Buddha Gallery — Lotus Family

Welcome to my virtual Buddha Gallery. It's great to be able to offer a wider audience a glimpse of my explorations.

One of the drawbacks of this virtual medium is that it is only a glimpse of the work. It is only possible to hint at two important aspects: scale and surface.

Padmasambhava, shown below, comes from a series of miniatures. It is a precious jewel-like object. Iridescent acrylic paint, containing tiny particles of mica, gives the work a rainbow quality. The colour changes with viewpoint and shifts in light. Fine brushes were painstakingly used for the detail on the figure which measures just over 10cm (4 inches) from head to toe.

In contrast, the painting of the Bodhisattva and Lotus, from which the detail of the Bodhisattva's face comes is a large oil painting, (122cm x 112cm) and exploits the particular qualities of the medium. Part of the effect of the whole painting, when standing in its presence, comes from the size of the piece. The viewer becomes immersed in a warm red colour field. Oil paint is a sensual medium. The full richness of colour and surface is missing from the computer screen.

The choice of size and medium affects the outcome. During the physical, tactile process of making, forms emerge organically. There is an interplay between the subject and the elements of scale, surface and texture. I hope this virtual glimpse gives you some points of connection with the hand and mind of the artist at work.