DACMan

Hi Folks,

I first heard of Mustang: The Last Forbidden Kingdom when I was thirty years old. I knew I would one day find and explore this ancient Tibetan land. I recently completed an eighteen-day, traditional Himalayan trek, with guides, Sherpas and cooks, to Mustang, now within the borders of Nepal.

This profound experience so altered me in some indefinable way that I am compelled to write about it with the hope that you will feel some of what I felt and experience the joy and freedom that defined this trek. I knew having this show and opening party was a mandatory event long before I left Nepal. Most of the smaller pieces in this show I found in the villages we passed through between the 13,000 ft. passes we climbed. Each piece was loaded on the backs of mules, the same way traders have done for some 30 centuries. It’s the real thing. I never imagined I would be dragging treasures through these high passes. David: Mule-Man-of-the-Himalayas brings you some of the most real everyday life artifacts ever seen! Funny, but it’s true. I laugh at the madness of what I do. I laugh with joy. I laugh at the unexpected discoveries that comprise the best story I’ve ever told. I laugh because I love life with its endless fears and pain, beauty and magic, annoyances and loves.

This is what I found: sweet people, silence, brotherhood, peace, joy, and love. I also found a dozen monastery doors, portable Tibetan Buddhist shrines, folk art, and a host of other treasures.

I sometimes think I should act like a museum curator, scholarly and erudite. I’m not. I’m a mad man on the loose finding extraordinary pieces from unexpected places. I’m motivated by beauty, awe, and fun. I live to discover, create and share the heart and soul of the cultures and people of where I have been and what I’ve found. What to do?

The rice was planted two different times in front of the villa this season with some fields being harvested a few weeks before the others. The harvested areas are being gleaned by huge squadrons of ducks, while the rest of the rice is still ripening and awaiting the scythe.  For some reason this season there are no morning bird-chasers out in the fields, shouting, banging garbage can lids, and waving flags on long poles to chase away the wild birds who steal the precious rice. While the bird-chasers make a good story, the noise disturbs my morning contemplation of the universe, so I’m grateful for the break in that rice field routine.

The morning remains quiet…until the ducks are sent out on their daily sortie. The ducks’ performance varies minute to minute, from military precision to quacking chaos.  They line up in ranks and charge over the rice field terrace walls to conquer new territory, screaming their unlikely battle cry.  Once the field is secured, quiet descends as they get down to the serious task-at-hand of eating fallen rice from the muddy soup the fields have become. They eat and they contribute to the fertility of the fields in almost equal measure. The ducks’ by-product is the reason for their existence in the farmer’s eyes. That and duck soup or grilled sate the family will enjoy sometime in the future.

With enough territory conquered and explored for the day, the ducks again gather back into formation and march along the foot wide rice field dikes on their way to the duck-barracks for some quiet quacking until dark, some shut eye, and the chance to do it all over again tomorrow, if they’re lucky.

On my first morning in Kyoto I walked into an 800-year-old temple garden. When confronted by the precision of elegantly raked sand, vivid mounds of spring-green moss, and 400-year old windswept pines, I stood stock still, deeply touched, and unable to move forward. I’d found perfection. In this garden, man and nature merged to create a simple, absolute gift. This was one of those rare moments when thought utterly disappears and inexplicable joy takes its place.

Tears welled up and spilled down my face: “I’m home!” These were my first thoughts when the sweet shock of ecstasy faded and my thoughts returned. This experience was what I might imagine stepping through the gates of heaven would feel like.

The sensation of tears drying on my cheeks reminded me I was in a public
garden, so I moved through the next gate and stepped aside for a group of high
school kids taking photos of themselves, each other, and almost incidentally, the garden, with frenetic goodwill. They were sweet to watch and I enjoyed the replay of memories that surfaced from my teens. Having sensed another wave of home/heaven emotion coming my way, I scanned the garden for a spot to hide and let the beauty sink in.

I try but can’t understand the unbalanced balance of the Japanese aesthetic, the seemingly effortless perfection that took 700 years of constant attention to create. Nature, so carefully managed and controlled, became perfectly natural. My thoughts were again forgotten as a group of multicolored koi swam past me and under a small, arched, 600-year-old stone bridge, only to disappear quickly around a bend in the stream.

(Below is an excerpt from a letter I wrote home to America while I was in Japan in early March 2011, a day before the earthquake and tsunami hit)

Japan, at last, I’ve come home (to you). As I walk the streets, visit galleries, warehouses, and auctions, I feel I know these gardens, and temples. I get chills of awe and recognition hourly. As I wander though a 700-year-old temple garden,  I’m stopped in my tracks by a flash of sunlight filtered though the bare trees landing on a bed of moss so green it glows. Tigers come alive for me on a 200-year-old folding screen. Temple bells ring long and true. I’m home.

