Tuesday, June 11, 2013

Sacred Arts Tour

 Today Wesley and I went over to the Saxapahaw Artists Gallery so she could photograph some of the  preparations for the Sacred Arts Tour with the Tibetan Buddhist Monks of the Drepung Gomang Monastery. The monks will be sharing the cultural traditions of Tibet and each day this week they will be constructing a sand mandala for public viewing. There will also be a Tibetan handicrafts bazaar with proceeds going towards support and education for the refugee monks living at the monastery. You can read more here, or read about the Drepung Gomang Monastery here.

Wesley has graciously been allowed to come and video the tour as a documentary film student and today she shot some stills for me to use for my blog, thank you Wes.
I have volunteered to come over and help out at the gallery. It was very exciting to be in the gallery today and watch the monks preparing for this event. I hope if you are within traveling distance you can come over and see this wonderful event.

Here they are setting up the board the mandala will be constructed on.

This event is free and open to the public, donations are accepted if you feel so inclined. There will also be items for sale, and I already have my eye on some prayer beads.....
The opening ceremony will be tomorrow, June 12 at 10:00 am and the construction will continue throughout the week. There will also be a workshop on June 15, and the closing deconstruction ceremony will be June 16 at 2:00pm.

If you need more info contact Suzanne at the Saxapahaw Artists Gallery
Come on by and say hello!!!!

7 comments:

Amy said...

thanks for the invite. will be in durham on Sat. and saxapahaw is still out of my way! :( looks like a wonderful event. have so much respect and interest in buddhism.

Tracey Broome said...

Durham isn't so far away, I see Durham folks on Saturdays at the market all the time! This Saturday there will be the farmers market and the monks, double fun

Amy said...

gosh, the more I learn about what is going on here in NC--- the scarier it gets! and Moral Mondays are getting bigger! :) have to be in durham on Sat. and ugh, it's too far out of the way. :( hope to see you on a Monday- a growing movement!

Lori Buff said...

I'd love to see this show but it really is a good distance from Atlanta.

Unknown said...

How beautiful! Can't wait to hear/see more...wish I could attend :/

Michèle Hastings said...

Some years back a group of Tibetan Monks came to a local school in NH and created a mandala. I was so glad that a group of us took off from work and watch it being made. Enjoy your volunteer time, and get some great photos for the blog.

Claudia from Idiot's Kitchen said...

Oh I wish I lived closer. I would love to go to this. Thanks for the photos in these posts for those of us too far away!