3rd Eye of Wisdom looking within

Why is it that even though I chose a happy smiling buddha as my subject, now that the project is ending, I have decided to explore death instead? I try to be light hearted but have a tendency to get serious too fast and too soon. I thought instead of listing another article about the Tibetan Book of the Dead and their system of "bardo" stages I would perform a little self-inquiry. How and why do I get so critical?

Although this is just an abstract for a much lengthier essay, this link describes the results of a study conducted with mental-ill patients. When these patients consented to think about death or have death thoughts, they were more willing to experience novelty and reaffirm their purpose in life.

Does this mean I lack purpose because I've turned a jovial buddha statue into a tormented death stricken neurotic soul seeker? Now I am making the Buddha trek through the Himalayas so that he can see the temples in Lhasa. On the way he will lose consciousness and face certain death. What happened to vine diving? That was fun. Why couldn't I stay there?

I don't think Western psychology will suffice. I will search for more explanations...

(Maybe this explains what I'm doing in art school.)

In the meantime, here is more information about my neurotic Buddha climbing up to Lhasa.

Wallpapers

Final Collage

Sahdi Woman

After:


Before:

Tibetan Mural

Before:


After:


You may find this mural here.

Bardos: A Merry-go-Round Post-Death Pre-Life Special Schmorgazborg

This site gives a concise description of the bardo thodol or states that are described in the Tibetan Book of the Dead and its title is by the same name. What first attracted me to this image are the wrathful deities that appear in these tankas. In fact, in the tanka above we see several grotesque and bizarre beings hovering around the central mandala form. Since I have been working with my simply elated Buddha for the beginning of the semester I think it would be prudent to spice things up and bring in some wrathful deities on Meanderings and Unsavory Conditions. I mean, whats so unsavory up until this point?

This site has a copyright that says:
Copyright © 2007 Near-Death Experiences & the Afterlife
Thank you "Near-Death Experience & the Afterlife" for the information and leading me to the site by "Roger," which is below!
Roger's site is titled Death, Dying and Rebirth.

This website answers some frequently asked questions about the Tibetan Book of the Dead. My favorite answer assures the reader that we do not have to go to work during a bardo state. Thats good. I don't want to work when I'm dead.

The history of the Tibetan Book of the Dead begins in the 14th century by a man named Guru Padmasambhava who wrote about the Bardo thodol. There are three main states of being after life. They are the initial death stage or bardo which is characterized with a luminescent white light. The second bardo is the supreme reality and features five colors that appear in the form of mandalas. The third bardo is characterized by a lesser brilliant light that corresponds to the six modes of existence. These bardos are opportunities to look inside ourselves to reveal ultimate truths about who we really are. If these lessons are not recognized one can, so to speak, fall behind in this progression towards being reborn.

So, let's just say that the lessons are not learned and the signs are not heeded. At this point, the spirit may continue to subvert growth by three days or eight days or as long as fourteen days. This is depicted in the unfolding of the mandala.

In sum, the monsters and very unpleasant looking beings that float around these tanks have not attained enough peace and enlightenment that enable them to return to life in human form. They are confused and lost and haunt the living world greedy and ignorant.

I would like to explore this realm and see where it takes me in my next Illustrator image.
The tanka image was found here.

Radiating Navel Buddha

We begin with the sketch...

Pen tool traces Buddha's every curve.

Buddha Armor: fits like a glove

This is the Crusades. Buddha is called on to march and fight as a soldier. His armor is unusually form fitting. He says he's having trouble breathing. He says he can deal with it, besides, he'll lose some weight during the walk won't he? Someone is shouting on about how antithetical a cause for Buddha to try and spread Christianity. Doesn't he have his own religion? Buddha huffs and puffs and says that he doesn't mind fighting for a just cause. Heck, Buddhism is doing just fine. Its on the up and up. And besides as soon as all the yuppies figure out about all the little prayer flags they can hang around their deck, it'll take off. If the suit of armor goes easy on his girth, Buddha just wants to have a little action in the meantime. So be it. Life doesn't make sense sometimes.

Altered Landscape: Pololu Valley

My cut-out and torn construction paper Buddha sitting peacefully on a lotus leaf in front of a blistering hot sunshine-e day.

Samsara represents the endless cycle of birth, death and rebirth that runs in accordance with one's karma. Here I have depicted Buddha's state of mind keeping that awareness in plain sight. This logo, with more tweaking, might suffice for a meditation studio. The font was also to show how samsara is a system that bleeds into itself.





Buddha snorkeling could is a silly concept but for a snorkeling company, one could imagine that snorkeling is just that peaceful that one, while in the act, achieves enlightenment. The idea of the commando buddha in camouflage is a different idea. This font is like commando Buddha was in the forest hiding behind the trees then all of a sudden- he's here!




Sushi should be Buddha's favorite food, at least the more recent Buddha and not the one that originally came from India. Then I would be making Samosa Buddha, which I guess has a better ring. Anyway, my Buddha character looks like he's been gorging on some white rice and creamy dynamite sauce. The logo vaguely resembles my subject in the other blog posts. I wanted to exagerate his propensity for eating and that he is perfectly jolly fellow for it. The sushi font is made to look like it could sit on top of the table. The pastel colored spray-like appendages are used to echo the cartoon-like sushi that I unlocked and played around with in the logo. I'm not completely satisfied with the merge of my Buddha and the ultra cleanliness of the sushi drawings but I guess more manipulation on the unlocked sushi would have got me closer to a more cohesive drawing.