At a bank I stop to cash some US dollars into Yen. The young clerks never walk; they trot from one part of the bank to another, even from one desk to another. The trot has an energetic, alert, graceful feel to it, alive, not rushed. It makes me smile. A small spark of joy is lit, leaving a sweet memory. I’m out of the bank, Yen in hand, in a mere twenty minutes.

Rhett (my main contact in Japan and the reason I can be here) took me to an auction today. In his 20 years of auctions in Japan, he has never taken anyone else. Having gone today, I understand why. I’m really happy and grateful for that experience. I’ll write more about that later. Working with Rhett is remarkably easy. It’s as if we have been working together for years. No worries, no crossed messages, just an ease of going through each day together, enjoying the same things and working with the same challenges. What a gift.

Strangers have been overwhelmingly generous to me. When we are out buying, often prices are half what Rhett would have expected. I think people sense my love. We walked into a junk/antique shop today owned by an old friend of Rhett’s. After looking for half an hour and buying a few good pieces at good prices, I found on a table in the back of the shop, a very small, wooden folk art animal/toy that appeared to be about a hundred years old. I wanted to ask about it, but the owner and Rhett were outside talking. I held the toy for a minute and thought, “If I were to be given a gift, this would be it.”

It was an idle thought because that kind of gift giving is unusual in this situation in Japan. It happens frequently in Indonesia, but not here.  I put the toy back and wandered through the shop until the owner came back in. A few minutes later, as I was pawing through a stack of kimonos, the owner touched my arm and held out a small wooden toy to me and said, “Gift.”  It was the same toy I’d held and wished for only a few minutes earlier.

Of the thousands of objects in the shop, she chose that piece as a gift. Perfectly in tune, that gift was followed by a string of other gifts, a copper hibachi, Japanese dolls in glass cases and more. Rhett pulled me aside and asked: “What’s with the gifts, man?” I said, “Just a past life connection, it’s OK.”

I don’t understand what took me so long to get here. The Japanese aesthetic, the beauty, the off-balance balance, and a hundred everyday nuances touch me. This is a culture I know I will never truly understand yet it feels so easy, so natural to me. Japan’s everyday rhythms match my own. I bow and bow again and am happy to be bowing to others. I want to honor each person whom I meet. Our bows to each other do just that, and more…

Be well.

Hi Folks,

The weeks fly by, yet even last month seems like a year ago. Life is full of challenges and fun, projects and beauty. My internal 2011 clock is suspended when I travel. Days, dates, and even seasons slip by almost unnoticed as I explore and enjoy the diverse cultures of Bali, Thailand, Laos, Montana, Japan, San Diego, and Bali again.

For years I’ve waited for the right opportunity to go to Japan. My patience was rewarded in early March with a cultural buying trip to Kyoto. It was a profoundly moving experience for me, due both to my experience of Japan and the chance timing of being there during the tsunami. While I was logistically unaffected by the tsunami, the emotional and psychological effects were felt around the world. Life went on, but the streets in Kyoto were empty in the evening as people absorbed the magnitude of the destruction, staying home with their families in front of the TV. The Japanese people displayed a level of cultural solidarity and personal responsibility in the face of unimaginable devastation that perhaps could only happen in Japan. While no culture is without flaws and foibles, my experience of the Japanese, both before and after the tsunami, was one of honor, extraordinary personal restraint, and respect. That’s something for us to emulate as we fly through our busy lives, sometimes making the mistake of thinking we are all that really matters in the universe.

Our July show and party highlight the truly amazing arts and artifacts of Japan I collected to share with you. In this show, we are hoping to not only impress you with stunningly beautiful furniture, craft, and art, but also present a culture as it existed 100 or 150 years ago. While we are by no means experts in all things Japanese, I’m sure you will be enthralled with what you see in this new collection. The arts and crafts of Japan are as subtle as they are profound. The essence of each piece surfaces as one gives more and more time to looking at treasures such as an iron teapot, a tansu chest, or a folding screen.

Please join us for our Opening Party and Show: Japan, a Culture of Quality, on July 28th from 6:00 to 9:00PM.  We promise to provide beauty and inspiration, amazing food and great drinks, live music, demonstrations of Japanese arts and crafts, and great people to share this memorable evening with.  Please feel free to bring a friend or two!
Once again, thank you for being a part of our lives and our adventure.  A new container from Bali and Indonesia also arrives in early August, filled with things unimagined and joyfully beautiful.  Do stop in and chat with us any time.

With gratitude and warmth,

and the David Alan Staff

Hi Folks,

The cover story of this newsletter is about a stunning project that awakens awe and wonder daily.  In the slums of Old Delhi, stands living proof of what courage, commitment, and vision can create in this world.  Please read it, allowing the underlying heartache and joy to rise to the surface.

We promise the show, “A World of Chairs” and the reception party will be fun and inspiring to all.  We hope you’ll join us!

The “People vs. Things” will give you a glimpse into the richness and depth of my world overseas; its quandaries and opportunities.

