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Basuki Ratna

"As a hobby, my painting activity began to develop in 1985 in a painting studio named Merpati. At first, I made drawings in the dirt or on the wall. But my brother-in-law is an art teacher and is considered a senior painter in our city. Under his guidance, my skill developed into drawing on paper with crayon and watercolor.

"My family supported me in this. I had faith that by practicing and – most important – having knowledge, one day I could reach my goal of becoming a good painter. Therefore in 1992, I studied at IKIP Surabaya, majoring in fine art. The lecturers were senior painters like Salamun Kaulam, M-Sattar, and a Balinese painter named Nyoman Lodra. Nyoman Lodra is the teacher who introduced me to the richness of Balinese culture and tradition. One day when he went back to Bali, he invited me to go with him. I was so overwhelmed by the beauty of Bali that I decided to live there.

"Culture, tradition, social activities and everyday life in Bali have inspired most of my paintings. I love to capture people while working, relaxing, and doing other activities. "At the beginning of 2006, I moved back to my home city and become an art schoolteacher." Basuki Ratna's work been exhibited extensively throughout Indonesia.