Buddhist Art from SoCal

As promised a few weeks ago, I made my pilgrimage to Hsi Lai Temple in Hacienda Heights, California, this morning. Hsi Lai means "coming to the West," and is run by a progressive Taiwan-based Buddhist denomination, to educate the American public about Buddhist beliefs.

I was a bit apprehensive about visiting this temple as a transwoman, but people seem to be very okay with my presence. After all, Kwan Yin is trans too!

A Buddha head at the entrance.

Kwan Yin riding a dragon.

Eighteen figurines important to Chinese Buddhism - arhats, they are called.

You may see this figure often at Chinese restaurants.
He is the Maitreya Buddha, or Happy Buddha.
He gives you lots of happiness and good luck (or Number 8's).

The Kwan Yin garden, populated by Kwan Yin's assistants.

Kwan Yin herself on top of her garden.

This one's for our Turtle. Found at Kwan Yin garden.

Replica of a terra cotta horse carriage, based on those found in Xi'an.

The temple bell, showing the temple name in Chinese.

The main hall has these three Buddhas: Amidabha, Sakyamuni (the main Buddha), and Medicine Buddha, left to right. I couldn't take pictures of the real thing, due to temple regulations.

The temple courtyard.

A white marble guardian lion, one of two in the courtyard.
In the back on the staircase, a similar but painted lion is visible, one of four.

Enjoy! And next time you visit Los Angeles, make sure to visit this temple.

I just bought this

I want one!

Beautiful Season

I told ya I had 5 kids!

But it is very rare to get them all in one place, at one time.

Painted Feathers

Blogger actually let me log on again!

For some reason my account was not being nice, and after like a week I kinda gave up.

But, I want yall to know, I love the posts you put up, even if I could not comment on them for a minute.

And Ally, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Let's party!

New poster looks familiar

Popping in to say Hi

Hello people

I know I've been very quiet here lately, but I will have some stuff to upload soon.

In a week or so, to mark Buddha's birthday (and my own), I will visit a large Buddhist temple in my area - Hsi Lai Temple - and take some photos to share here.

Hsi Lai became infamous for an Al Gore fundraiser that took place there in 1996 (and the reason why the media keeps describing Gore as a puppet of the Chinese). It was pretty tame compared to all the Bush-Moon fundraisers, however.

Keep your fingers crossed, kids! (And Turtle - you'll love my Kwan Yin pics!)

nice mural

Banksy

Grand Canyon

I just returned from the Grand Canyon.  Artist's renderings can not capture the awesome beauty of it.  First time I was proud of my country in years.

Robert Crumb, illustration work

Geek Pants

Oriental Women

Brazil!

Sao Paulo, Brazil
Alexandre Orion

This graffiti was created in reverse - by cleaning grimy city surfaces. It’s sort of a lift-and-scrub technique in which the dark areas are old, crusted pollutants. Authorities didn’t know how to charge the Brazilian graffiti artist responsible, Alexandre Orion:

'The authorities were certainly miffed but could find nothing to charge him with. They had no other recourse but to clean the tunnel — but only the parts Alexandre had already cleaned. The artist merely continued his campaign on the other side of traffic. The utterly flummoxed city officials then decided to take drastic action. Not only did they clean the entire tunnel but also every other tunnel in Sao Paulo.'

Link Here

HAHA!

I am so in love with Stephen Colbert

His GQ pic.

HAHA!

AMEN! Poems are SUPPOSSED to Rhyme!

A very interesting debate, either way.

Why Don't Poems Rhyme Anymore?



I believe they should rhyme. Otherwise it is not freaking poetry.

The Ostlers Fate

for Obamafarians

Why?

I know, this is an art blog. But these photos are art. And they are terribly tragic in contrast.

At first it looks like so many pics of widows crying for their brave loved ones....

Until you see the pic taken right before it.

This soldier hugged his little brother tearfully as he set off to Iraq.

And this is his brother kissing him when he returned, for the last time.

My God.

WHY?

Great Sculpture

Anne of Cleves

I am about to do 2 very large canvases with these basic colors. Love them!

As we all know, King Henry the 8th had many wives, and Anne of Cleves was one of them.

Henry had heard all about the 'beautiful princess' so he sent a portrait artist to her and he returned with this portrait. She was so beautiful, King Henry decided to marry her on the spot.

Unfortunately, the portrait artist was a very good artist. Too good. When Henry saw her in real life for the first time he was seriously disappointed, and enraged, because apparently she was actually quite ugly.

The marriage proceeded even though Henry knew he wanted out. Fortunately Anne agreed to a annulment 6 months later, depriving the king yet another opportunity to behead another spouse.

No matter what she really looked like, it is still a great painting.

Expected to bring 16 million pounds at auction - by Lucien Freud

Fitz Lane

Boston Harbor

Sad

The Horse Fair

Rosa Bonheur

Flowers for Veritas

Here is to a speedy recovery!

Blvd Street Art Gallery, Seattle (upcoming show)

One for the dancers!

Aztec

Jewish Paper Cut

Augustus

Hey everyone,

We have created a new blog that holds a private chatroom for anyone who wants to help us sort out a murder. Or, two. Or 3.

Or just to say hi to each other in real time...

Anyways, look us up in here

http://summerdetectives.blogspot.com/

Over the next few days we will be working the kinks out, but if you want to hook up with Karrie and can not catch her in chat, please look to your right at our links and click on Forever Faye or just click here. She can answer any questions you have about the case so far.

As always, I love yall and party on!

My newest work...

This man is being sought by my family, and maybe some cops, depends on the cop I guess...

This composite is for a man named 'Younger', who was introduced by Faye Aline Self to family members as her 'new boyfriend' on the day she disappeared. I drew it based upon my own 24 year old memories of a man I met once. I am as certain as I can be at this point without being hypno-regressed myself.

In this composite, it was how he looked in 1983, aged between 25 and 35 years. Approximately 6 ft tall and slender built. His eyes were bright, bright blue and his hair and moustache a dirty blonde.

We have reason to believe he may have worked in Shreveport, in some sort of mechanical or oil field position.





Age progressed......

If by some miracle you know who this man is, please help my family.

S/T Michael D. Allen with the Louisiana State Police may be contacted at: 318-862-9728.

Make Believe