Home > Testimonials > Inspiration Gallery White Tara Thangka Art Course > Edition 2020
Welcome to the White Tara Inspiration Gallery! Here displayed are the artworks that were created during the online White Tara Thangka Art Course Edition Sept/Oct, 2020 at the School for Tibetan Buddhist Art (check out the next edition!)
These female Buddhas of Longevity are made by people from all over the world, and both with and without any drawing experience. Not only express these images the enlightened Buddha mind, they also convey the beauty, love and dedication of the maker. 🙏🏼
Isn’t each and every one of them amazing?
Contemplating White Tara’s qualities and feeling her blessings!
I loved immersing myself in contemplating White Tara’s qualities and feeling her blessings! For me, it was a challenge – my current eye for symmetry an...

Contemplating White Tara’s qualities and feeling her blessings!
I loved immersing myself in contemplating White Tara’s qualities and feeling her blessings! For me, it was a challenge – my current eye for symmetry and spatial relationships isn’t well developed but I felt quite motivated to keep trying! Carmen is a font of information and an excellent teacher.
Sherry
Feels great upon completion
Immense gratitude to Carmen for the course, which gave structure to my process of thangka drawing. The lectures provided meaning, symbolism and Buddhi...

Feels great upon completion
Immense gratitude to Carmen for the course, which gave structure to my process of thangka drawing. The lectures provided meaning, symbolism and Buddhist philosophy concepts besides drawing with contemplation. Feels great upon completion.
(digital artwork drawn and coloured using Procreate; halos and backdrop are digitally altered images using copyright-free pictures)
Grace B. Yap-Kirk
I open my mind and heart to the act of drawing, meditating and mantra
I continue to learn on many levels each time I draw a Buddha. What I mean is that not only do I learn technique and skill through practice, but as I o...

I open my mind and heart to the act of drawing, meditating and mantra
I continue to learn on many levels each time I draw a Buddha. What I mean is that not only do I learn technique and skill through practice, but as I open my mind and heart to the act of drawing, meditating and mantra, I receive subtle teachings about myself – what to let go off and what to focus on – how to expand my horizons. It’s a beautiful practice to engage in! I feel such gratitude to Carmen Mensink and the School for Tibetan Buddhist Art for reviving this ancient practice in our modern era!
Ferne
I am so grateful for this wonderful online experience
Carmen, I am so grateful for this wonderful online experience you have created. I love the Buddhist meditations and information that deepens my commit...

I am so grateful for this wonderful online experience
Carmen, I am so grateful for this wonderful online experience you have created. I love the Buddhist meditations and information that deepens my commitment and understanding.
For me the combination of my love of art and Buddhist practice coming together in one class is so precious!!
Much appreciation for your generosity in sharing your passions so clearly with deep respect for the tradition.
Namaste,
Valeria
Valeria
I thought I would never be able to draw all the details
I thought I would never be able to draw all the details of White Tara but I found increasing confidence in my abilities as I put pencil to paper. Now ...

I thought I would never be able to draw all the details
I thought I would never be able to draw all the details of White Tara but I found increasing confidence in my abilities as I put pencil to paper. Now can’t wait to do the shading and coloring course! It was a pleasure to learn about the history of Tara and have an opportunity to do the meditations. Thanks Carmen! Look forward to many more!
Michel
Loving all the experience !
Loving all the experience ! Much more than I could imagine, still have some work to do, with flowers and landscape, so looking for coloring her and ap...

Loving all the experience !
Loving all the experience ! Much more than I could imagine, still have some work to do, with flowers and landscape, so looking for coloring her and apply all the amazing tips from the class!!! 🥰✨👩🏻🎨
La mejor de las experiencias, la energia de Tara Blanca es maravillosa, aun tengo tarea pendiente con el fondo sin embargo, esta siendo un maravilloso viaje ✨💖✨
Albel Sarmiento Cobo
The material is so well presented
Having taken other online Thangka courses from Carmen I knew that it would be a challenge this time to set aside enough quiet time to spend with White...

The material is so well presented
Having taken other online Thangka courses from Carmen I knew that it would be a challenge this time to set aside enough quiet time to spend with White Tara.
It was a challenge and yet I found the mantra and meditation practices really helped me stay calm during an otherwise stressful time.
I love how this course, and the others I’ve taken, are a pathway back to my neglected Buddhist practice through art.
The material is so well presented I value the whole package. Carmen’s voice has a calming effect.
I plan to use paint this time to finish my White Tara.
Peggy Sue McRae
Fear of starting is my enemy. Once started, it flows sometimes.
This was a bit of a leap for me in terms of drawing. So many details! Fear of starting is my enemy. Once started, it flows sometimes. I’ve found 20-25 ...

Fear of starting is my enemy. Once started, it flows sometimes.
This was a bit of a leap for me in terms of drawing. So many details! Fear of starting is my enemy. Once started, it flows sometimes. I’ve found 20-25 minutes on, then a 5-10 minute break before restarting to work best. Otherwise I get too focused in the details.
Speaking of her face – that was an entire day in itself! I wanted her to be look beautiful, not looking like a male buddha. The challenge was the angle – yes there was an angled grid, but 50x65cm is a large canvas so I didn’t rotate. Ex: her smile had to be higher on the right side than the left, given the angle, etc. The many many details was the leap for me – if I was able to do the coloring class maybe I would have fared better? I now understand I need to PRACTICE!
I LOVED the short mantra song you provided. Struggled with memorizing the longer chant (part brain, part foreign-ness), but the shorter one I could bring with me during the day. Singing hits a different part of brain than speaking – brings a felt sense of heart. I just turned 45 on the 30th and I think White Tara was ok w/ me spending the evening getting rid of my grays – in attempt to be a fraction as beautiful as she is. Now that I got the hang of these details, I’ll less afraid to move forward and finishing her.
OH, and I’ve been meaning to share… 🙂 Drawing the lotus petals from her cushion? I always get the sense I’m drawing a bunch of baby’s butts!
Drawing experience – might as well be ‘nil. Some residual drawing showed up from high school, but I haven’t drawn since. Vs the one student who cranks out a full-color thangka in 2 weeks or less. If I’m honest however, my fear of starting the scary new stuff is my ultimate hindrance.
Courtney
Almost like being with Carmen in person
After studying with Carmen in person on several occasions, I had little idea of what she was going to be able to do to offer her wonderful courses in ...

Almost like being with Carmen in person
After studying with Carmen in person on several occasions, I had little idea of what she was going to be able to do to offer her wonderful courses in Tibetan sacred art. This course on White Tara was so well designed and presented that it was almost like being with Carmen in person. As good as it gets in this year of pandemic.
Emelia
Initially was apprehensive about drawing such a figure with so many intricate details
Thank you Carmen for providing this amazing and enriching experience of drawing the White Tara. The course was both informative and detailed. Initiall...

Initially was apprehensive about drawing such a figure with so many intricate details
Thank you Carmen for providing this amazing and enriching experience of drawing the White Tara. The course was both informative and detailed. Initially was apprehensive about drawing such a figure with so many intricate details but the energy of Tara was such that I could complete the entire drawing with focus and calmness never experienced before. Loved every bit of if.