Thank you for letting us share all this beauty.  Live well!

Alpha Public School, Delhi, India

This amazing project is near and dear to my heart and home. It is an unseen thread of David Alan Collection that is woven into the warp and weft of our lives.

My wife, Amita, has devoted her life over the past 4 years to creating and improving a school in Old Delhi, India. She pursued this project with the same passion and commitment that I did with DAC. We share a commitment and passion for each others current life work. Coming from a Ph.D. background in Molecular Biology, Amita applies principles of hard work, unbiased observation, and delayed gratification, to the development of the school and the children who attend and thrive there. The traditional method of rote memorization education in India has a record of continued failure in extremely poor communities, which is the majority of schools. Amita, along with the staff and administrators, is gradually making this school into a Montessori school, which gives access to a brilliant education for kids who would have otherwise been neglected and relegated to having a life of poverty similar to that of their parents. These are children would have been used and discarded, instead of being valued and productive.

The children work quietly, intent on their individual projects, learning at their own paces with no need for discipline. This is in sharp contrast to rigid system of enforcement and fear seen in most schools. The gift of this program is seeing kids loving to learn, every hour, every day, pleading to stay after class to learn more.

There are now 140 children in the school, from nursery to 5th grade. Tuition averages $90 a year per child, which includes uniforms, materials, and some medical care. This covers about one quarter of the actual cost to run the school. The balance comes from contributions from people in America. The school desperately needs supplies, scholarships and money to outfit additional space. We now have a nonprofit 501 (c) (3) corporation, available to us under the auspices of a Congressional District Program for tax deducible donations. We created “Ignite: A Foundation for Learning” to support this school and future projects in India and Bali. Alpha Public School has Non Government Organization status in India.

Amita raises money for the school in part by teaching four-session, Indian Vegetarian cooking classes for small groups in our home and other locations. They are fun and interactive.  Participants will go home from each class with a full meal under their belt, the ability to prepare exquisite dishes, insights into Indian culture, and the knowledge that they contributed to the education of these deserving children.

A World of Chairs

Having been an active woodworker for many years, I was always fascinated by the construction and design of chairs. I made a chair once. Chairs have many small joints, lots of stress from heavy use and abuse, and they must stand on all four legs at the same time. My one and only chair got shorter and shorter as I tried to level it by cutting the legs, one after another, over and over, until it was the height of a step stool; an uneven step stool.  Consequently, I developed a healthy respect for a well designed and well made chair.  I think we admire most what we can’t do.

In our current show, “A World of Chairs,” we explore the diversity, fun, craftsmanship, and creativity in the design of chairs.  I have no doubt you will be delighted by the richness of expression found in this seemingly narrow category of chairs made of wood.

What generally defines a good chair (or any piece of furniture) is the quality and interest of material and craftsmanship, as well as its comfort, function, design and history.  The chairs chosen for this show rank highly in several of these categories, though a brilliant design, or stunning materials, may override comfort or function just as an interesting history or rich patina from long use may make an older piece the star of the show.

In “A World of Chairs,” pieces we showcase are antique and contemporary chairs from China, Thailand, and Indonesia.  As is customary in the East, the maker is rarely known.  You will see 80-year old teak chairs from Java with strong craftsman and art deco overtones alongside contemporary organic, teak root pieces that are reminiscent of ancient thrones.  There will be a range of benches as well, from village rustic to sophisticated Dutch colonial styles.

Whatever your taste, we promise you will be inspired, delighted and filled with appreciation for the creativity, skill and diversity of human expression in this, the David Alan Collection World of Chairs opening party Thursday, July 31st, 2008 6-9pm.

The Kris Knife

When I was in Bali last summer, I asked a friend, Wedha, a Kris knife collector, to give me a crash course on these revered, highly collectible items. I was curious, because most of the guys I know in Indonesia have some sort of Kris knife collection. We spent a wonderful evening studying his collection of Kris knives. I was stunned by the diversity and beauty of these blades, handles and sheathes, and was immediately drawn into their mystery and magic.
The earliest dated blade is marked 1342, though there are blades that go back to the 9th century or before. Certain shapes and designs were reserved for specific ranks or classes of people. Kris knives were used in areas of the Philippines to Malaysia and many islands of Indonesia. The tradition in Java is, that every man should own at least one Kris knife. A Kris knife is more than a weapon.  Owning one affirms a man’s identity as a mature, responsible. Kris knives are considered sacred heirlooms, endowed with protective, positive magic for their owners. The maker of ancient blades was accorded the high status of a sage/priest because of the skill and magical powers used in the forging blades. Rituals at critical times in the making of these blades included fasting and prayers in order to achieve the alchemy of bonding iron to the nickel from meteorites to form specific patterns in the blade, called pamor.
There are people who collect only the handles.  The materials used for these handles varies from bone to ivory, wood to gold or gemstones. They are as old, creative, and wonderful as the blades themselves. The hilt and sheath are the final parts that whole a Kris “set.”
They protect the blade from damage both physical and magical, and shield others from the magic of the blade.  These amazing knives are to be experienced. Do come and see for yourselves.

