This was shared by Runi Palar* at the book launch of ‘Dancing in Silver’. A book by Bruce Carpenter that is celebrating her work. She was Indonesia’s first modern jeweller.

I wasn’t in a good spot to take pictures of her presentation. However, when the event was finished, I asked permission to take a photo of a page in the book. This piece is called Coral Reef. It was the one that was displayed alongside the mother nature quote.

As well as Mother Nature being her muse, Ibu Runi talked about how her background in dance also influenced her jewellery.

Something that she was unaware of, until a fellow designer commented on how the design of one of her pieces appeared to be dancing.

It had not been a conscious choice to have dance (the action or essence of – my words) reflected in her designs. However, it came as a natural outflow of the depth of knowledge, experience, and connection she has of, and with dance.

I was reminded of one of my cousins who previously had a career in pharmacology, and is now an artist and teacher or young artists. Her love and knowledge of science and it’s structures/forms comes through in some of her art. Something she herself has mentioned to me.

It would be interesting to muse on whether I can specifically identify something -like Ibu Runi’s dance- that is naturally outflowing or imprinting onto something I am doing now.

Hearing these particular things from Ibu Runi’s story, made me muse again on how if we take the time to stop, look, and listen, there is plenty in the everyday to:

  • inspire our creativity.
  • give us different perspective
  • allow us to catch our breath before entering into the struggle again

Funnily enough, Wednesday morning in the taxi I consciously told myself to put down the phone. As I wanted to take in the city. It was about 5.30 in the morning, the dawn was just breaking, and the city seemed to still be asleep.

It was a nice ride in. Until that is the taxi driver put his foot down a bit too much! Though even then, I was kinda chilled about it. Maybe I was still benefitting from my stop, look, listen moment.

*Link to a little bit more info about Runi Palar. Finding a background summary in English proved challenging.

** Ibu is a form of address for older/married