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Ngurah Sudana

"I come from a small and remote village in Central Bali. In seeking work to support my family, I moved to the more populated Ubud area, settling in a community known as the 'village of young artists.' There, I met and befriended many of the painters.

Their original work and the lush surroundings inspired me and I wanted to capture the beauty of their work on fabric. So, after furthering my studies in sewing, design and color, I set up a workshop I named JoLI, meaning ' Joyful Living.' A co-op of painters and sewers collaborate with me to create original, individually hand painted art to wear. Designs can take anywhere from three to five days to paint, thus making each piece unique and exclusive because this apparel is not mass produced.

"I feel fortunate to live in a place where inspiration is never in short supply, and I'm constantly creating new designs based primarily on the abundant flora here. I also derive inspiration from abstract art and this is often reflected in my work. Encouraged by the positive response to my women's line, I've expanded my collection to include men's wear."