Sentient beings

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This was today, at the Duc Vien Buddhist Temple in San Jose with the Thursday watercolor group. I get so excited just anticipating a place like this - architecture, curves, ornate details, and of course the unpaintable atmosphere of peace and silence and incense which you cannot capture on paper but which somehow pervades your painting. I am so drawn to Buddhism.  When I was sketching the first dragon detail, I was so aware, my sense of where I was. and what the ideology is, was so heightened that when a small bug crawled across my paper, unbounded by my pencil lines, I blew him away gently. Another one came, and I blew her away gently. The Buddhists believe that all sentient beings- visible and invisible, from earth, water, or from air - should have no suffering and live lives of ease. I am amazed by the invisible - all the beings that we cannot see that are there in the air around us.

 My second most exciting part, after the revelation of what the site has to offer, is lunchtime and who else might pop out of the woodworks. I know the familiar faces of the painting group, and pass them when I am setting up, or changing to a different spot for my second painting. But, at lunch, I see everyone who I didn't see before - they may not have crossed my path, or may have been far away, or may have come in late. THAT is the second best moment - who else is there.

 I am pleased with the bold darks and the value range in the second painting. The dragon detail came out a little washed out - too delicate maybe. I like the delicacy but I think it needs more darks to enhance the delicate parts.

Roof eave detail at Duc Vien

Large lantern at Duc Vien

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