People vs. Things

With every collector, every artist, every hunter, every family compound with something to sell, I am to some degree faced with a conflict.  The conflict revolves around paying attention to people versus things.  My work seems, on the surface, to be about buying “cool things.”  I am excited to look at the pieces offered, that’s what I’m there to do.  The truth is, I’m hopelessly and joyfully drawn to the quest for beautiful objects.  I hunger for beauty; finding it, enjoying it, being altered by it, and sharing it.  I’m also drawn to and intrigued by most people.

Here is my dilemma: when I’m at a collector’s home and see something that calls to me, I want to see it.  I’m a hunter.  I want to see the “game.”  I also don’t want to be rude or seen as a typical Westerner, always and only living in the material world.  What do I do?  I also know the real treasure may well be the relationship or what I learn from that collector, trader or artist, or the gift of friendship that develops over time.  Most things that matter are in some way built on relationship, but”building a relationship” is a strange, false sounding concept.  The reality of my world is that I am charged and recharged by emotion, the sense of kinship, being connected heart and soul to others, and friendship’s love.  This is the gold, the icing, and the cake.  I’m often stunned by how frequently and freely I’m given these gifts. I have momentary thoughts of unworthiness, but mostly, I live in amazed gratitude (when I’m not too hot, hungry, or lost).

Hi Folks,

I’ve been looking forward to sharing our recent trip to Burma with you.  It was such a culturally rich, photographically stunning, relaxing trip, that I can’t stop thinking about it.  The articles in this Newsletter about Burma will give you a taste of the Burma we’ve come to love.  Please stop in and see the photographic exhibit, “From Burma with Love” at David Alan Collection.  If a picture is worth 1000 words, then this exhibit is a beautiful novel.  The show, “Burma from a Suitcase” highlights a collection of small pieces we hand-carried back from Burma.  Each piece was carefully, lovingly chosen for its size, weight, and being unusually interesting from a cultural point of view.  The other articles in this Newsletter about travel and adventure buying may give a bit more of an idea of what we do.  We continue to be grateful to you and the other amazing people with whom we share this planet.

Be well, be generous, and be happy.

Burma

“How can I capture Burma in words, as it captured me?” This was the mantra question playing through my mind last December during the first of three happy and exciting weeks we spent in Burma.  Beyond being one of the most photogenic places on Earth, Burma touched me in ways I don’t yet understand.  There are things that could explain this affinity, such as the enduring sweetness of the people, or that the towns and cities have not been spoiled by the sudden world-wide growth that makes most places look more and more alike.  Though these may be good explanations, there is something indefinable in the air.  Burma is what it is; not trying to be something else.  It remains so, whatever thecurrent government names it, “Myanmar” or does to it.  It isn’t madly pursuing the global hunger for more.  Perhaps Burma can better be defined by what isn’t there.  I didn’t see a billboard, hear a loudspeaker, or get suck in a traffic jam, even in the capital city at rush hour.  I didn’t see a smokestack, sports car, or super highway.  There are probaby a thousand other things missing that give Burma this non-materialistic quality.  The country is a time machine set in the 1940′s some places and in the 15th cedntury in others.  There’s time here to simply be, to live life, not to try to catch up to it.  Life here feels good.  One can see “development” coming around the corner.  Burma will change.  The Burmese will rid themselves of their brutal dictatorship, be free from fear, have better healthcare, schools, and perhaps a real univeristy once again.  Thre will robably also be more cars, bluejeans, and taller buildings.  I hope they will still be able to see the Milky Way, breathe the air, and want to meet at the local pagoda on Sunday to play and pray.  For now, I thank my lucky stars I discovered Burma, and I wish these sweet people happiness.

Burma from a Suitcase

“Burma from a Suitcase” is a show that highlights a wonderful selection of pieces I hand-carried back from Burma this year.  Though this wasn’t a “buying trip,” I can never resist exploring markets and shops and bring home all I can carry.  Some of my favorite pieces are the small, shaman, healing figures fashioned from medicinal herbs and a binding agent.  Most are under 2 inches high.  These pieces were always made between midnight and 4:00am in order to infuse them with the most potent healing energy possible.  They were then used by the shaman who would grind the bottom of the statue to make a powder, which was them imbibed by his patient.  Other pieces in the show vary from opium scrapers to tattoo sets and Naga necklaces.  Exotic, fascinating, and fun, “Burma from a Suitcase” opens October 12, 2007.

