 |
| Temple Guardian Spread, Right page There are a lot of layers here and the last bit, the journaling, has still to be added. I collaged images of the Tara or Guanyin being protected by a temple guardian. The first layer of the page was a hand made stamp using Wood Icing on styrofoam to create the stamp. I painted over the stamped images with iridescent acrylic. I used my Big Shot to emboss sticky backed metal sheets (Ranger) with an embossing folder called "Pattern and Stitches Set" by Tim Holtz. I used the metal strips for a border all around my pages. I last added the mandala using a stencil from the book Stencil Me In, by Marthe Le Van. This book, which I found on sale, included 28 light-weight stencils! I used color box ink and a cheap pouncing tool, which is just a stick with a foam gumdrop shape attached that you can find at any art supply store along with the craft paints. I really like the subtle look of ink applied this way. Finally, on the edge I tried Faber Castell Gelatos , which I had never tried before. A pigment stick sort of creamy like lipstick. The fuchsia line on both pages was done with a Gelato stick, blended with my finger. Will try those again! I have found them in small sets of related colors at craft stores. I had not found the National Geographic images of the Chinese figures found in a cave when I prepared this page with all the right colors. Overall, my favorite thing about these pages is the range of colors. I remember once being in an American Hindu temple that had walls of this color. I was told, at the time, that this pinkish color is the color of the heart and supports meditation. I had good fun cutting out shapes from the fabric picture on the magazine pages to fit the upper corners. |
 |
| Temple Guardian Spread, Left Page I this page I collaged a fierce temple guardian protecting the Buddha statue. I used all the same techniques that I used on the right page. I added the words: "Protect your serenity. Protect what is sacred"
These pages are something about my need to set a new level of priority surrounding the importance of honoring
and protecting what is sacred to me. What IS sacred to me is my meditation and my art making. Lately I have been mostly focused on stressing about how to make a living as an adjunct college teacher and an artist. The adjunct work has been shrinking over the last few years but it really became alarming when I was only offered
one class for the January term. It has been ok in the past because I'm also working a bit for other schools and
I can make my finances work with three classes at my primary school and other art courses I can teach, art I
can sell and individual classes from other schools. Suddenly I am terribly under employed!
Part of me is saying, "do what you love and the money will follow" but another is listening to creditors and
realizing that I just need a JOB, any job. But how does one protect their sacred space when working in the market place? How do I get my just short of retirement age body to do what I need to do to work along side the young and vigorous workforce of today? I remember being one of those dynamos, working all hours and 2 or three jobs at a time. Be I am now in the place where I work for a while on my projects at home, or work in the classroom for several hours, and then go and take an hour nap. I suspect that my soon to be employer may not approve of my required naps, lol.
I also have a renter moving in, another teacher who is getting divorced, who just needs a couch to sleep on
while he is making a meaningful mosaic of his shattered life. He also identifies as a Buddhist but seems to be somewhat dismissive of much of the strange mixture of art/psychology and spirituality that comprises my world. So how do I protect my unique self from the onslaught of an extroverted masculine who is soon to arrive? How do I protect my sacred space? An adventure is soon to begin. I'll keep you informed. |
