana bark and local leaves open to pages of natural rice straw paper waiting to be filled. Indonesian artisan Komang Sulaksana binds the books with agel grass cord and fragrant cinnamon sticks. Be inspired by the scent and feel of the tropics with this naturally beautiful pair of blank journals.

Balinese artisan Komang Sulaksana uses natural kupu-kupu leaves, dyed a deep red, to craft the cover on his pretty photo album. Bound with agel grass, the album opens to 20 pages of rice straw paper that hold up to 20 vertical photos. On the cover, a cinnamon stick perfumes the pages with a warm, spiced scent.

Balinese artisan Komang Sulaksana uses natural kupu-kupu leaves, dyed yellow, to craft the cover on his pretty photo album. Bound with agel grass, the album opens to 20 pages of rice straw paper that hold up to 20 vertical photos. On the cover, a cinnamon stick perfumes the pages with a warm, spiced scent.