Weekly Quick Collage: Kwan Yin

Kwan Yin

collage, 6 x 5 inches

The goddess Kwan Yin, also known as Guanyin, Kwannon, and many other similar names, is ubiquitous among Asian religions. According to Wikipedia:

"Guanyin is an East Asian deity of mercy, and a Bodhisattva (an elightened being who vows to reincarnate until all beings are enlightened) associated with compassion as venerated by Mahayana Buddhists. The name Guanyin is short for Guanshiyin, which means "Perceiving the Sounds (or Cries) of the World". She is also sometimes referred to as Guanyin Bodhisattva^. ....

...It is generally accepted among East Asian adherents that Guanyin originated as the Sanskrit Avolokitesvara. Commonly known in English as the Mercy Goddess or Goddess of Mercy, Guanyin is also revered by Taoists as an immortal. In Chinese folk religion there are mythical accounts about Guanyin's origins that are not associated with the Avalokiteśvara described in Buddhist sutras."



As an aside, I'm honored to say that my artwork has been published in Alisa Golden's lovely literary magazine, *82 review, issue 3.2. Check it out here. Many thanks to Alisa for the honor.

In Tara's Garden

In Tara's Garden

9.5 x 15.75 inches

ingredients: vintage book cover, image transfers, acrylic ink, Derwent watercolor pencils, cut-outs, metallic pens, Pitt artist pens, monotype, woodblock prints, found objects, brads

Tara is known primarily as the Tibetan Buddhist bodhisattva (enlightened being) of compassion and action.  According to Wikipedia, "Tārā came to be seen as an expression of the compassion of perfected wisdom... Tārā is also known as a saviouress, as a heavenly deity who hears the cries of beings experiencing misery in sansara (the cycle of suffering, death, and re-birth)."

Tara is one of the earliest known dieties; her origins are not entirely clear, but some scholars believe she may come from pre-Buddhist animist religions in Tibet. She has many different forms or aspects, of which Green Tara is one of the most popular. Green Tara (Khadiravani) is usually associated with protection from fear.

According to wildmind Buddhist meditation, "Green Tara is a forest goddess, and in one story is shown as being clad in leaves. Her Pure Land, in distinction to others that are composed of precious gems, is said to be lush and verdant:

Covered with manifold trees and creepers, resounding with the sound of many birds,
And with murmur of waterfalls, thronged with wild beasts of many kinds;
Many species of flowers grow everywhere.

She is therefore a female form of the "Green Man" figure who is found carved in many European churches and cathedrals, and who is found in the Islamic traditions as the figure Al-Khidr."

Belated Imbolc (She Sleeps...)

She sleeps, perchance to dream of Persephone's return...

I missed celebrating Candlemas (Imbolc) on February 2, but feel I should acknowledge it now. For those not familiar, I'm including an explanation from Barbara Walker's The Woman's Encyclopedia of Myths and Secrets:

"Candlemas was properly considered sacred to women and to the Goddess of Love. Among Celtic pagans it was the Feast of Imbolg, which stood opposite the great festival of Lammas in the old sacred year. Omens were taken on Candlemas Day for the new growing season, especially the weather." This is the origin of Groundhog Day.
Walker also writes, "St. Brigit's (a canonization of the old Celtic goddess Brigid) Feast day was the first of February according to the pagan calendar. It was called Oimelc, Imolg, or Imbulc, the day of union between god and goddess."

Symbolically, this fertilization is considered to coincide with, or represent, the germination of the seed, both literally and figuratively, as well the anticipation of new growth. So come on, people, plant your seeds and germinate some new ideas!

Red Tara(s)

My friend Mish saw the gold and green Taras and asked if I could make her red, or black, or white. Those are her other colors, you see, in some of her 21 aspects. So, I started thinking, Hmmmmm.... I guess I took it as a challenge, to see if I, as a Photoshop beginner, so to speak, could figure out how to manifest these color changes. Here are some of my attempts at Red Tara. It's a lot harder than it seems like it would be- you can't just push the color bar over to red (darn!). Can I do black or white? We'll see...

Two Taras

Gold Tara
Green Tara
Tara is the primary goddess-form in Tibetan Buddhism, and is considered to be the embodiment of compassion. She is the ancient nature goddess, coming from the indigenous animist religion of pre-Buddhist Tibet, called Bon. She manifests in 21 different aspects, from gentle mother to fierce destroyer of evil, pain, and suffering. Here are a few verses of the traditional Tibetan prayer, "Praises to the 21 Taras":

Homage to Tara swift and fearless
With eyes like a flash of lightning
Lotus-born in an ocean of tears
Of Chenresig, three worlds' protector.

Homage to you whose face is like
One hundred autumn moons gathered
And blazes with the dazzling light
Of a thousand constellations.

Homage to you born from a gold-blue lotus
Hands adorned with lotus flowers
Essence of giving, effort and ethics,
Patience, concentration and wisdom.

Homage to you who crown all Buddhas
Whose action subdues without limit
Attained to every perfection
On you the bodhisattvas rely.

OM TA-RE TU-TA-RE TU-RE SO-HA (Tara's Mantra)

Tree Cathedral 4

Where does the Divine reside? Do we keep our idea of God inside the confines of a box, a building, a church? Where does God begin, or end? Is spirit within us, around us, within every thing? Which is more holy, a tree, or a building? Which inspires you more, on a spiritual level? Have we constructed our God the same way we construct a building?
I can't answer these questions for you; each of us must answer them for ourselves. For myself, though, I choose to think outside the box.

Slideshow: Angels and Spirits

My daughter made this slideshow for me of some of my pieces which have related themes or images. My son added the music, and- VOILA! Hey, don't laugh; I uploaded it all by myself! Thanks, Caitlin and Colin; you are awesome.

Seed Mandala 30 (Dancing Earth Goddess)

I haven't posted much on here lately because I wasn't feeling well. So, to sort of make up for the gap I'm posting two paintings today. This one has been through many transformations and permutations, and finally ended up a dancing Earth goddess. Believe it or not, most of these mandala pieces end up in the garbage. Abstract art is a lot harder than I ever thought it would be. Blessed be!