Learning Batik in Guam

Judy Flores is one of the most respected artists in Guam. She uses the medium of batik and creates charming scenes of life in Guam. I bought a poster of her work of a Taotaomona (banyan) tree when I lived here in the 80s, had it framed, and it has been hanging in my home in Hawaii all these years. She was acclaimed then, and is even more so now. When my daughter Dance told me about this opportunity to take a workshop from her on my vacation in Guam, I knew I had to do it. I do not consider myself a visual artist, but I do want to explore all aspects of creativity. This is what this blog is about after all. I invited my friend Marie, who now lives in Florida and is here for a niece's wedding next week. She also was excited about the chance to learn from an artist we both admired.

We arrived there a few minutes late, hoping they would be on Chamorro time. They weren't, but it didn't matter. Half the women there were advanced students who were already well into their projects. Judy gave us a brief lesson on how to layer colors, told us to practice with the tools (tjantings) and colors on newsprint first. Most important, she said, have fun. After a little practice, we decided to just go for it. 

It is hard to decide what the subject of your very first project is going to be in a new medium. Even if you know you're just learning, you still care about what you do. One woman was having so much fun doing abstract work on scarves. She said she realized that she was never happy when she tried to draw, but she as always happy when she went abstract. Both Marie and I followed her lead on our second project.

But for my first project, I was drawn to do something that had meaning for me. While I was waiting for Marie, I took some pictures of flowers on the grounds of the house where she was staying. Even that act was a deliberate choice. I remembered that when I was going to Catholic school in 6th grade, the priest got really mad at someone who had used the kadena de amor to decorate the statue of Mary. He called them weeds. I guess I carried that story with me all my life because I always think of that story when I see these flowers. So that was my first project. I'm also partial to butterflies, so I had to have a butterfly in it.

As I said, my second project was abstract. There's something about doing something abstract that is very freeing, and you do feel creative. You're making something out of nothing. My only goals were to learn a new technique and  to make sure it is not ugly. I liked that experience.

On my last project, I could tell that I had already improved in my control of the tjanting. My lines are clearer. I traced the butterfly and the bougainvillea from books, and felt no guilt about that. You can see my abstract scarf under this project.

I know I have a lot to learn. But it was fun, great to spend time with my friend, make new friends, be in the peaceful presence of a master artist in her garden studio, and just exercise this creativity muscle. I highly recommend this workshop or any chance you get to learn something new.