I love pancakes and I especially love pumpkin pancakes which is all I want to eat right now. This was my first attempt at playing off of Buddha's paunch and how he might have attained such a silohuette. Maybe ihop could use it.

Buddha meets my Childhood Heroes

I opened up to Buddha today. I let him in.

We thought it would be advantageous that he meet some of my mentors from the past. As I have lost touch with most of them I asked him if he wanted to meet my heroes instead. He agreed. In my mind's eye I asked them to meet in the Grand Canyon of my heart. Then Buddha went to meet them.

This is what he said, "Here they are. Everyone you wanted to be and thought you already were. Wonder Woman is an obvious choice. Athena, Greek Goddess of War- what battles were you having? Hmmm. Hunter S. Thompson is an unusual hero. Or was it that you found amusement in his books? Were you a practicing voyeur or did you accumulate empirical data? Never mind. It isn't for me to know. Just yet... Now, Gandhi is so cliche, I'm surprised. Its like choosing the Buddha to go on a walkabout or something--- which, oh, I guess you tried that too. Now who's that in the corner on Athena's shoulder? Is that Nina Simone? This must have been when you were a little older then? Like 14? Or 15? Yes, she was a spirited one. I'm glad she's in there too. Its good to keep your feet on the ground. Its important to have realistic heroes and dreams. They are the ones most likely to actually come into being."


Note about the authors of these images: The picture of Wonder Woman is courtesy of Mike's Wonder Woman Home Page, which "has sadly now gone." Thank you anyway Mike. Your intention is clearly remembered. For the fabulous shot of Nina Simone playing piano, caught with her hands in mid-flight! His name is Roland Godefroy and he took this on May 14, 1982. There is a great article that accompanies Gandhi's picture that is riveting to read tangentially. Otherwise, no other authors are accounted for.

Buddha invades the Kmart parking lot

Panel one is the original image depicting Buddha and friends as pranksters in the Kmart parking lot. Since the original Buddha is a sort of crimson color, I made them its complimentary hue-green in Panel two, while the background is a hot magenta (still in the color family of red). For Panel three, I used a deep blue that recedes into the back with less and less hue. Once this was finished I realized that I should have made the last two Buddha's bigger because they're hard to see and realize that they actually have less color and more gray. The other problem that I didn't foresee has to do with the Buddhas and the sequencing of their layers. The second closest Buddha to the front of the image is turned around with his back turned towards us. I copied it from another photo AND it was naturally darker than the others that were faced front. I know now to first: change the colors of all subjects to the same color if the end goal is to alter them in a sequential order. It would also help that they were closer in size as they recede into the background. The last panel had only one stipulation for me and that was the Buddha had to be golden. His color is a play on the stereotype of golden objects and Buddha's relationship to spirituality. Everything golden evokes a kind of richness or wealth. The Buddha represents a sort of piety or acceptance of whatever is present. A golden Buddha might mean that you've got it all, wealth and peace... but doesn't wealth give one peace of mind?

Paved Paradise Playground

Buddha consults with other Elders from a tropical land

Billowing Buddhas in the Parking Lot Garden

Buddha goes Vine Diving

Laughing Buddha-Budai-Hotei

Fat Buddha, as he is known in the US, is usually depicted with a large belly carrying a sack. In this sack are his few possessions and he is content this way, even prosperous. Well mannered and loving, Budai is a man of good fortune and happiness.

My Budai was given to me from my sister and I can't help but smile every time I see him. I think he was carrying something at in his left hand at some point because there is an empty hole now. I want to pour a drink in it sometimes. He looks like he would drink a beer. Maybe I will someday if he behaves.

Budai is my companion around these parts. He compliments my feelings of being a foreigner by giving me purpose. We explore the staleness of the suburb together.

The Buddha's Journey through Devon, Pennsylvania

September 9, 2009

While running a simple errand to Acme, the Buddha is distracted by the many wonders present in the neighborhood. He...


ponders parking


says "Yes!" to mail


finds himself oddly tempted by the dollar bins


envelopes himself in a grove of wild flowers


whispers a prayer


imagines lunch alone


wishes he had friends to play horse shoes with


giggles at the sight of recklessness abandoned


knows where to get his oil changed


and fondly remembers the bamboo forest from whence he came

The wind blew today and I almost followed it

The first week back to school is always a process of playing hide and seek. Not literally or intentionally, but the thought is always there, "where is that person? I wonder how she's (and sometimes how he's) doing?" This time around I've noticed many of the usual suspects are gone. High-profile positions like these never get the respect they deserve. I wonder what the reason is for such a high turnover? Are we that bad and such a nuisance? Hard times make those on the edge, move. Fast.

I just hope that I don't tumble over accidentally this year. Stumble into the abyss by way of some case of anxious senioritis, a bad flu and the wrong hair color. I need to watch where I'm going and keep on track. Don't want to wander into some Marco Polo zone at the right time with the wrong people. Need to watch myself and stay focused.