Goat hides make jump from satay to artwork

By Agus Maryono

PURWOKERTO, Central Java (JP): Kusnoto carefully uses a small hammer and a sharp-pointed chisel on a piece of goat hide as he skillfully shapes the edges of a wayang character. Once in awhile he wipes the sweat off his brow.

Kusnoto, 29, a resident of Ketenger village, Baturraden subdistrict, Banyumas regency, is one of several artists who crafts drawings of a wayang on goat hides.

"This work requires extraordinary patience in addition to a talent in drawing wayang, and working the leather," said Kusnoto.

Kusnoto, who buys the hides from vendors of satay (pieces of meat grilled on a skewer) for between Rp 30,000 and Rp 40,000 a piece, said the skin could not be used until it was dried in the sun for two consecutive days. "But if it is cloudy, we may need three to four days," he said.

After the hide was dried, he cleans the area on which he will draw. "As soon as the drawing is complete, we can perforate the hide," said Kusnoto.

The handicraft can also be made on cowhide.

Perforated drawings are much more complicated than simple paintings. Kusnoto made his tools of all different sizes himself, each from a big nail of about 0.5 cm in diameter. The tools have tips that vary in sharpness or are blunt.

On completion of the perforation process, the hide is tanned until it is smooth before it is painted with watercolors, and also silk screen colors. As soon as the painting is completed, the leather is dried in the sun. He then frames his work.

"I don't think I have any difficulty in production but I do have difficulty in marketing," he said.

"The tourism agency always encourages me to work, but I need more support, such as financial aid or an art gallery in the village for local artists to exhibit their works."

He usually sells his paintings for Rp 350,000 each and he makes three or four of them.

"But actually I can make eight paintings a month. It takes me three or four days to make each one," said Kusnoto.

He said not every artist was able to make the leather handicraft. However, he added, those who can, can certainly draw anything else.

He said he had kept the painting hobby since he was a junior high school student but began to make leather handicrafts in 1993.

As an artist he finances and markets his own small business. If business is slow, he makes less handicrafts.

"Well, how can I make them if I do not have the capital to buy the goat hide and paint," said Kusnoto.

For one painting, he spends Rp 20,000 on paint. To preserve the leather, he also needs a leather protector, which costs Rp 22,000 per liter and can be used on 30 hides.