This month I joined a masterclass with Cornelis le Mair, a contemporary master painter who paints according to the style of the old Dutch masters such as Willem Claeszoon Heda, Willem Kalf, and -of course- Rembrandt van Rijn.
Interview with Carmen Mensink about her thangka artwork and teachings, published in the Dutch Buddhist Newspaper called ‘Boeddhistisch Dagblad.
Meeting with the Venerable Tulku Lobsang, a master in the Buddhist Philosophy, whose teachings are based on the ancient Tantric knowledge that is the foundation for Tibetan Buddhism, Medicine, Astrology and other healing techniques.
If you’ve never visited Venice and you’re an art lover, I would strongly advice you to go there, as the city itself is a masterpiece!
I was asked to make some changes to the faces of 3 large Buddha statues, Atisha, Lama Tsong Khapa and Buddha Shakyamuni.
Exhibition on the Silk Road, which was not one road as one might think, but a collection of ancient trade routes that linked China to Central Asia on one side, and the Mediterranean and the Middle East to the other.
The Rubin Museum of Art in New York City -in my opinion the best museum in the world on Himalayan- celebrated its 10 year anniversary.
Annual thangka painting course in Northern Italy
Every year I offer Buddhist Art Classes for teenagers at the Rubin Museum of Art in New York. It’s so wonderful to be able to inspire these teenagers, coming from all backgrounds and religions, through the Buddhas they learn to draw.
Omega Institute, Rubin Museum of Art, E-Vam Institute, Shantideva Meditation Center & Tibet House
Tibetan monks creating a Sand Mandala, and the Thangka Exhibition by Carmen Mensink
First time thangka course in Coimbra, Portugal, a beautiful city between Lisbon and Porto that houses one of the oldest universities in Europe
Guided tour on Mahakala at the Buddhist Festival at the Museum of Ethnology
I traveled to Thailand to learn more about the beautiful and old Buddhist Lanna Art and to visit as many temples and museums as I could. I also connected with some Thai artists who work in this decorative Buddhist art style.
Annual thangka teachings in Singapore (in Jan, Feb or March). Evening workshops for the Asian Classics Institute and a thangka weekend retreat at the Buddhist Library.
Tibetan Thangka painting brochure translated in Mandarin Chinese by two of my students from Singapore
For many years I’ve been wanting to learn more about the traditional preparation of paints, and this month I was finally able to do so and take some time off.
Thargey-La, the thangka painter of my lineage has passed away at the age of 85
