LUMEN - The Artwork That Changed Everything

In April 2025, Serenita decided to quit her full-time job and pursue her deep longing to become a full-time artist in Bali, an island that had already been her home for the previous four years. It wasn't an easy decision. Her family and closest friends questioned her choice. Alongside words of encouragement like, "Oh, congratulations! I'm sure you can make it," came countless reminders that she could always return to Jakarta and live a more conventional life if things didn't work out. These words often arrived during some of the lowest moments of her journey.

Since graduating in Fashion Design in 2019, she had rarely felt she was living the life she truly believed in and wanted for herself. Instead, she followed a familiar path shaped by structure, family expectations, and the security of a stable income. Choosing to walk away from all of that shook the ground beneath her feet, not only emotionally but financially.

She experienced months without a place of her own, days without money, and periods of deep uncertainty. For a time, she lived with her ex, who had become one of her closest friends, contributing by creating marketing content for his business in exchange for a place to stay. Somewhere along the way, she forgot what it felt like to move slowly, to peacefully brew her coffee in the morning, light an incense stick, and lose herself in a good book.

Then, in November 2025, an unexpected message arrived on Instagram. A client approached her to create an artwork using a layered paper collage technique. Serenita proposed a different idea.

"What if we used fabric instead? It would feel more raw and organic."

They agreed.

When the project was finished, she shared the artwork on Instagram. From the very first day, the response was overwhelming. People from different places began reaching out, requesting similar works, talking about the piece, and even visiting her studio simply to experience it in person. What began as a single experiment gradually evolved into something much larger. As interest grew, so did her commitment to the process. She moved into a more spacious home and studio in Ubud, allowing her to create larger works and further develop the technique.

A few months later, she gave the artwork a name: Lumen, the Latin word for "light."

For Serenita, Lumen became more than a title. It became a symbol of a quiet light that appeared during one of the most uncertain chapters of her life. After years of searching, struggling, and questioning her path, Lumen became the light that guided her back home to herself after all the chaos.