Ubud Open Studios is one of those events I look forward to every year. Partly because it’s organized by my dear friends at Elami.co, but mostly because I always leave with something much more valuable than art: perspective.
This year, I had the pleasure of meeting Yessiow and Irene, whose works were exhibited at Shelter Island, where I work.
Now, Yessi is the kind of person who walks into a room and instantly brightens it. Which makes perfect sense because her artwork does exactly the same thing.
She’s a mural artist, active in female street art communities, painting walls across cities and countries. Naturally, I imagined someone tough, intimidating, maybe even a little rebellious.
Instead, I found someone incredibly humble, warm, and bubbly.
And that’s what fascinated me.
Imagine spending your days painting public spaces. The police stop by. Local authorities ask questions. Curious strangers watch you work. Sometimes even neighborhood tough guys want to know what’s happening. It takes courage to stand on a ladder, carrying buckets of paint, creating something in full view of the world.
Yet Yessi’s secret isn’t toughness.
It’s kindness.
She taught me that being grounded is one of the greatest survival skills a woman can have. Not because it makes life easier, but because it helps you move through difficult situations without losing yourself. Her superpower isn’t painting walls. It’s making people feel welcome wherever she goes.
Watching her reminded me that sometimes the strongest people aren’t the loudest in the room.
They’re simply the most comfortable being themselves.
Then there was Irene.
Where Yessi brings color, Irene brings stillness.
The warmth she carries feels intentional. Thoughtful. Deep.
At first glance, her collage works might seem simple—magazine cuttings, shapes, fragments brought together. But spend a little time with her and you realize the artwork is only the surface. The real work happens in the imagination she invites you into.
This year’s theme was Kusuma Bangsa — literally translated as Flower of the Nation.
Through her workshop, Irene invited us to reflect on hope. Not the loud kind. Not the naïve kind.
The quiet kind.
The kind that survives despite bad news, political chaos, and endless social media noise.
She reminded me that hope isn’t weakness.
It’s courage.
It’s choosing to believe that things can still bloom, even when the world feels uncertain.
And maybe that’s exactly what we need more of.
Not more opinions.
Not more outrage.
Just a little more room for hope.
As for Elami, they continue to impress me every year.
Their professionalism, organization, and attention to detail prove something I’ve always believed: Bali can be creative without being chaotic.
Behind the beautiful exhibitions is a team of passionate people, supported by an army of volunteers who genuinely care. Every year the event grows bigger, stronger, and more refined.
It’s a reminder that passion projects don’t have to stay small forever.
With enough dedication, structure, and heart, they can become something extraordinary.
And perhaps that’s what I took home from Ubud Open Studios this year:
Stay curious.
Stay hopeful.
Stay kind.
Because in the end, those might be the most beautiful forms of art we can create.