I always looked forward to the hours when I could work on my White Tara painting. It felt like White Tara wanted to be created. Carmen with her expertise and patience cheered me on past the various problems I encountered. Her advice was clear and “right on”. I can say this humbly and confidently as a retired high school art teacher.
Once again I offer gratitude to Carmen for creating beautiful, thorough online programs.
I wish you all well!

Thank you very much for the wealth of information. The presentation was exceptionally clear and covered all the essential iconographic aspects of the White Tara.

So far I have only worked on the face, experimenting with different mixed techniques. I plan to finish the full drawing of Tara during the winter and bring it to Florence for the painting session.

I am really excited about this trip and looking forward to it.

Inspiring, the combination of all the elements. Still working on it sometimes.

Yet another beautiful course by Carmen❤️. Good challage and a chance to further develop my Thangka drawing skills. Also loved all the lectures about White Tara. Only wish I was finished on time this time around- still need to finish the background, which will be the Manosarovar Lake, as seen from the end of the Mount Kailash ( Above) Kora (trek).

Looking forward to more courses 🙏🙏🙏

This is the second photo I have sent but this one has me in it as well as my White Tara. As I wrote before, I love this image and the story and mantra of White Tara very much. The coloring was the hardest for me but I like the brightness of her. I do struggle with color although I have taken the color theory class from Carmen. I can’t wait to see what Carmen offers next to challenge and inspire me in my practice.

It was a beautiful course, learned a lot. Thank you for the lectures and meditations. I had beautiful drawing and color/painting weeks.
I made two White Tara’s. This one painting , will send the orther one, pencil color and bigger , is not finished yet.
I will go on practicing and hope to to follow sone a life course again

The more I learned about White Tara the more I loved her. This was by far the most complicated course I have taken from Carmen but the instructions and feedback are always so helpful. I see now that she is done I do need to fix the top sky to widen it to match the bottom. My paper was 30″ x 23″ so while working on one end I seemed to ignore the the other end. I used watercolor, pens and watercolor pencils plus a gold pen.
I found so much joy in drawing Tara, thank you, Carmen.

What a wonderful dreamlike journey was this course, accompanied by this mantra. Many thanks to our great teacher Carmen. Her profound knowledge is amazing and without her steadfast guidance and endless patience with which she answered all my questions, I had never come to this result. Carmen has such an inspiring and positive energy around her, and with this she welcomed all insecurities and guided me calm and encouaging to the drawing that lies now in front of me: the wonderful female Buddha: my White Tara!
Carmen, thank you so much!! This Tara was an enormous effort, sometimes I thought, it might be too much – but now I feel such a joy … INFINITE JOY, that you helped me to hold through! 🙏

Excellent course, as always. Carmen routinely goes beyond what is expected for these courses I will continue using the wonderful lessons she provided and will be doing more Taras over summer for other projects. This course has been a strong artistic experience and has provided me with a sublime spiritual link to The White Tara!

I liked the engagement over the few weeks, just knowing that the work was in progress created some sort of connection. Now that the course is over, I don’t want to lose the connection I made. I tried the sleep methods using the mantra … interesting, effective! I’m never disappointed in these classes as my expectation of being exposed to a little bit of the magic of the Buddhas is always met. Working with Tara brought out such love in myself and I wallowed in it all and made it big wherever I was and whenever I could.

I am happy that Lama Yeshe’s name came up in conversation as I have his book, The Bliss of Inner Fire. Now I will read this (in the past, I picked at areas of it).

I loved the course! I really enjoyed learning more about White Tara and the Buddhist practice as well as the meditations. I was surprised that I was able to complete the project so easily as it looked really challenging when the grids arrived in the post and I wondered if I could do it. .

Thank you for the course! I enjoyed a lot!

This is my sixth course I’ve taken with Carmen and, as always, I loved it! It was wonderful drawing a female buddha for a change, and the experience was special because White Tara is so beautiful and kind. I’m carefully choosing the colors I want to use for White Tara, which is why I’ve submitted a pencil drawing at this point – I don’t want to rush it. Thank you once again Carmen, for a spirital, enjoyable, learning experience! Can’t wait. until the next class! xoxoxo

I loved learning the white Tara Mantra. Doing the meditation and reciting the Mantra helped my concentration which has been increasing with each course. Though I found the instruction clear and helpful, there is a lot to pay attention to!
Thank you Carmen for offering the opportunity for this great practice!

Hello Carmen,

Here is my white Tara, I really enjoyed the course. It was inspiring, meaningful and important for me was the depth in the course; the combination of practicing with meditating and singing the mantra, knowing the meaning behind the mantra and making connection with Tara combined with creating and drawing. Again I am so grateful, thank you so much.

