Cynthia Hayes Art: Himalayan Winds, New Work Inspired by Architecture of Bhutan

I am contemplating the idea of new series of paintings inspired by architectural sites I've visited in the Himalayan country of Bhutan.

I rarely do watercolor paintings, but wanted to try a color palette common to architecture of the region. Watercolor seemed an efficient medium for experimentation. The painting below is my first attempt, a preliminary study for a large painting on a patterned fabric.

Himalayan Winds
2018
watercolor
18 x 24 inches

Sites including temples, monasteries, and Dzongs in Bhutan are highly decorated with brightly painted carved patterns.

All of the elements in these designs have symbolic Buddhist meaning. I am learning about this symbolism while studying these intricate patterns.

An ubiquitous orange hue is used as the background color for designs on many structures. This color appears on half of the Bhutan flag to represent spiritual power and the Drukpas monasteries. A saffron yellow signifies the authority of the dynasty.

The concentric circles on the beam above are a stylized "flaming pearl" symbolic of wisdom and spiritual awareness. Directly below we see the Trinata symbolizing the "triple gems" of Buddhism (Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha).The water is symbolic of clarity and calmness.

Abstract wind designs represent the flow of energy, called rLung, most closely connected with air. rLung is a concept that is particularly important in Vajrayana traditions of Tibetan Buddhism. Its most important function is to carry the movements of mind, speech and body, the Three Vajras.