Weekly Challenge #11

This week's challenge on I am the Diva is called "Monotangle". I had fun coming up with the tangle. As you can see, this would have fitted well with last week's challenge "space within" too.

Abhaya Tian Tan Buddha

It took me two years to come up with the perfect way to use the photo I took of the Tian Tan Buddha in Lantau Island, Hong Kong. Tian Tan Buddha is the second largest outdoor seated Bronze Buddha statue (112 feet tall) in the world, conceived as a representation of the harmonius relationship between humans and nature.  The right hand is raised in abhaya (fear not) gesture while the left hand rests on the lap in a giving gesture. It is truly a magnificent icon, and amazingly, the size does not in any way deter the serenity and the calm expression on the face of the Buddha.

The top of the cigar box seemed extremely suitable to evoke the magnificence of this image. I have used several layers of chiyogami papers and finished the collage with a scroll incribed with a Buddhist saying and the word dhyana (chan) in Chinese script.

Everything I make is special to me, but making this gave me great joy, and practitioners of Buddhism will understand why.

This box is available at my Etsy shop for purchase.