AZIZ: BATIK GENIUS

Dearest Friends,

On Christmas Eve we went to an open house given by our next-door neighbors, Bob and Judy.  We were pretty worn out from all the partying by then, but I spotted something there that perked me right up -- some pictures kinda like these:

They had the lights dimmed for the party, and until I got right up close, and could see all the little crackle lines, I assumed they were water color paintings or pastels.  They were absolutely nothing like any batiks I had ever seen before -- the mass-produced sort in garish colors that appeal to tourists -- so I immediately went to find my hostess, to pump her for information.  I found out that they were done by an artist in Medan, by the name of Aziz.  We paid him a visit, first chance we got.

For some reason my favorite art has always been of ordinary people, doing ordinary things, whether it be selling veggies at the market...

harvesting cacao beans...

or shopping for fabric.

What I loved most about this artist's work was that, though he may have created hundreds of these fabric stall scenes over his lifetime, each one was unique, differing in hue, texture, pattern and expression.

I don't remember how much we paid for them, maybe two or three hundred each?  Then we had to pay that much again to have them properly framed and matted in Singapore.  Anyhoo, it was an exorbitant amount to me at the time, and the most extravagant purchase I had ever made -- which is why we only bought three for ourselves, over the next three years, plus one smaller one as a gift for my artist mother-in-law.  Whatever they cost, they are worth twenty times that to me now.

During our last year in Indonesia, my friend Teri somehow managed to convince Aziz to come to our compound and teach a two day workshop at our school, for all the kids.  I volunteered to help out, and it was one of the most amazing experiences of my life.

Miss Melody, our Austin, and little Emily learn how to block out certain areas on their batiks with wax, before dipping them into various dye baths.

I wish I could tell you more about this gentleman, but since most Indonesians only have one name -- a name that thousands of other Indonesians share -- I had no luck at all when I tried to "google" him.  All I can tell you is that he was ageless, he worked from his small home surrounded by children and grandchildren, the formula for his special dyes were his great secret, and that they were so caustic that they had eaten away all his fingernails, as he refused to wear gloves when he worked.  Oh, and one more thing -- that I am very blessed to have met him, to have seen a true artist at work, and to have these examples of his genius in my possession, even if the rest of the world is now oblivious to his existence.