Is the Bodhisattva, Buddha? The figure in this image is a Bodhisattva. Is it Buddha?
A Bodhisattva is the “not yet awakened” Buddha, an ordinary seeker who has decided to live his or her life on a path to Buddha. Most people follow their desires or karma. For a Bodhisattva, the motivation for living is different. Seeing the interconnectedness of all things, a Bodhisattva is someone who seeks a direction consistent with the life and lessons of the Buddha; someone who is, perhaps, very much like you and like me.
The original painting is in the Ajanta Caves, India. My photo was converted into a solar plate (much like an etching), and then printed as a monoprint on my etching press. Because the solar plate is a “repeatable image”, it allows me to print the image multiple times without loss of quality. However, unlike silk screen images, the monotype printing plate needs to be re-inked each time, which is a labor intensive and time consuming process.
To make the pieces affordable, I had some digitally printed on wood. The result is quite beautiful. Almost like the hand painted cave paintings in India.