I did two online courses before and now went for eight days to the retreat at the Maitreya’ Institute with Carmen. What a well organized retreat, with meditations in the Gompa, Tight scheduled drawing and eating times great walks in the surroundings surrounded by friendly people and drawing coloring and painting instructions and lectures about Buddhism and Thangka by Carmen. Her warmth and enthusiasm are creating an atmosphere in which it is great to concentrate to practice whole day Shamatha, and to focus on thangka drawing, whilst the retreat planning keeps you on target. I would advise this retreat to anybody wanting to combine Thangka drawing, meditative action and retreat.

Will be lining and colouring later

This course was a challenge, all about passion, love, doubt, joy, creation, learning, acceptance, meditation and deep immersion into Tara’s philosophy and meaning behind each detail on the Thangka. Carmen inspired me to believe in myself, trust my abilities and led me through the course step-by-step, from the first grid lines to the final shading strokes. I consider the White Tara drawing course as a meditative retreat.
I am very grateful to Carmen for the realization of my dream, to draw the White Tara, the female Buddha. Om Tare 🙏🏻

Hi Carmen, it was so enjoyable ánd valuable for my Buddhist and drawing practice to follow a course with you again after nine years! I have experienced the course as an in-depth retreat. Your carefully designed teaching material, together with your constructive feedback, the mantras and beautiful meditation on White Tara makes this drawing a real Sadhana. Thank you so much that you offer this to the world!

This course is so interesting for a beginner as me. My experience: just relax, visualise, draw, meditate… and follow the instruction of the teacher. Any problem, ask the teacher. With her skill and compassion, you can get the final smoothly.

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.

White Tara and the Colouring Technique course combo was my second and third course with Carmen but they definitely won’t be my last. As a hopeless painter I am amazed at what I have been able to achieve with Carmen’s help and only using coloured pencils. Thank you Carmen.

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!

Hi Carmen 🌷
I will have to retake the course of the Coloring Techniques.
I only went through almost every module but didn’t really practice. I love it thought very much! So well explained …
Next time I will probabile focus only on that …
I will take with me what I have learned and keep on practicing.
I feel truly delighted by the experience of the White Tara drawing.
I am sending you where I am at so far. I love very much that you never put any pressure on us for finishing the paintings, rather encourage to take your time and refine your skills. That is the true painting of an artist ! Life goes with it, feelings, sensations,
perceptions …. ah this!
All is in movement, all is interconnected…
may your be happy
may you be well
may you be safe
Namaste Cara tanto amore 💗🙏🏻e tante grazie ☺️ da Mara

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.

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!

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 ✨💖✨

I started the courses of Carmen completely blank and did not know what to expect. I liked all courses and it exceeded all my expectations. All material is very clearly set up and is also very extensive.
Without any experience in drawing thangkas I was able to make a beautiful drawing thanks to all the instructions and tools provided in the course. I have been drawing and coloring mandalas for years, but this was a whole new and pleasant way of drawing.

I loved getting to know White Tara so intimately. The program was outstanding. Carmen has done a fabulous job putting this together in such a clear format.
An artist with any formal education I do not have and very much enjoyed learning from Carmen her vast knowledge of both art history and Buddhism.
Carmen has always been so encouraging and inspiration because I thought I’d never get this far.
I still have much to color and hope to have it done soon.
Thank You!

I absolutely loved drawing White Tara. Had some but not much experience in drawing and am amazed how she manifested on paper 😉

I very much enjoyed Carmens guidance, the step by step approach and her love for Thangka’s and their history and meaning. Especially the iconography, so well listed and clearly explained. It was a joyful time for me and for everyone in my house. Thank you Carmen!!!

The courses Carmen has created for her students are Amazing.
I had no drawing experience and yet I was able to see wonderful Buddhas arise with the aid of Thangka history, Buddhist teachings, mantras. and a wonderful instructor who makes it all so accessible.
The meditative drawing experience for me is one of peaceful, single pointed focus and development of patience that I never thought I could achieve.
Buddhas arising from paper and pencil… what a Joy!

May All Benefit

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.

