Saturday, February 2, 2013

Inspiring Buddhist art

As you all know, in addition to being a book junkie, I'm addicted to Buddhist art. As I am with Buddhist literature, I'm always on the prowl for new artistic expressions of the Buddhadharma. Cruising around on Etsy, a great site for handmade items, I found a wonderful sculptor; his name is Adrien Miller and if you like Buddhist- or spiritually themed art, definitely check his work out.

Here are a couple of his sculptures that I find particularly inspiring:


This is a more traditional Buddha. It clearly represents Shakyamuni, but in a very humble, human way that tends to be lost in most Buddha statues. For instance, he has a topknot instead of the classic protuberance. This is a man, not a spiritual icon. And yet he is still serene, modest, and graceful.

And for the more modern practitioner, a female Buddha: 


This one brings to life the calm still point in all of us. It captures the equanimity we all possess as our original nature, even in the midst of our street clothes. As you can tell, Adrien is an original artist. He adopts a traditional genre and breathes fresh life into it. This is exactly what American Buddhism needs--a fresh, modern artistic voice. 

Adrien has plenty more to choose from. He has paintings, wall art, and yoga themes as well. Here's a ceramic relief sculpture I think is amazing:


If you are at all interested in Buddhist or spiritual art, please go visit Adrien's store at Etsy. His statues would really look great on an altar. And he makes custom art as well. 

It's important to support small business owners, especially in the arts. So if you enjoy one-of-a-kind Buddhist art for yourself or as a gift for someone special (hint, hint: Valentine's Day is coming!), go check out Adrien Miller's work; you'll love it.  




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