Signed Painting of a Perched Owl from Bali, "Perching Owl"

"I'm Ni Putu Eni Astriani. I was born in a family of painters in Bali in 1977. My father taught me about painting from the time I was a little girl, and this is an art form that I really enjoy. After graduating from an art institute in Bali, I did experimental work through a long process until I finally focused on animal themes with recycled materials.

"People tell me I'm a strong woman. I'm an animal lover and a risk-taker; I always keep trying anything new where I see potential. This is because I was never satisfied with the results I got and always wanted something better. I love cute animals like dogs and cats. They gave me the inspiration for my paintings.

"I'm married to a handsome man and we've been blessed with two children. My dreams are always for our children's future so we can give them a better education and lifestyle.

"My spirit to develop my talent was greater when I found myself in a very sad condition. At the time, we weren't even able to give our children pocket money. I decided to be more productive with my paintings and keep striving for better quality so I can sell them better. For me, success depends on our own hands — there's no need to wait for somebody else's hands to solve our problems.

"I do the paintings myself but sometimes, when I got big orders, I have assistants who help me in the process. I use canvas, acrylic paints and waste or unused materials like novels, newspapers or magazines that I buy from a junk dealer or obtain at swap meets."