Nachaya

March 11, 2025

Nachaya (10).png

Welcome to my very first newsletter. Here I'll share updates about my art, latest book reviews and artist interviews.

Every moment carries the potential for a paradigm shift and art can serve as a mirror and a shining light on our journey.

Art News

I am happy to announce that I’ll be participating in the "Lotus and Lion" Art Expo at the beautiful Shoshoni Retreat in Boulder, Colorado. This inspiring event runs from May 23rd to September 2nd, 2025, and celebrates the beauty and depth of contemporary Buddhist and Hindu art.

Even more exciting: the expo is still accepting submissions from artists around the world. If you're a contemporary artist who’s inspired by Buddhist or Hindu themes, I highly encourage you to submit your work for consideration. You can find all the details here:

[artist.callforentry.org](https://artist.callforentry.org) / [callforentry.org/lionandlotus](https://callforentry.org/lionandlotus).

A little preview of my contribution:

As part of my participation, I’ll be showcasing three pieces, each depicting the compassionate and revered Kuan Yin, also known as Guanyin. In times like these, I believe the world could always use more compassion—and what better muse than Kuan Yin herself? And I’ve also sent a few giclée prints of my deities to the Shoshoni coffee shop, so if you're visiting, you can take home a piece of art with your latte :~)

If any of these paintings speak to you, please contact Shoshoni

Dye, tempera and 24 ct gold on Ahimsa silk

February 2025

Kuan Yin is a symbol of mercy, compassion and healing, known for her vow to remain in the world until all sentient beings are liberated from suffering. Originating from Indian Buddhism as Avalokiteshvara, Kuan Yin evolved and her boon-giving qualities typically depict her holding a willow branch, symbolizing healing and good fortune and a vase containing pure water, representing compassion and the nectar of enlightenment. In this image, Kuan Yin’s halo and aura are almost like the Lemniscate, the symbol for eternity, and her willow branch pierces through the veil into our dimension of reality as does the blessed water flow down to us. She holds an intense gaze of intent.

Tempera, coffee on rice paper,

February 2025

This image combines Kuan yin’s compassionate gaze with a Japanese Reifu symbol. Reifu symbols are akin to talismans that can be displayed in one’s home. This magical symbol invites good luck and repels miss fortune.

Tempera, coffee on rice paper,

February 2025

Kuan Yin is a symbol of mercy, compassion and healing, known for her vow to remain in the world until all sentient beings are liberated from suffering. Originating from Indian Buddhism as Avalokiteshvara, Kuan Yin also known as Guanyin, evolved and her boon-giving qualities typically depict her holding a willow branch, symbolizing healing and good fortune and a vase containing pure water, representing compassion and the nectar of enlightenment. In this image, she is in her Royal Ease pose and her accoutrements are subtly represented elsewhere. The style and presentation is aged.

This Month’s Artist Interview for TeaHouse

As an artist drawn to Buddhist art for many years, I've faced the challenge of being a woman creating imagery historically dominated by male artists from different cultural backgrounds, which has inspired me to begin interviewing other artists—both men and women—whose work may challenge traditional paradigms.

I have known Faith Stone from a time when we were both part of a sacred art collective called Dakini as Art and been cheering each other’s work for many years; however this was the first time we’d actually chatted. This was an interview for my relatively new column in Tea House, which is a part of Buddhistdoor Global, and is the first of a project talking with paradigm-evolving artists.

This month's Book Review

Very briefly, for those who are new to the types of books that I review, they are typically Buddhist and wellbeing in nature. I have been privileged to write a philosophical column (Silk Alchemy) for Buddhistdoor Global since 2016, and in 2023 I was invited to expand my contributions by reviewing books—often from respected publishing houses like Shambhala Publications and Windhorse.

This month I reviewed Kimberly Brown's book on how to use age old wisdom to improve our interpersonal relationships.