'A Glimpse of Africa'

Cultures come together today to celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month through the opening of a batik exhibit, "A Glimpse of Africa," by Filipino American, Valerie Jelski. The exhibit, sponsored by the Asian Culture Center and the Neal-Marshall Black Culture Center, opens at noon in the Bridgewater Lounge of the Neal-Marshall Black Culture Center and runs through April 29.\n"A Glimpse of Africa" will showcase 10 to 12 batik wall hangings done in the traditional African style. Jelski\'s family spent one year in Uganda after her husband won a Fulbright Scholarship. During their stay, she became interested in displays of batik textile work exhibited in a local café. Jelski's designs follow natural themes based on her experiences in Africa. \n"Attracted to earth colors and natural subjects, her patterns and designs are derived from Ugandan history and wildlife," said Melanie Castillo-Cullather, director of the Asian Culture Center. \nBatik is a method of applying colored design onto textiles by waxing those parts that are not to be dyed. Jelski uses cassava flour in place of wax as is traditionally done in Uganda. Though Jelski follows African methods, she said batik originated in Indonesia. The word "batik" is derived from the Indonesian word "tik" which means "a drop" -- referring to drops of wax. \nJelski said the unpredictability of the process makes batiking truly original.\n"Although I lay out my design on the material, I don't really know how it will come out after applying the resist," Jelski said. "There are surprises and that's the fun of it. If I make mistakes during the process, I just have to go and work around it. Mistakes that are made actually add beauty to the pieces." \nCastillo-Cullather said she chose to invite Jelski because one of the objectives of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month is to honor the accomplishments and contributions of Asian Pacific Americans. \n"But it is important to note that Ms. Jelski's exhibit is co-sponsored by the Neal-Marshall Black Culture Center," she said. "The exhibit will show how much Ms. Jelski appreciates African cultures."\nJelski said she is often asked why she chooses to do African designs instead of Filipino designs. \n"I do African designs to show my gratitude because that's where I learned batik," Jelski said. "I really learned a lot about the African culture. I learned about the people and how they lived, and I loved the natural beauty. I think I can pass some of that on to students."\nIn addition to a glimpse of Africa, the exhibit offers students the opportunity to learn about an art that dates back 2000 years. \n"Mine is a really special kind of art," Jelski said.\nElizabeth Art, president of Terre Haute's Wabash Valley Art Guild, said she values the originality of Jelski's art. \n"We're happy to have her as a member because of her unique background and because the type of work that she does is not mainstream," Art said.\nThe guild named Jelski "Artist of the Month" this past March. Jelski resides in Terre Haute. \nIn addition to the uniqueness of her medium, Jelski's work is unusually innocent and sensitive. \n"Her work is sort of naïve and childlike, yet she draws very well," Art said. "She has good taste in the combinations of colors and shapes she uses. She's very intuitive." \nJelski said she appreciates the chance to bring her pieces to such a large campus. \n"I'm grateful and thankful for the invitation of the Asian Culture Center and the Neal-Marshall Black Culture Center," Jelski said. "I'm honored to be invited"