THE 32 MARKS OF THE BUDDHA

"32 Marks of the Buddha" (detail), mixed media and found objects on wood, 2008

The photo shows the inside of a small wooden altar.  Somehow I don't seem to have a picture of the whole piece.  I was inspired just by the idea of a buddha having 32 (not 33 or 77, but precisely 32!) distinguishing marks  Here is the list of his 32 marks.  Try reading it as if it were a poem.

1. He has feet with a level sole
2. He has the mark of a thousand-spoked wheel on the soles of his feet
3. He has projecting heels 
4. He has long fingers and toes 
5. His hands and feet are soft-skinned 
6. He has net-like lines on palms and soles 
7. He has high raised ankles
8. He has taut calf muscles like an antelope 
9. He can touch his knees with the palms of his hands without bending
10. His sexual organs are concealed in a sheath, producing smegma which has a fragrant odor 
11. His skin is the color of gold
12. His skin is so fine that no dust can attach to it
13. His body hairs are separate with one hair per pore 
14. His body hair is blue-black and curls in clockwise rings
15. He has an upright stance 
16. He has the seven convexities of the flesh 
17. He has an immense torso like that of a lion 
18. The furrow between his shoulders is filled in 
19. The distance from hand-to-hand and head-to-toe is equal 
20. He has a round and smooth neck 
21. He has sensitive taste-buds 
22. His jaw is like that of lion's 
23. He has a nice smile
24. His teeth are evenly spaced 
25. His teeth are without gaps in-between 
26. His teeth are quite white
27. He has a large, long tongue 
28. He has a voice like that of a Brahma
29. He has sapphire blue eyes 
30. He has eyelashes like an ox 
31. He has a white soft wisp of hair in the center of the brow 
32. His head is like a royal turban 

The list confirms that I have a long way to go before I'd be recognized as a buddha.  Nevertheless, I keep hoping.  Of course, the smegma part is a bit of a problem.

SETTING BOUNDARIES

 

"Boundaries" (front view), blouse with appliqued pockets, 2008

"Boundaries" (back view)

"Boundaries" (detail)

I'm going over photos of my old work and will use this blog to post some.  It's funny how my art pieces feel both familiar and foreign to me.  I remember making them and I also remember detaching myself completely from them, so that when I come across any of my work in someone's home, it's like finding an interesting new artist.  Damn, I did make some trippy stuff.

This was one of my most fun projects.  Ria had donated the stretchy white top.  I had collected a bunch of little pockets and put them together with pieces from an old pair of boxer shorts, that had the word "No!" printed all over it. The two-year-old in me loves saying No!  This piece was exhibited at the Bishop Street Gallery in 2008, at a show curated by David Behlke. 

PLOT 34

I had the good fortune to be invited as a co-gardener with Luke who has gone into the Navy.  He has composted the soil of his plot #34 for years.  There was nothing growing in the plot at the time I came in, except for an asparagus bush, so I was free to plant whatever struck my fancy.  I sure went to town with it: Malabar spinach, Manoa lettuce, two kinds of kale, collard greens, Filipine eggplant, beets, green onions, garlic chives, celery, mint, basil, soy beans, green beans, Swiss chard, ong choy (Chinese spinach), Okinawan sweet potatoes, zuchini, parsley and cilantro.  I started with small seedlings and this is what happened in less than one month of growing in Luke's fantastic soil..

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The structure at the end of the plot holds the compost

Happy Swiss chard leaves in the foreground

 Can you believe my first bell peppers!

 And my first eggplants!

Flowers on top of the compost structure

I still am taking care of my half of the #22 plot, which I have been co-gardening with Richard. I will have to give it up, though, since we're not allowed to co-garden more than one plot.  (That is so other people on the long wait list will get a chance to garden too)  Richard has had his plot for something like 19 years and has been composting it diligently.  I really lucked out with the soil, didn't I?  The original soil is clay.  Not too good for gardening.  You should see how beautiful the soil is in Richard's garden.

In my half plot, I've been growing Manoa lettuce, lemongrass, Malabar spinach and raspberry spinach, turmeric, parsley, mint, strawberries (they're small, but oh so delicious!), lavender, marigolds, and nasturtium.  Phil says, "I didn't know I married a farmer."  Guess I should start working on my farmer's tan.

HARRY & PATTI'S POST WEDDING PARTY

 

The newly-weds

The party was held at the Halekulani Hotel's Hau Terrace

The dinner was beyond outstanding and so was the entertainment by Iona Dancers

 

Iona's spectacular Living Fountain

 

That's water streaming out of her fingers

 

My daughter and son-in-law in front of the Living Fountain

Another Iona dancer in the foreground

Iona dancer with a lampshade headdress

 Good use of old lampshades

 

 No lampshades for her but a towering spray of plumeria

 

Looking down from the 2nd floor terrace to the bandstand below and the calm ocean

Congratulations to Harry and Patti and a huge mahalo for a marvelous party!