Crowdsourcing A Thangka
Help create a contemporary depiction of Buddha Shakyamuni
Reading time: About 5 minutes
A few months back, a fellow Buddhist Chaplain wrote me an email asking if they could commission a thangka. They lead Buddhist ceremonies for a group of high school students and were struggling to find an image of Shakyamuni, the historical Buddha, for the shrine. Everything they found just didn’t fit for the group of teenagers they work with.
I immediately replied that this was something I would love to do. I have yet to draw Shakyamuni, and this request, from a fellow chaplain, felt like an invitation I ought to pay attention to. I quoted her $2000 USD and a three month timeline to get it done. Unfortunately, her budget was a third of what such a piece would cost to create.
The reality of living under Capitalism means I cannot give my art away for free. Aside from supplies, I am regularly learning how to value myself as a writer and an artist in a society that devalues these things. With every thangka I create, my aim is not to get rich and famous, or even to support my own practice,1 but to contribute to the lineage of liberation, spread wisdom, and support the awakening of anyone who might see it. These things are not at odds with one another, as having financial stability under capitalism means I am able to contribute my time and energy in various other ways. By pricing my work the way I do, I can offer to help a fellow artist build a website, make a contributions to mutual aid requests, and fund projects with other writers and artists.
This fellow chaplain and I decided to get creative. She knew she could contribute $250 USD up front to help me pay for supplies and the initial work of laying the grid and prepping the figure. She will pay an additional $250 when the piece is complete, and as the primary patron, will be the steward of the piece. This means it will stay with her and be hers to care for upon completion. We also agreed I will retain copyright of the image, allowing me to make replications of it.
To ensure my labour is paid for and I am able to make enough to sustain my ongoing work, we are putting out a call to crowdsource the rest of the commission. Think of it as a pre-pre-sale, if you will. The rest of the funds will ensure I can cover the cost of getting the finished piece imaged for replication, print it and ship it out. It will also help me fund other thangkas2 I have been working on and help me pay for a community ‘zine project I am working on with fellow writers and artists.
This is where you come in.
I want there to be as many ways as possible for folks to contribute to the creation of this piece, while ensuring there is a sense of patronage and practice in the process. All contributors will be given a complimentary subscription to my blog for the duration of time I am working on this piece, as I will share practice reflections during the process.
Below are ways you can help contribute and what else you will receive depending on what you’re able to afford. I am not qualifying USD versus CAD3. The pricing is the currency you use, regardless of where you are in the world, and you can contribute anytime between now (December 1st, 2023) and January 31st, 2024.
If you are in Canada, you can e-transfer the funds to faunawolf ‘at’ gmail ‘dot’ com.
If you are anywhere else in the world, you can send them to my paypal.
A break down of tiers and what they include:
$50: When the piece is completed you will receive one signed print OR a set of three blank cards with the image printed on it. Either option will also come with an artist’s statement and personalised thank you.
$75:* If you contribute this much I will send you a signed print AND a set of three blank cards, along with the artist’s statement and personalized thank you.
*You can also access this tier by signing up to an annual blog subscription.
$108: In addition to the print and card set, I will also send you a ‘zine! This may be one of three different ‘zines, depending on what I am able to complete by the time the thangka is finished.
$200: Anyone who contributes this much will receive TWO signed prints, a set of three cards, a ‘zine and a secret bonus gift because OMG the generosity.
$500: A contribution of $500 is unfathomably generous and so beneficial. Anyone who contributes this much will receive everything listed at the $200 tier, as well as their choice of prints or cards of either my Representation Matters five Buddhas or Manjushri, whichever they choose.
Send funds via the following options anytime between December 1, 2023 and January 31st, 2024:
If you are in Canada, send a contribution via e-transfer to faunawolf ‘at’ gmail ‘dot’ com (CIBC)
I am intending, subject to reality, to complete the piece by the end of January 2024, so all prints, cards and bonuses will be posted out in February and March 2024, depending on how long it takes to get everything printed.
Regardless, anyone who helps contribute will be included in regular emails and updates about the process and practice until completion of the project.
May it be of benefit,
Kait
Although that is a really nice bonus. I cannot express how helpful it has been to have the Thousand-Armed Avalokiteshvara to work on at this particular point in human history.
My unicorn introduced me to Beam paints by buying a small palette of colours for me. These are gorgeous, hand-crafted, Indigenous-made paints that use natural pigments, and they are priced accordingly. I love being able to support the people who make these paints and to use natural pigments similar to what is used in thangkas made in Nepal.
Or any other currency. Honestly, pay what works in the currency you use.