INSPIRATION
For the past 2 years I have participated in a show called "Think Square" where every piece in the show must be five inches by five inches. The show was started by local printmaking professor Andrea Knarr who I met while taking a framing class. As you all may know I don't normally print small. So this year I wanted to come up with a print that I would find interesting and be a challenge.
My original idea was to print a gold buddha on a dark stone. I have plenty of dark stones in my yard around my mill stone fountain, but they are all a little wide and I wasn't sure if they would fit into the frame. I chose one that I thought might work but decided I should also take a trip down to the river to collect a few more stones that would fit into the frame.
I had a truly lovely morning looking for stones. The river water was higher than normal so the bigger rocks I was interested in were covered by water. I had to take my shoes off, roll my pants up, and wade out, feeling my way with my toes. I asked the river to reveal to me any stones that might want to come home with me. I would spy a potential rock in the clear water and make my way slowly over to it. As I waded over, the water would get cloudy from stirring the sediment. I learned I had to be still in order to see again...life lessons from river stones. Eleven volunteers (pictured above) came home with me.
Once back in the studio I realized that gold ink might not show up on my new rocks. I thought about printing in black ink but that didn't excite me. Then I remembered a trip I took in 2014 to California where a friend and I visited the "Land of Medicine Buddha" (click here to see more photos of that trip). The "Medicine Buddha" is a beautiful blue buddha who, according to Wikipedia, is held to be extremely powerful for healing of physical illnesses and purification of negative karma.
In the traditional paintings (Tibetan thangkas) he is surrounded by various herbs and medicine, with halos of healing energy radiating from his head and body. As the Medicine Buddha's vow was to help heal all the sick and the injured, he is often called upon to help eliminate sickness. Usually portrayed seated with a jar of medicine in his left hand, often blue-colored, the Medicine Buddha's right hand is resting on his knee in the mudra of blessings, with a stem of a healing plant in between his thumb and forefinger.
Sometimes the Medicine Buddha is also called the Blue Buddha, or the Lapis Lazuli Light Buddha. According to the legend, he transformed himself into a radiant blue light Buddha at a large gathering of people and taught/transmitted the knowledge of healing and medicine. Thus, he is often depicted with blue skin or holding a blue medicine jar.
The Medicine Buddha mantra has powerful vibrations for healing, both mind and body healing. (Source: The Spruce)
I was intrigued by the symbolism, the healing and loved that he was holding a sprig of a plant. I decided to print the stones in a deep "Medicine Buddha" blue.I had never printed a linocut plate on stone before, but began in the usual way with a sketch. I scanned my sketch and traced it in Illustrator. Illustrator was helpful for getting the lotus flower more symmetrical. Below you can see my original sketch and the printed Illustrator sketch sized to fit the size of the stones.
I then transferred my sketch to my lino plate and carved my design. While carving I decided to add a halo at the last minute. Even though I knew the excess plate would eventually get cut away, I enjoyed carving the lines around the buddha and imagined healing energy radiating in all directions.
Below is a short video of me inking the plate for the first time and printing a test print on paper.
At some point I also realized I liked the print better without the halo so I cut it away. Below you can see my giant mess.
Once the prints dried I brought them upstairs to photograph them on my dark lacquered chest.
After printing six buddha stones in blue I decided to do a quick test of printing with gold ink onto my one dark stone. Below you can see my test prints on paper and the final print on the dark stone.
I probably could have used the gold buddha for my "Think Square" piece, but I ended up loving the symbolism and meaning of the "Medicine Buddha." So I chose one of the blue buddhas and started the second phase of my project...weaving a basket around the stone.
STONE BASKET
Below you can see the basket starting to take shape.
Instead of just having a floating basket stone in the middle of the frame, I decided I wanted it to hang from a piece of wood. I have tons of pieces of wood hanging around the studio and thought it would be perfect to have it slightly bent, like the weight of the stone was pulling it down. Luckily I got out my trusty, old Dremel tool and it was perfect for the job.
Below are a couple photos of me weaving the basket.
FRAMING
I was correct in my worry about the thickness of the basket. So much thought and energy went into figuring out how to adjust for this problem. In the end I went with George's suggestion to cut a hole in the back of the frame so it wouldn't press so much against the plexiglass.
SYNCHRONICITY
I have to tell you one final story. Somewhere in the middle of this project I switched purses. I took everything out of one purse at the dining room table and put it into my pretty blue bag from Guatemala. The next day I was walking through the dining room into the kitchen when I saw a piece of paper on the floor. When I picked it up and unfolded it, I realized it was the scrap of paper that came with a tiny stone that I purchased a couple years ago. The words on the paper read, "Lapis: Stimulates inner vision to give you wisdom, insight and good judgement." I wondered if the little stone was still in my purse.
I found my purse and reached in, hoping that it was still there. I was so happy when I felt the cool, smooth stone between my fingers. Both the stone and the scrap of paper had been in that purse for many years. I decided it was time to take the stone out where I could see and feel it more often. I didn't realize until I was writing this post that the "Medicine Buddha" is sometimes called the "Lapis Lazuli Light Buddha!" I love synchronicity and when the universe gives me a sign like that, I take it as a message I am on the right path.
MEDICINE BUDDHA
Giving a simplified description of the practice, we can say that it begins with preliminary mantras and prayers and then—and this is the wonderful part—one visualizes the Medicine Buddha, blue in color like the Vaiduriya jewel. One then goes on to visualize the Medicine Buddha’s healing energy radiating in all directions, especially to the person named, practicing the healing mantra Tadyatha Om Bhekhaze Bhekhaze Maha Bhekhaze Bhekhaze Radza Samungate Swaha for at least one mala or 108 repetitions, and then one dissolves into the “great seal of emptiness," or rests the mind in the natural state, and dedicates the merit to all sentient beings. It is a beautiful, transformational sadhana which heals both the person who is the focus of attention as well as the practitioner. The practice is most effective when the person suffering is engaged in the process—they also practice the healing mantras and invite the healing in. (Source: Buddhist Door)
Visualize Medicine Buddha sitting, looking at you. He is depicted as having a dark blue (lapis lazuli) body, this being an archetypal color of healing. With his left hand he holds a bowl of healing nectars, and with his right a medicine plant. In your visualization, he is at about the height of your forehead, a few feet in front of you, gazing at you with as much love as a mother for her only child. He is everything beautiful gathered into one.
If you are on a healing journey, I send you strength, wish you good luck, and hope the blue light of the "Medicine Buddha" envelopes you in love and well-being.
ADDNENDUM: DOUBLE SYNCHRONICITY
The day I was printing the stones I was in the basement listening to Pandora as I always do. In the middle of printing a song came on that I had never heard before. This happens sometimes and I hardly notice. But this particular song caught my attention because it sounded quite different from my usual music. At the time I thought it sounded African. And what I really noticed was that it was SO repetitive and went on and on. I simply noted it and couldn't even look at my phone because my hands were inky.
At the end of writing this blog post I went to YouTube and entered "Medicine Buddha Mantra." It came up with several options. When I clicked the song by Maneesh de Moor (second one above), I couldn't believe my ears! It was the same song I heard while printing earlier in the week! What are the chances that the Medicine Buddha mantra would come on while I was printing Medicine Buddha stones!? It felt like a giant wink from the universe. I am so grateful for it and to be doing what I am doing. Thank you universe!
3 comments:
Wow, Vanessa, this is so wonderful!
Vanessa, your talent is amazing!
Thank you Penny and Lindy for your comments and for taking the time to visit the blog!
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