A Universe in a Cedar Cone

 This August I spent a week on an arty retreat in the Herefordshire countryside with 30 Buddhists exploring William Blake and Buddhism.There was a cedar tree in the grounds and many cedar cones there for discovery. I was intrigued by the way the cone grew in a spiral with curling shape adding to curling shape.  It seemed to me as if these shapes had emerged from deep time and mirrored the unfolding of galaxies. I imagined the cones made of the dust of stars: star dust making patterns which held the deep structure of the universe. The cones held the memories of their mother tree in microcosm: holders of seeds of forms yet to appear, forms mirroring and repeating the ancient structures of life, connecting back to the primeval forests of the tree's ancestors. I marvelled at the memories of this ancient knowledge of how to unfold the essence of a cedar tree.  All in one, within, without, inside, outside. 

The first two images were painted on the retreat: a tiny watercolour and a piece made using local clay.

I took a cedar cone home and made some more paintings.

All taking inspiration from William Blake's "Auguries of Innocence"

To see a World in a grain of sand,

And a Heaven in a wild flower,

To hold Infinity in the palm of your had,

And Eternity in an hour.

Interior journeys through earth, water and air

 Watercolours inspired by reading Robert Macfarlane's Underland and Jules Verne's Journey to the Interior of the earth. I used granulating paints with earth pigments in the mix: black or red iron oxide which, for me, adds to the elemental earthy feel of the work. Crevasses, chasms, caves and elemental depths. And a moonsail boat to travel through air and water.

Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva of Compassion

 Recently completed canvas of the Bodhisattva of Compassion using a limited warm palette.

purple red vegetables

Two recent drawings from observation.(I like to keep up my drawing skills with little sketchbook exercises). The onions are watercolour. The red cabbage is marker pens.

From the archive: Simhamukha, the blue lion headed dakini

 Simhamukha is the esoteric dakini manifestation of Padmasambhava. She dances in space. She is dark blue and has the head of a lioness. Over the years I have painted her dancing. The first painting is a commission for a friend and was a collaboration with my friend first giving direction and later, once the painting came towards completion, making suggestions for tweaks and small changes.

The next painting is an oil painting which was an early attempt to depict the figure using a restricted palette of a dark red and a range of blues.

Next is a mixed media sketchbook study. I like the looseness of the mark making and the portrayal of the figure's energy. The materials used include wax crayon and ink wash and it is approximately A4 size.

And finally here is a tiny sketchbook study, around A6 size in gouache.

This was done very fast in a meditation diary as an aide memoire of an experience.

The Five Jnanadakinis

Here is the full set of the five Jnanadakinis , small circular paintings on canvas board.:

Blue Vajradakini, Yellow Ratnadakini, Red Padmadakini, Green Karmadakini, White Dharmadakini

They are currently on show at the Cambridge Buddhist Centre until 24 June.

Emerald Revery

 Next in my Magic City series and part of an ongoing exploration of themes in the White Lotus Sutra.

Here is a green oasis where travellers rest before continuing the journey.

From the Archive - Bodhisattva and Lotus (with Skull)

 This is a large oil painting (122 x 122cm) painted in 1999. In its presence I start to drown in the rich warm colour field and the sensuous quality of the paint. I enjoy the subtleties of the colour shifts some of which is lost in the photographed image.The image combines elements from different Buddhist icons.  The hand holding up the lotus comes from an Amitabha sadhana. The peacock feathers are a reference to Amitabha's peacocks which support his throne. The skull references the skull cup filled with the red nectar of great bliss which is held by Padmasambhava and by wisdom dakinis in their dance.

Green Goddesses with Blessings

 A current theme exploring the Green Goddess.

For me she is a symbol of Gaia, Tara, and all female deities of life and love.

She is the wish for the fecundity of our planet. 

She receives blessings from the universe and offers them to all.

Abstraction into Landscape Part 2

More images made with granulating watercolours.

Abstract forms become elemental landscapes. 

Abstraction into Landscape

Playing with granulating watercolours to make abstract images which veer into landscape. 

Offering Goddesses

 When feeling whimsical I have been creating characters to represent the offering goddesses of the Buddhist tradition.

Gandha offers perfume to Buddha Amoghasiddhi

Dhupa offers incense to Buddha Ratnasambhava

Pushpa offers flowers to Buddha Akshobya

Aloka offers light to Buddha Amitabha

From the archive - Blanchisseuse Bay

 I am back on track with the idea of occasionally posting old work from my archive.

Browsing an old sketchbook I came across this little watercolour study. I painted this whilst hanging out in Blanchisseuse Bay, Trinidad decades ago.

It  brings back memories of Caribbean adventures and a memory of a magical spot.

Green Princess

 Whimsy from my sketchbook playing with watercolours