There is a wonderful process in making silver in Bali.

Most silversmiths who make it the original way come from generations of families skilled in this art form. You start with balls of silver and need to melt these down; for this a blow torch is used with a foot pump which controls the heat. Once melted, it’s poured into a small iron box and it becomes an ingot of silver. From there you beat it, heat it, beat it again until it’s the right weight you need to create. You then hand roll it to get it even and smooth.

Drawing the design on the silver, you cut it into the shapes using a small saw. This all takes a long time and eventually after melting, rolling, and soldering, your piece comes together.

Next you need to file it so edges and corners are regular taking off sharp edges. You add your patten. I’ve been using sandpaper rolled into the silver for texture, beating the silver with small hammers, or using other mediums to create the pattern and look I want.

It’s hours of labour, it’s physical work, it’s precise measuring of all pieces. It’s hot but as each piece begins to be ‘born’ it’s exciting. It takes hours to make each piece but the end reward is so beautiful. I fall in love with each piece holding them in my hands and blessing them all.