The Karmapas entered my life in 1969, when the 16th Karmapa Rigpa Dorje visited and taught dharma outside Katmandu. Coincidentally, I had just finished my first painting, the Maha Siddhi (Great Yoga) Naropa, a founder of the Kagyu lineage. I presented it to His Holiness, Gyalwa Karmapa. I can remember his roaring with laughter, pulling on my beard and saying I was Naropa and gave me a huge blessings. I saw he had a great sense of humor as well as endless wisdom, took refuge and became one of his first Western disciples. Over the years, I met him many times, the last being in late 1976 on Maui which he visited for several weeks with eleven of his lamas. At this time He consecrated the 1st stupa in N. America
I had returned from Nepal where I had been doing only commissioned work. Traditionally, a patron gained merit by commissioning a Buddhist image. Seeing this tradition did not exist in the West, His Holiness, a bird lover, encouraged me to do bird and flower painting. So here I am today, a bird lover, doing paintings of birds. My connection with the Karmapas grows deeper with the 17th incarnation.
In 1974, Chogyam Trungpa Rimpoche invited me to teach thangka painting at Naropa Institute in Boulder, Colorado. At the request of Nechung Rimpoche and Lama Rinchen of Honolulu, I taught painting classes at centers in Hawaii until 1986. I took my first trip to Tibet in 1985 and continued to paint both thangkas and birds.
While working on an island in Thailand, I met Leslie Nguyen. Instantly, we became certain we had great things to do together. This first intuition has now clearly been validated. In an intensive workshop time, I imparted my painting knowledge to her. Our first joint project was a life-size Buddha (3' X 6'), mineral colors and gold on silk, presented to the King of Thailand in August 1992 in appreciation of our stay in his country. Buddha
On our way to Tibet, we were invited to create the first giant appliqué thangka for Tsurphu. 1st On completing this project in 1994, we were asked to do the second important image for Tsurphu, 2nd the protectors of Karmapa and his lineage, completed in 1997. Both of these previous works had been destroyed in the Cultural Revolution. No photographic records remained. We had to design them as well as raise funds, purchase and dye materials and oversee sewing and construction work.
A large part of our second project in Tibet included the birth of our son, Sonam Dorje.
1998 we started Temple Art Studio on the Island of Maui, Hawaii. Our climate changed from the Heights of Tibet to Hawaiian tropical jungle.
At the same time we needed two large copper orniments for replacing the window and top (Cho Khor Chusum) of the Huelo Stupa. His Holiness's Tsurphu metal craftsmen did that work and we returned early 2000 with the pieces. They are now in place. stupa
I have been editing the Giant Tsurphu Thangka Film. Movie
Temple Art Studio has produced artwork from thangkas, portraits, environmental, land and seascapes, and continues to do so..
I also began Thangka Classes on Maui and Phoenix Arizona.
The years 2004-06 has been eventful, with many trips to Asia a well as creating Temple Art Studios in Chiang Mai Thailand. June 2006 saw the sewing work beginning for the Tsurphu Drapje Project. We are presently in Thailand working on Tibet projects as well as our artwork.
The Tsurphu Drapje Project has began : June 2006
This is our 3rd project for Tsurphu, the Tsechu Drapje. 1.GuruThese are two applique banners used w/ the Giant Thangkas, but in the Temple for the ceremonys. The Norbu Drapchey 2.Mahakala Each pieces size is approx. 7 Mts x 40 Mts or 7 ft x 120 ft.
The Norbu Drapchey sewing has begun.
Donations are needed to pay for it.
Looking to complete this first part in time for this years lunar new year festival.
Tsurphu Drapje Project
