A solo exhibition of my artwork is on view in the Olcott Gallery at the Theosophical Society in America in Wheaton, Illinois. The show runs October through December 2017.
The national headquarters is situated on 40 beautifully landscaped acres. A large library, art gallery, auditorium, lecture hall, classrooms, meditation room, and non-violent cafeteria (vegetarian since 1926) are housed in this historic 1926 building. Click here to view an informative video tour of Theosophical Society in America.
An impressive mural surrounds the lobby. The painting portrays the evolutionary progression of life on earth.
The Olcott Gallery is a curated space with exhibitions changing every three months.
Ten of my "portraits" of ancient Hindu and Buddhist sculptures are in this show. Seven are large acrylic scroll paintings done on hand blocked Kalamkari fabric from India. Three pieces are framed drawings done in conte crayon on paper made in Nepal.
The gallery is located just off of the auditorium where meditation retreats are often held.
A few months ago I was fortunate to attend a lecture and retreat at the Theosophical Society taught by Ajahn Brahm who is Abbot of Bodhinyana Monestery in Australia and the author of many excellent books on Buddhism and meditation. My husband and I spent 8 days in February 2014 with the happiest man I've ever met, Ajahn Brahm, touring Buddhist monasteries and nunneries in Bhutan. Despite taking over 15,000 photos during our trip, I had no photographic proof of meeting him. This deficiency was rectified at his lecture!
My favorite place to spend time during retreats here is the meditation room in which a wonderful permanent collection of artifacts are displayed.
A portrait of Madam Blavatsky hangs in this room. She was a co-founder of the Theosophical Society in 1875 and published Isis Unveiled, a book outlining the Theosophical world view. She moved to India in 1880 and later that year in Ceylon became the first Westerner to officially convert to Buddhism.
This well known image of Blavatsky was painted by Gutzon Borgium an American artist and sculptor who is most associated with his creation of the Mount Rushmore National Memorial.
A well kept secret is the strong influence Madam Blavatsky and Theosophy had in the development of abstract art. Early abstract artists Wassily Kandinsky, Johannes Itten, and Piet Mondrian based their art theories on theosophist concepts. In Kandinsky's influential book in the history of modern art Concerning the Spiritual In Art (click to see pdf),refers to Blavatsky's theosophist ideas.
Because of this rich history and connection of the Theosophical Society to the development of modern art, I feel very honored to show my work here at the national headquarters of Theosophical Society in America.
If you have the opportunity, a visit here to see the mural, art collection, library, gallery, and bookstore are worth the trip. Walk the labyrinth on the park-like grounds while you visit.
