One of my more
recent Tantric paintings, this lovely and peaceful mandala has
emerged in a manner quite different from any of my previous work. New
techniques include glazes, dimensional paint and an open style not
usually found in traditional Tibetan Buddhist art. More a thangka than a
geometric mandala, it is nonetheless square with four stylized "gates"
around the inner temple where the deities reside.
Mandala
painting, for me, is to enter a process whereby human talent and skill
are surrendered to the inherent wisdom of the mandala and what is to be
revealed on canvas. The task of the artist is to bring forth a perfect
universe (or microcosm) which can be entered in meditation and serve as
a doorway to one's own inner wisdom. It's not about real people or the
world we know so well.
The artistic
inspiration for "Buddha's Dream" comes from a Japanese sliding screen at
the head of my bed and a small bronze statue of Vajrasattva and his
consort Vajratopa that sits on my night table. They represent the Buddha
as cosmic consciousness prior to division and manifestation in the
physical world and are also a powerful image for purifying mind and body.
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