The Studio has provided the perfect venue for Mark’s reflective writing. Mark’s first book, Crazy Little Heaven, an Indonesian journey, was released in September 2013 by Melbourne publishing house, Transit Lounge. A second edition was published in Indonesia, in English and in Bahasa Indonesia, in 2018 by Kompas Books. The book is available for purchase at the Studio or https://transitlounge.com.au/shop/crazy-little-heaven-an-indonesian
When Mark first went to Indonesia, to teach at a small school in East Kalimantan, little did he realize how life changing his decision would prove to be. Within three years, Mark’s Australian life would be behind him and he would be traveling, with fellow adventurers, across remote Indonesian Borneo. The story of that remarkable expedition − a true travel adventure –coalesces with the author’s longer journey into the complex heart of Indonesia.
It is a journey that spans two decades, that takes the reader from a treasured childhood in Tasmania to a new life in the world’s most populous Muslim nation.
Along the way, the author travels from one end of the archipelago to the other, from the jungles of Kalimantan to the riots and political turmoil of Jakarta. When he meets and falls in love with Sopan, he must make another life changing decision.
Evocative and beautiful, yet often questioning, and always revealing, Crazy Little Heaven is both a love story and an unforgettable journey into Indonesian culture and geography − a hymn to this ’sweet disappearing world’.
The book was launched in Jakarta by the Australian Ambassador, in Lombok by writer, Derek Pugh, and in Australia by Tim Bowden, well-known author and broadcaster, who called it “…the best book on Indonesia I have ever read.”
The book has been reviewed in major Australian newspapers: The Age, The Weekend Australian, The Sydney Morning Herald, and The Hobart Mercury – and in The Jakarta Post, The Jakarta Expat, The Jakarta Globe, the Bali Advertiser, the Lombok Guide and Tempo.
In 2015, Mark collaborated with Bali-based artist, Khan Wilson, and photographer, David Metcalf to produce a lush coffee table book, called Looking for Borneo.
Bill Dalton, acclaimed writer and travel guru, describes Looking for Borneo as “a celebration of the island of Borneo, its environment and its people. At the same time, it is a call to action, a plea to save this special place from the ravages of development. A collection of writings, drawings, photographs and music, inspired by Kalimantan and Mark Heyward’s acclaimed book, Crazy Little Heaven, an Indonesian Journey, this new volume is a unique artistic collaboration and a fine contribution to the body of Indonesian travel literature. Khan Wilson’s quirky and memorable artworks complement the narrative in the same way that a fiery sambal complements a dish of fried rice, adding a splash of colour, a little spice and a sense of fun.
Like a canoe on the river, David Metcalf’s lucid images capture the colour and vibrancy of Dayak cultures, the quiet magic of the forest and a fascination for the creatures that dwell there. As if that were not enough, Heyward’s original songs, ballads of life and love in Indonesia, are brought to life by Kalimantan-born Qisie, and a group of talented Indonesian musicians from Lombok and Bandung. The style, best described as ‘kampung folk-rock’, reveals another Indonesia – and more of Heyward’s very personal vision of this unique part of the world.”
You can read about Looking for Borneo, and its author, here https://indonesiaexpat.biz/meet-the-expats/looking-for-borneo-meet-mark-heyward/
Mark is now working on a new book, called The Glass Islands. In the tradition of Under a Tuscan Sun and A year in Provence, the new book takes the story of year in Lombok as the framework for a story of Lombok history, cultures and environment.
A place where music and culture is entwined in a celebration of life and the freedom to roam.
Over the years, the occasional Music on the Hill, Sunday Sessions’ at the Studio have become popular with the local Indonesian and expatriate communities, providing an opportunity for musicians, performance artists, poets and dancers to perform to an attentive audience in a relaxed and unique setting.
‘The Studio was to be a one-off, a family home and a guesthouse that expresses everything we value and believe in. A home that belongs. It is an expression of who we are, a work of art, a work of the heart. It is a space for living and for loving…’
Mark
Our team is on hand to offer assistance and answer any questions.
Our team is on hand to offer assistance and answer any questions.
The Studio Lombok
Jalan Lembah, no.12.
Bukit Batu Layar
West Lombok, Indonesia, 83355