Note: The workshops are postponed to 2021 due to the ongoing pandemic. Carmen is offering classes online including Drawing the Buddha Face. Please check her website for details.

In Tibet, the painting of thangkas was an important and highly developed means of expression through which the entire Buddhist philosophy could be explained. And it still has this function: thangkas are used in temples & monasteries and are hung above the altars to support the Buddhist meditation and practice. The Chinese invasion in Tibet in the 1950’s and the destruction of a lot of old Tibetan traditions and monasteries makes it even more important to keep this beautiful tradition alive and pure.

We are excited that Carmen Mensink will be returning to Shantideva Center to teach three courses for both beginners and advanced students. All courses come with a guided meditation, slide shows and talks on the symbolism of the subject (a Tibetan Buddha, Mandala or Symbol), and a lot of individual guidance.

Healing Plants in Tibetan Medicine

Learn how to draw and color healing plants and herbs from the Tibetan tradition in this meditative workshop. Drawing experience is not necessary. For additional details, please visit Carmen's event page.

Date/Time: Wed May 13, 12–5pm
Cost: $90
Register

Buddha Face

Learn to draw the Buddha's face in this intro to drawing and painting Tibetan thangkas. Drawing experience is not necessary. It is a prerequisite to the Manjushri course. For additional details, please visit Carmen's event page.

Date/Time: Fri May 15, 11:30am–2:30pm
Cost: $60
Register

Manjushri

Learn to draw the beautiful Manjushri, who embodies the wisdom of all the Buddhas, in this intermediate-advanced weekend course. Completion of Carmen's Drawing the Buddha Face workshop is required to attend this course. For additional details, please visit Carmen's event page.

Date/Time: Fri May 15, 7–8:30pm; Sat May 16, 9am–6pm; Sun May 17, 9am–4pm
Cost: $190
Register

About the Instructor

Carmen Mensink is an internationally renowned painter of thangkas, the traditional Tibetan scroll paintings of Buddhas and mandalas. She is the founder of the online School for Tibetan Buddhist Art. Carmen has been teaching Tibetan Art, Meditation and Philosophy for two decades and offers classes at museums, universities, and Buddhist centers around the world, including the Rubin Museum of Art, Pratt Institute, Columbia University, and Omega Institute. She has been featured in dozens of publications. Through the dedication and joy Carmen expresses (and that is passed on to her students!) in her onsite, online, and private thangka classes, she has guided and inspired thousands of people along the Buddhist Art & Dharma path. Carmen is based in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, and is also being asked to work on related Tibetan art forms, including large floor paintings of the 'Eight Auspicious Symbols' to welcome the Dalai Lama in her home country in 2009, 2014 and 2018. To learn more go to https://www.tibetan-buddhist-art.com and the https://www.schoolfortibetanbuddhistart.com/