From Burma with Love – A Photo Essay

“From Burma with Love,” a show opening October 12th, 2007, is composed of enlargements of digital photos I took in Burma during December, 2006 and January 2007.  They are not retouched nor enhanced in any way.  In writing the previous article, “Burma,” it became clear to me how difficult it is for me to capture Burma in words.  This photographic show is my answer to that challenge.  Though photography is a huge departure from what we usually show at David Alan Collection, it is not a departure from what we do.  We bring the beauty, soul, and majesty of people and places in the East to you in two and three dimensions.  Our wish is for these cultures to be appreciated, valued, and preserved for their richness, and for all of us to be inspired by the vast creativity of humanity.  I hope we are doing our job.

Hunters and Head Hunters

Hunting is about establestablishing entworks, in this case, one that reaches across the central Java plain and beyond.  Hunters, usually farmers or craftsmen by day, work as agents of the hunt as needed.  They really are called hunters, and are directed by the head guy, the head hunter.  He in turn is given a list of things sought by someone such as myself or Dek, my Balinese guide, good friend, and hunter extraordinaire.

So the hunters have been out beating the bushes looking for things I’m interested in, including old copper batik vats, and tamarind trees that line the roads in central Java.  Other things on my current list are old teak, village-style benches, folk art carvings, carved house beams, old dining tables, and discarded plow handles.  The hunters bring their “captured game” to a central location to sell to us or to return to the original owner.  If the pieces are too large, we go to villager’s homes, hunting, village by billage.

The days are long, the roads are narrow, dusty, and rough; the trucks ahead are slow, the air is hazy, the weather is hot, the game is well camouflaged, and safe food is scarce.

Like Dek, I’m a hunter.  It’s in my blood.  I can’t help it.  I do what hunters do, because I love the hunt and I love the game.  I also like to be comfortable.  This presents a serious conflight of interest – an unresolved conflict.  The hunt is never comfortable.  On the other hand, I know that here and everwhere in life, staying comfortable won’t get me anywhere I want to go.  As long as the hunt goes on, I’m happy.

It’s early morning and relatively cool.  Breakfast was good.  The people are unfailingly sweet and friendly.

Dek promises me abundant game today.  I believe him.  Deks’ name is actually Kadek Gunarta, or Dek Gun to his friends.  It’s a good hunter name.  As I said, Dek’s my trusty guide.  Usually in life, I need to know everything; where we’re going, who we’re seeing, when we’ll get there, what we’ll find, etc.  Out here in the bush, I leave it all to Dek.  I’m just a dog in a car.  After a couple days, I’ve lost track of what day it is, turned off my cell phone (yes, they work almost everywere in Java!), and settled into the rhythm of the hunt.  Where we stay, when we eat, who we see..it is just not my job.  I’m more fun to be around this way.  As long as I’m fed and watered somewhat regularly, I’m happy hunting.  That’s it!  I’m a pointer, a hunting dog-in-a-car.

After 11 days, we head back to Bali.  many small truck loads of finds will arrive in Ubud over the next four months.  These pieces will then be resurrected or repaired in Deks’ woodworking studio, and in time will appear on the floor of David Alan Collection.  There you can taste the exquisite flavors of the Java hunt.

Hi Folks,

This newsletter highlights some of my favorite people, places and things in Asia.  Traveling and collecting in these lands has been a supreme privilege.  I’m grateful to these people for their kindness, generosity and friendship; to these cultures, which have shown me other ways of thinking; and to the land for its sustenance and beauty.  This is the inspiration for doing a show about these cultures whose foundation has been the world of rice.  I hope you will find the “Rice Cultures Show” as fascinating and rich as we do.

My quest broadens and deepens as the years go by and I find myself increasingly interested in the continuation and preservation of the arts, skills, and culture that have made possible the beautiful and soulful objects I have sent back to David Alan Collection.  With this in mind, a group of dedicated Balinese and I have opened a school in the village of Mas, Bali.  Young people will be taught the highest levels of skills and aesthetics possible in order to continue this astounding tradition of woodcarving.  In time, other arts and crafts will be added to the curriculum and a museum will be built to house the finest examples of those crafts from all over the East.  These exhibits will be available for study by the students as examples of skills to acquire and pieces to “model.”  Some pieces have already been donated from top collectors in Bali.  It will take time, but the Balinese believe this is a critical endeavor.  I will keep you updated on progress from time to time.

Be kind, be playful, and be happy.

Rice is Life – A Show about Rice Cultures

Rice is the foundation of every nation and culture I visit while collecting for David Alan Collection.  We have designed this Rice Culture Show to honor those people and cultures.  Almost all the pieces in the show are at least 75 years old though many are several hundred years old.  That’s recent history for rice cultures, some whom have been growing rice at least 10,000 years.  For over half the Earth’s population, rice is the central building block of their cultures.  Rice is the connection between man and God.  In every rice culture, rice is directly associated with the Divine, usually in the form of  a Goddess.  Many of the beliefs, festivals, rituals, and traditions are related to rice – its cultivation, harvest, and consumption.  Life without rice is unimaginable.  In Bangladesh, China, and Thailand, a common greeting is, “Have you eaten your rice today?” instead of “How are you?”

