Threads of Awakening

Today’s post comes in response to a reader. (Thanks for the push! It was time to get writing again.) So you bought a thangka or had one commissioned while you were on pilgrimage in India, trekking in Nepal, or otherwise traveling the world. Maybe you’ve commissioned a thangka from me or from a Tibetan or [...]

Read Full Post »

Hi everyone! Did you notice the new box to your right? I’ve got an offer for you. Ever want to get a closer look at the layers of silk that make up a fabric thangka? Want to search for the stitches? Or just want to ooh and ahh? Starting next Monday, you’ll get a close-up [...]

Read Full Post »

It’s finally here! The first interview in my intercultural artist series! Today we meet Dutch thangka painter Carmen Mensink. An enthusiastic and dedicated painter, teacher, and Buddhist practitioner, Carmen was trained by Andy Weber, co-author and illustrator of Images of Enlightenment: Tibetan Art in Practice, one of the books I often refer to for inspiration. [...]

Read Full Post »

In May, I explained how to hang a thangka. In that post, I made a distinction between the heavy ties at the top of the frame, intended to support the weight of the thangka, and a thinner cord at the front intended to hold the silk drape. Now, if you’ve had your thangka hung on [...]

Read Full Post »

So many of you made such wonderful comments on my latest work, “Beauty,” when I posted it on Facebook and on this blog two weeks ago. I’m just putting the finishing touches on the borders now and will attach a sleeve at the back for hanging. Today, I wanted to give you some background on [...]

Read Full Post »

Last weekend, the Green Tara thangka featured in the documentary film Creating Buddhas: the Making and Meaning of Fabric Thangkas moved to her new home in Escondido. (Yes, I did write “her” new home. I usually refer to my thangkas as the deities they embody, so this one is Tara herself.) Michael Essex, also known [...]

Read Full Post »

Okay, enough inspiration for now, let’s get back to something practical… Actually, I’d have to say that inspiration is one of the most practical and profitable things there is… So, well, on to something more physically tangible and directly thangka-related. Improper handling also causes great damage to these objects. The thangka form was devised to [...]

Read Full Post »

It’s Not So Obvious: a lesson in the need for explanation I recently lent my Green Tara thangka to a dharma center to decorate their hall during a teaching. It was an honor seeing the thangka on the wall behind the lama as he shared his precious wisdom. And it filled me with joy to [...]

Read Full Post »

WFMU’s Beware of the Blog brought this to my attention: The Newark Museum is celebrating their 100th birthday (from yesterday through Sunday, April 26) with 100 straight hours of free admission and loads of activities. There’s a schedule on their website. To quote WFMU, The Newark Museum is a gem that sometimes gets lost in [...]

Read Full Post »

Our screening of Creating Buddhas at the Pacific Asia Museum in January accompanied an exhibition of thankas by master artist Pema Namdol Thaye.  I was struck by two things Pema said during his opening talk, and they’ve stayed with me over these past weeks. He described how he approaches painting a deity. First, he talked [...]

Read Full Post »