Diah Ayu

"My name is Diah Ayu and I'm from Jogja, in Central Java. I live in Bali with my husband and two daughters. The older is Sarah, who is 13 years old, and the younger is Sekar, 11. They both like to paint and have been learning from a senior painter for almost four years. <br><br> "Art and jewelry aren't new things for me. When they were young, my great grandparents worked with diamond jewelry and my grandparents ran a cottage industry of crafting batik textiles. I assume I got the art in my blood from them. <br><br> "I started to work seriously with silver the first year I lived in Bali, around 1995. The unique culture, charm, and beauty of this paradise island have become my never-ending source of inspiration. My main jewelry themes are flowers, animals, stars, the moon, sun, cultural symbols and other ornamentations. There are four people from my village who help me craft my designs. "Designing and my family are my priorities in life. My family - especially my husband - gave their best support to what I've been doing and I am really thankful for having them in my life."