Submitted by Muriel Knowler
Two years ago, in the tiny village of Kiliki, Bali, I met an artist who would change my life – and I, his. My friend's name is Dolit and he is a traditional artist making a living the traditional, Balinese way. Dolit has earned his living from art for most of his forty-something years and now his is unable to continue.
His work is extremely delicate. Single horse hairs are often used to scribe the fine details and lines of his pieces. Another canvas is so full with the details of a Balinese village life that one could 'read it' for hours. Now, he can no longer see those fine details and delicate lines.
My husband took his reading glasses from his pocket and handed them to Dolit. Gingerly, Dolit tried them on and, literally, could not believe his eyes! He was astounded the glasses helped him see so clearly and tears rolled down his cheeks.
A simple fix, you might say. Yes, in Canada, reading glasses are a simple fix. For a couple of bucks, you can pick a pair up almost anywhere. Not so in Bali, Indonesia or many other developing countries around the world where 'a couple of bucks' is all a family's income may be for a week! And where do you go to buy them when you're in a tiny village perched on the side of a volcano?! To the majority of the population in Bali, reading glasses are a totally, unaffordable luxury – and many villagers are not aware these glasses even exist! Hard to imagine in this day and age.
In January of this year, I went back to Bali with a mission: To dispense reading glasses to artists who could no longer see to continue their work and make a living. I sourced a manufacturer in China who was sympathetic to my cause and gave me great support – and a great price! Three hundred reading glasses of 5 different diopters were shipped to Bali, arriving one day after Jackie Blight and I had touched down.
Jackie wanted to see Bali before she went on to Australia. This was my seventh trip to paradise and I was thrilled to have a travelling companion and to show her around. She knew about my mission and was happy to help. And with that, Art Without Borders, was brought to life.
We began our search for artists in need of reading glasses at galleries, art studios, retail shops selling weavings. Ubud, in central Bali, became our home base because of its reputation as the art centre of the tropical island. Within four weeks, we ran out of glasses and placed an order for 600 more.
Jackie and I visited painters and weavers in tiny villages, schools, museums and art galleries with glasses in hand. We'd sit in the dim, dusty weaving 'barns' and weavers would come to us. One on one, we would have them try on each diopter of glasses to see which was best. They'd sit at their looms and gently perch the glasses on their noses and peer down at the minute silk threads.
In exchange for the glasses, if they could afford or wanted, we asked the artists for a piece of their work – to be sold back in Canada. The artists set their price and Art Without Borders adds a few dollars so when the artwork is sold, the artist gets his price and AWB puts their funds towards purchasing reading glasses. 100% of the money raised by Art Without Borders goes towards the purchase of glasses.
My Bali Mission turned into Our Bali Mission. Jackie ended up staying on in Bali for the entire three months I was there. She was totally smitten by the island, it's people…and the AWB program. All in all, we distributed 900 pair of glasses on this pilot project. The gratitude was overwhelming. Some people cried, some laughed out loud and one older woman sat and held my hand. Each and every person thanked us personally and we will never forget the feelings we had for them and they for us.
Jackie and I were astounded by the overwhelming need for reading glasses on the island of Bali and can only imagine the number of impoverished people in this world whose lives would be changed forever – for the sake of a $2.00 pair of reading glasses.
Art Without Borders program will continue to dispense reading glasses. Many Thanks to all who stopped by our sale and supported our program with their purchases and donations on July 8th to 10th. We look forward to seeing you at Festival of the Arts in Turner Valley, August 13th.
We can be reached at the following:
Jackie Blight - (403) 390-1364
Muriel Knowler - (403) 933-2125
and on Facebook check out Art Without Borders Community Site.
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