In Japan, people didn’t think in terms of breakfast, lunch and dinner, rather, morning rice, afternoon rice, and evening rice.  The list of sayings goes on….

We hope the pieces we’ve selected for the “Rice Culture Show” will give you the flavor of these wonderful cultures.

The show “Rice is Life” begins August 14th, 2007 with a David Alan Collection opening from 6-9pm.  Food, rice wine, friendly folks, and live music happily provided.

Lamak

Lamak is a beautifull designed, contemporary restaurant in Ubud, Bali’s cultural center.  On the second floor, its u-shaped main dining room is at the top of a wide, curved staircase.  The comfortably spaced tables overlook the gardens below.  Covered, but without walls, Lamak takes advantage of Bali’s warm days and balmy evenings.  The vibrant, rich colors and strong graphics are at once stimulating and comfortable.  A stroll to see the bathrooms is required, even if not necessary.  The culinary theme is Asian contemporary, though a wide range of other choices is available.  The only thing better than the gorgeous presentation of the food is its taste.  Lamak is fun, romantic, and a great place to share dishes with friends.  Lamak never disappoints.

Food Preparation – Implements in the Home

Food Preparation Implements in the Home have perhaps the best energy, flavor, and patina of anything in the Collection.  Food preparation is the heart and soul of home and village life.  It is done with care, love, and thoughtful attention.  One can taste the love in the food and feel the care from the tools used to cook and serve it.  Small scooped out cutting boards with animal head handles that have been in use for 75 years or more, are included in the group of implements from Java and other Indonesian islands.

The wooden sticky rice trays from Thailand have been used for generations, and the serving bowls and trays from the tribes of the outer islands of Indonesia come to us after 100-150 years of family use.  All of these pieces were used for everyday meals as well as celebrations.  They represent family and community sharing the most joyous time of day – mealtime.  Their beauty and symbolic nature are lovely reminders for us to honor what’s truly important in life.

Perhaps most interesting of this group are the wood and stone herb and medicinal mortars.  Our collection of stone mortars from northern Thailand, China, and the islands of Indonesia are usually 200-400 years old and are sculpturally beautiful.  The wonderfully eroded, small wood mortars are all shapes, sizes, and ages and have a similiar feel.

Food Preparation – Tools in the Courtyard

Some of the most beautiful village implements are those used in the courtyard of a family compound for grinding corn, soybeans, or the pounding of rice.  The spiral teak gears of Thailand and the ironwood notched gears of Indonesia are poetry in action and sculpture at rest.  They gain beauty from use and wear, and eventually from disuse, as the elements of nature start to wear away their features.

The corn grinders are made of a thick, sculpted, teak tray that catches the ground corn, and a pair of small hard stone discs that grind the kernals into meal.  These trays, when discarded, weather as only teak can, and become sculpture a contemporary artist would be proud of having carved.  The stone discs have a balance and beauty all their own.

Rice mortars, appearing in thousands of shapes and sizes, are my favorites.  All the mortars saw a life of daily use, and have been left to the erosion of sun, wind, and rain, which enhanced their hand-carved beauty.  The small mortars make exquisite planters, indoors or out, or they can be used as the legs of coffee tables, as visitors to the Collection will see.  Medium-sized mortars work as sculpture stands or end tables, if one adds a glass disc on top.  They also serve as stools with cushions.  Large mortars make stunning indoor or outdoor dining table pedestals, end tables, or free-standing sculpture.  All the mortars have a special quality and good energy that comes only from tools used in the preparation of food.  They bring warmth, beauty, texture, sculptural beauty, and the richness of village life to any environment.

Luang Prabang, Laos

The World Heritage Site of Luang Prabang, in the country of Laos, is one of my favorite towns on Earth.  Its authenticity is subtle, yet deep.  It seems the foundation of the culture in this area is so strong, it is unshaken by the visitors passing through.  The visitors are changed, not the town or its people.  Luang Prabang’s location above the confluence of the Mekong and Nam Khan Rivers gives it an almost magical feel.  Defined by the two rivers, much of the older part of town is only 3 blocks wide, so it’s easy to know your way around Luang Prabang in an afternoon’s walk.  Because of its French colonial history, most of the four-to-six-room hotels are former French residences.  This adds a certain intimacy to the whole friendly Luang Prabang experience.  There are approximately 30 Buddhist temple/monasteries in town, lending their sweet, peaceful flavor to the mix.  At certain times of day, the monks far outnumber other people on the streets.  In some indefinable way, I feel more at home here than anywhere I’ve ever visited.  The people are gentle and generous.  The pace is slow and the land is subtly beautiful.  I found it remarkably easy here to talk with people anywhere, anytime; at the next table at a restaurant, on the street, or in a hotel lobby.  When I’m in Luang Prabang, the world seems to be populated with friends, even before we’ve met.

