Gili Trawangan: Datu Swing (2019). — Acrylic on Canvas

This piece was inspired by one of the best sunsets I have ever witnessed, in a spot that brought wonderful new friends into my life. The beautiful vastness of the ocean and the dancing colours the Indonesian sky provided, washed me with feelings of gratitude. The juxtaposition of the empty swing against the blue iridescent waters reflecting the incoming storm, was a composition I knew I needed to memorialized. I wanted to capture the swing as a subject alone in this painting, connoting solitude. This was a juxtaposition to what I was feeling while viewing this scene in real time as I very much did not feel alone. It’s interesting that the friends I made during my time in Bali had a profound impact on me, even with this looming uncertainty that once we parted ways, I might never see them again. But, we would always have that sunset.