a land of Tibet

Through My Eyes

With work in the Grove continuing I haven't had time yet to work on the sculpture of Tara Drolma but I've done more work on the new frame loom design! Here I've sanded and polished the bole clay to prepare the surface. It's time for gilding!

The gilding process. The water glue solution in the cup is brushed onto the surface of the clay. Then the brush on the paper towel roll is used to carry the tissue thin peices of gold to the surface of the carving where they are drawn onto the surface of the solution. The solution dries into the clay and gesso layers and the gold is then held onto the surface. The unattached peices are then brushed off; we can see the process completed on the right side. After it dries a while it will be burnished to a brilliant mirrorlike shine with a polished peice of agate that is mounted in a handle.

With the gilding completed and the frame peices polished it's time to glue the frame together...

and assemble the loom!

It really shines! Next it's time to create straps to create the tension and begin stringing the loom...

I've begun the stringing of the warp threads from both sides to balance the tension and keep the length even all the way across. It actually is much easier to string because the threads slide through so easily! The loom has all the qualities I hoped for; the softness, elegance simplicity and strength are all there. I have said that it is my hope that it's softness may reflect the softening of hearts and growing of wisdom in minds where it most needs to- as soon as possible. With the news coming out of Tibet there have been many terribly sad moments since I began this and help is needed now more than ever. As Shantideva says:

Those whose minds are practiced in this way

Whose happiness it is to soothe the pain of others,

Will venture in the hell of unremitting agony

As swans sweep down upon a lotus lake

So to that I add the hope that I and anyone who uses these looms will feel the firm determination to help that the Bodhisattvas feel. There's a lot more to add but as usual two as one we'll add to the notes later beautiful one!

* courtesy of A Luminous Diamond (Bright) Crystal Show productions. The information for

the sketches is courtesy of the Footprint Tibet handbook by Gyurme Dorje.

( please click here to return to my spinning for you!)


	Through My Eyes * With work in the Grove continuing I haven't had time yet to work on the sculpture of Tara Drolma but I've done more work on the new frame loom design! Here I've sanded and polished the bole clay to prepare the surface. It's time for gilding! The gilding process. The water glue solution in the cup is brushed onto the surface of the clay. Then the brush on the paper towel roll is used to carry the tissue thin peices of gold to the surface of the carving where they are drawn onto the surface of the solution. The solution dries into the clay and gesso layers and the gold is then held onto the surface. The unattached peices are then brushed off; we can see the process completed on the right side. After it dries a while it will be burnished to a brilliant mirrorlike shine with a polished peice of agate that is mounted in a handle. With the gilding completed and the frame peices polished it's time to glue the frame together... and assemble the loom! It really shines! Next it's time to create straps to create the tension and begin stringing the loom... I've begun the stringing of the warp threads from both sides to balance the tension and keep the length even all the way across. It actually is much easier to string because the threads slide through so easily! The loom has all the qualities I hoped for; the softness, elegance simplicity and strength are all there. I have said that it is my hope that it's softness may reflect the softening of hearts and growing of wisdom in minds where it most needs to- as soon as possible. With the news coming out of Tibet there have been many terribly sad moments since I began this and help is needed now more than ever. As Shantideva says: Those whose minds are practiced in this way Whose happiness it is to soothe the pain of others, Will venture in the hell of unremitting agony As swans sweep down upon a lotus lake So to that I add the hope that I and anyone who uses these looms will feel the firm determination to help that the Bodhisattvas feel. There's a lot more to add but as usual two as one we'll add to the notes later beautiful one! * courtesy of A Luminous Diamond (Bright) Crystal Show productions. The information for the sketches is courtesy of the Footprint Tibet handbook by Gyurme Dorje. ( please click here to return to my spinning for you!)