Hi Folks,

We hope you enjoy our new tri-fold format, printed in Bali.  It allows for more artistic leeway and more space to share what we love.  The purpose of the newsletter remains the same: to inform, inspire, educate, and excite.  I hope this ignites in you a sense of awe and wonder about the potential of people to create beauty from amazingly diverse geographic, cultural, economic, and educational backgrounds.  If our curiosity is stimulated, you value beauty more highly, appreciate other cultures, and our best is brought out in you, then we succeeded.  I realize this is a mouthful, but it is the foundation of all you see, feel, and touch at David Alan Collection.  I hope you enjoy the shows we open this month on June 28th, 2007: the “Gusti Ngurah Collection” and the “Betel Nut Culture.”  We are also happy to share the new features about artists, collectors, design, and great places.  We always appreciate your comments and suggestions.

Be well, be inspired, and be happy.

Katha’s Morning Market

The morning fog softens the sounds of Katha awakening.  A row of British colonial houses is revealed as the dark sky turns dusty pink during our walk along the Irrawaddy River in Northern Burma.  No cars, trucks, or motorbikes are in sight as we approach the market.  Candles light many of the vegetable and flower stalls, casing golden light over baskets of oranges, eggplants, and baby potatoes.  It’s a short-lived, magical few minutes with vendors talking quietly among themselves and preparing for the day.

The townspeople arrive with the full light of day, and soon we’re all rubbing shoulders in the crowded pathways.  The stalls overflow with fruits and vegetables I never saw before this trip. The next aisle is lined with shops selling bright yellow, freshly plucked chickens, mounds of silver fish from the river, and other more exotic foods.

Everyone greets us with smiles and good humor.  I feel ogre-big among these slender, gentle folk. Time has disappeared in the etermal world of village markets.  I’m right here, right now, and thoroughly happy and at home.

Tony

Tony was born of a Balinese mother and Dutch father around the time of Indonesia’s independence from Holland.  His ability to recognize and collect fine artifacts that are charged with good energy made him master collector of primitive art, and one of my favorite people to visit in Bali.  He has a good eye for all manner of art and high craft from fabrics to ancient stone, and his collection is extensive.

In addition to his business of collecting, Tony is highly respected in the spiritual community, and participates extensively in local ceremonies.  He is an intelligent, knowledgeable, and generous man who trains youngsters from his village in carving and woodworking, and guides them in their spiritual development.  I always make sure there is enough time to visit him and his collection several times during each trip to Bali, and consider myself fortunate to know and work with him.

What Makes a Piece of Furniture Great?

Numerous criteria can be used to determine if a piece of furniture is great.  In the context of this article, “great” may not be synonymous with “museum quality,” rather great means a work of beauty and soul.  These criteria could be separated into five including: the basics, the patina, the materials used, the history (interest), and the energy.

1) The basics include beauty, balance, harmony, color, structural integrity, craftsmanship, and condition.  All of these attributes are important to determine if a piece is excellent.  These are some of the physical attributes to consider along with the patina of a piece.

2) Patina is the physical evidence of the soul of a piece.  It says something of its history, its age, if it’s had a hard or easy life; its personality.  I find a “perfect” old piece amazing, but wonder if it’s had a life.  The patina gives mystery without telling its history.

3) The materials used can be incidental to the piece or the reason for the piece.  I purchased many pieces simply because the wood or stone were over-the-top beautiful.  Almost anything can be forgiven if exquisite material is well used. I designed pieces solely to present the beauty of a piece of wood.  On the other hand, if the other basics are strong, then the materials matter very little.

4) Each piece, old or new, has a history.  Knowing something of the history: its age, place of origin, use, maker, why it was made, for whom, and where purchased, adds to the value and interest of the piece.  By “interest,” I also mean, “Does it hold one’s interest?”  Does it reveal itself bit-by-bit and allow for discovery?  Is it subtly un-symmetrical or have aspects that are revealed as one inspects the piece, for instance, carvings that tell a story, a hidden compartment, or initials carved in the back of the door?  Does it have an implied history, such as “if this piece could talk, what stories would it tell?”  It’s a history we will never know.  Does it hold one’s affection, or is it merely likee a kitchen cabinet or an Ikea side table?

5) Energy is the factor few talk aobut.  One can at times recognize energy in a person “across a crowded room.”  Energy can be recognized in an object as well.  The energy of the piece can be imbued by the artist, or can come from where or with whom it lived, or how it was used.  I have seen countless pieces from the Collection find homes, simply because they feel good to their buyer.

Many of our favorites in the Collection are pieces we simply want to be around, not cecessarily the ones with the most beauty, the best craftsmanship, the finest design, or the most compelling history.  They are simply the ones with the best energy.  A piece with good craftsmanship and bad energy is not acceptable.  Harmony and good energy are valuable things in one’s environment.  This s not mysterious.  It’s just instinct and intuition.