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

Dear Carmen and student’s,

The course was a wonderfull experience for me. It gave me a lot of inspiration and energy. From day one I was surprised by that energy that befell me.
I have been drawing different buddha’s before, but with White Tara there was a connection, I never had experienced before. Her mantra keeps coming in to my mind. Last night even, I dreamt that the buddha Amithabha, her companion above her in the drawing, presented to me the bowl he is holding in his hands. Now I probably have to figure out what it means for me 🙂
He is the buddha of meditation and maybe he says to me to take more time to meditate. I find this the most difficult exercise. It seems never to be the right moment to sit and meditate :).
I’ve enjoyed every aspect of this course including the lectures. I was very happy that I could go back each time to the information. It gave me a lot more time to take it all in, as English is not my native language.
I have dedicated the drawing to my oldest sister who is going through a difficult period after an open heart surgery on the 8th of October.
Hope to follow more of your courses in the future.
Thank you Carmen for your warm energy.

Love Gé

What a pity the course has ended… It has become a part of my daily life. Often during the day I heard Carmen chant the mantra of Tara in my ears, inviting me to join. It helped me through stressy moments, or to fall in sleep.
I enjoyed the drawing very much. Luckily I can go on with coloring my Tara drawing.

Thank you Carmen for another amazing drawing and colouring course, so skilfully presented.
I loved drawing this White Tara: I feel that I have a very complete understanding of what I am drawing.
I have lots to learn but confident that I can improve my drawing and develop some skill with colouring techniques if I follow your Colouring Techniques course. Big, big thanks for making this last course available to your students for an extended time.

I’m looking forward to colouring my White Tara – and to your next course.

This is my third online course from Carmen Mensink. I really enjoy taking these classes and learning about the history behind the iconometry. It’s so much more than just a drawing course.

I loved the course and in fact it far exceeded my expectations.
Having done the Buddha face and Medicine Buddha courses I was really looking forward to this. A request to return to work full time put a spanner in the works for my time planning but I eventually managed to dedicate a few days.

It was difficult if Im being honest. Im still getting used to drawing and erasing the grid lines is quite a big deal. Especially with the face where I was happy with it at first but having to go over small details after erasing the face changed quite considerably. I’m glad I got it done in time though as trying to do this without the videos would be really tough and Im not sure how it might turn out.

The tutorial videos are so helpful and the background info and practices are excellent. I loved the little touches like getting a gift of bookmarks – they’re fabulous ! and learned just how valuable a mono zero eraser is !! Looking forward to finding time now to learn to colour. Thank you so much. Its been a fantastic course.

I thoroughly enjoyed all aspects of the course, teachings were very well thought out, meditation retreat, mantra, meanings, teaching of white tara, history, drawing details, color, great course materials…. all so wonderful… I’m a seasoned artist, however art I feel is more of an infinite never ending learning journey…. So grateful for this wonderful class. 🙏🏻💖

I really enjoy the courses of Carmen. Can’t describe how peaceful and fulfilling it is, you have to experience it yourself!

“I had the extreme pleasure of taking three classes with Carmen Mensink this spring in NYC. I am the veteran of many fine art classes over the years, but this is the first time that I have felt compelled to write a testimonial about one. From the minute I met her, I knew Carmen was a woman from whom I could learn something truly special and different, which is not something I say lightly. I am not easily impressed. 🙂 After taking her amulet making class, I was sufficiently curious to see what else she had on offer, and after just one lecture, I could tell that my ability to learn from her was virtually unlimited.

Carmen’s classes are so much more than “just” an art class. Her knowledge, love and reverence for the highly-symbolic, traditional Tibetan devotional art called thangka is apparent in everything she does. Along with high-level, professional instruction in traditional drawing, painting and crafting methods, students learn about the history and cultural background of the deity they are depicting, including the mantras, prayers and attributes attributed to these religious figures. Rather than creating these images in a vacuum, our work is grounded in an understanding of their significance within Tibetan Buddhism. Carmen creates a spiritual space to work in that can only be described as magical. The meditative nature of art is a focus, as is the thought that creation be rooted in intention. The art produced in such an environment feels sacred.

The amount of effort, preparation, skill and planning involved in this approach to instruction is apparent, and it’s clear that teaching is an avocation for Carmen. It is done thoughtfully, with spirit, purpose and a sincerity that stands out.

No matter the level of skill and experience a student has, everyone is made to feel welcome and special, and is treated with complete respect. At the same time, Carmen is warm, friendly, unpretentious (despite having real bona fides as a recognized expert in her field) and intelligent, and has a sense of humor, so the class is relaxed and fun. Carmen has many students who have studied with her for years, and some have artwork that they only work on while she is visiting the city. It’s a testament to the value of Carmen’s presence and technical expertise that she has such a strong following.”

“I’m still carrying the good energy from the course. Thank you! Also still amazed at the steps that were layed out for me to receive that energy and be surrounded by all of you. I am truly blessed!”