Pema Namdol Thaye
“Pema Namdol Thaye is a renaissance man, such as Michelangelo or Leonardo Da Vinci, being able to not only master the brush, but also mastering all other forms of artistry, such as, sculpturing in wood, clay and wax, as well as architectural construction.”
– John Listopad PhD, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, 2000.
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Background
“Tibet’s vast artistic heritage testifies to the importance
given to the arts in the Tibetan way of life. An essential and living
expression of a people’s culture, the visual arts also serve to convey
Tibetan values to the rest of humanity.These values are based largely
on the nonviolent teachings of Buddhism.”
- H.H. The Dalai Lama
Pema Namdol
My full name is Tsarak Pema Namdol Thaye but I’m mostly known as Pema Namdol. I’m an artist with my primary subject being Tibetan and Bhutanese art, or as it is now more popularly known, Iconography. I paint traditional thangkas (scrolls) and frescoes, sculpt, carve, and architecturally design and construct three-dimensional mandalas (the celestial palaces of the deities). I am also currently working upon a series of new watercolours based on motifs, symbols and mythical creatures of the Himalayas. I’m very excited about this series and hope to exhibit them in the near future. I previewed two of them at my January exhibition at the Pacific Asia Museum, Pasadena and received a lot of positive feedback about them.
Mahasiddha Jalandhripa
But first, let me explain a little about my major subject – Tibetan and Bhutanese Buddhist iconography, as mentioned above, is a traditional art form depicting the representational Deities of Himalayan Buddhism and plays an essential role in the lives of the majority of people observing this doctrine (not religion). Evolving over more than one thousand years to reach its current stylistic and artistic level of creativity, it is now becoming increasingly popular in the western world as more westerners explore the beauty and wisdom of Himalayan Buddhism and art.
These icons are profoundly symbolic: they are effective aids to the practice of meditation and the recitation of each deity’s personal seed syllables (mantras); are an expression of the essence of various aspects of the Buddha nature, or pure self, within each of us, and serve the purpose of enlightening our human potential by awakening the human spirit to the utmost level of consciousness through techniques such as meditation and visualization.
Manjushri
So fundamental are they that simply viewing these images can relate directly to the subconscious, bypassing dualistic preconceptions of the conscious mind and inducing positive effects. Therefore, to be in possession of an external expression of enlightenment in artistic form – something perceivable by the mundane sense of sight, something which can be studied and identified with – enables us to establish a connection with an internal attribute that is usually inconceivable to the unaware mind.
Yet, as Tibetan Buddhism circulates around the globe the icon often takes on a variety of different guises – from objects of purely religious veneration to objects of display as exotic curiosities, to impress our new-age friends, as peace-inducing garden ornaments or as an economic enterprise.
Although all of the above are quite valid views and uses of icons and not at all a bad thing, for the creator of these objects, however, the concept and experience of the icon goes considerably beyond these views, beyond the decorative, beyond economics… beyond even general philosophical notions. The icon has far greater significance, as well as far greater consequences for the artist, especially because of their role in spiritual development. Therefore, it is my belief that the iconic artist occupies an unusual position in the artistic world, and also with the icons, or deities they depict in any medium.
So come, take a look and enjoy the experience. I hope that a greater understanding of this art form can be gained through my work and this website.