Betel Culture Show

The idea for this show arose from finding so much intriguing paraphernalia related to the chewing of betel nut.  Throughout the East and the Pacific, from Burma to Indonesia, I found tools and containers used in this tradition.  In Vietnam, betel is used in ceremonies and weddings; in India it’s an after dinner treat; and in Burma, it’s used almost anywhere, anytime, as a social past time among friends.

In this living oral tradition of thousands of years, the betel is slivered or grated and is usually used with lime and a variety of spices, depending on the locale.  This mixture is wrapped in a betel leaf (not related to the betel palm) and chewed for 20 minutes or so, spat out on the street, which is easily identified by the red pigment.

The implements used in this ancient tradition can be seen at David Alan Collection in the “Betel Culture Show” opening June 28th, 2007.

The Gusti Ngurah Collection

Gusti Ngurah, estimated to be in his 80′s, is a rice farmer from a small village in the Gianyar regency of Bali.  Though stone carving has been his hobby for years, he carves only when inspired.  He works the paras stone he collects from the river when he returns home from the fields.  Slowly, characters emerge from the stone’s rough form and his own imagination.

My friend, Wayan, discovered these stone statues in front of a house while driving through Gusti’s village.  Intrigued, he stopped and asked to meet the artist, and was invited to see the whole collection.  When Wayan asked if he could buy some carvings, he found they were not for sale.  Over the years, Wayan periodically stopped by to have coffee with Gusti Ngurah and talk about his love of carving stone.  Much to his surprise, last year Gusti offered to sell his whole collection to Wayan, who subsequently passed it on to me to bring to David Alan Collection.  Early this year, I saw his latest carving and was happy to find he hasn’t lost his touch.  The show, “The Gusti Ngurah Collection” opens June 28th, 2007.

Hi Folks,

This month, the David Alan Collection opens the show: “Folk Art – Innocence and Simplicity.”  Please join us for the opening party on May 24th, 2007 from 6-9pm for a great show, good food, wine and fellowship.

My favorite quest when traveling is tracking down good folk art and this show unveils the results of those years of quests all over the East.  I think you will find yourselves surprisingly delighted by the purity of these simple human expressions.

I wish you all the best of life, success in your quests, a sense of wonder and awe, good health, good humor, and an abundance of love.

The Joglo

The joglo is the four-posted architectural centerpiece of a traditional Javanese home.  This is the heart, the meeting place, and the “living room” around which the rest of the house is built.  It is structurally integrated into the home, although the examples we have now are free-standing.  The use is the same, whether it was built as a simple village structure made of local woods, or one made for a wealthier family using teak and built on a grand scale, with gold leaf over ornate carving on posts and beams.  An iron ring is always found in the middle of the central beam, from which an oil lamp would be hung to light the interior.  A restored joglo is stunningly beautiful, whether used indoors or outside.  These 70-100 year old joglos, comprised of more than 100 intricately carved teak beams, can be viewed at each of our Cedros locations.

“Folk Art – Innocence and Simplicity”

It is the joy, beauty, and innocence, transmitted through the simple works of Folk Art that drew me to collecting it from villages all over Asia and the Pacific for many years.  It is the art of the people, of hearth and home, and is fashioned from the hands, heart and soul of the maker.

I am compelled to share my love and admiration for folk art’s pure and utterly delightful forms.  The makers of folk art are usually villagers, untrained, with something to express, consciously or not.  They are usually “playing” with an everyday household object, a tool, an instrument, toy, piece of furniture, utensil, or offering – always making that piece more beautiful, interesting, or meaningful.  These pieces are make and imbued with love, joy, and often a sense of humor and play.  They’re an outward expression of an inner life.  In the un-selfconsciousness and purity of good folk art, a window into the heart and soul of another human being is opened.  Folk art expresses emotions and dreams without the affectation of intellect.

Folk art is in fact, probably the least pretentious, most honest art form that exists, perhaps because it wasn’t made to be art.  Purity, like truth, wipes the slate clean for something new to happen, something real.  I am inspired when I look at these works and experience renewal and joy.  These are expressions of real people.  They are objects that are not trying to be something; they simply are.

Bali’s Best Coffee

A year an a half ago, my wife, Amita, and I were taken overnight to a Balinese friend’s family home high on the slopes of Mt. Agung in the Kintamani area of Bali.  After watching a wonderful sunset from the roof, we were happy to crowd into Nyoman’s mama’s kitchen to warm up.  She was preparing dinner on a traditional, open fire, wood burning stove, with the smoke escaping through a hole in the roof.  After a delicious meal and a good night’s rest under blankets and quilts, we congregated in the courtyard to watch the sunrise.  It was here we were treated to cups of amazing Balinese arubica coffee.  The coffee was grown and harvested on this land beneath the shade of clove trees which surrounded us, and was ultimately slowly fire-roasted by Mom.  This was one treat I could not help but bring back to David Alan Collection for you to sample.