New Work 2023
Diversity Taras is a contemporary interpretation of the 21 Taras. I am thinking about the Buddhist principal that everyone has Buddha nature. Khnenpo Tsewang Dongyal and his brother Khenchen Palden Sherab Rinpoche told me that Tara could look like anyone. In thangkas, Tara is depicted in the style of the historical times.
I think it's important to represent diversity inclusion and representation. I have included Black Taras, Indigenous Taras, Hawaiian, Filipino, Mexican, Latina, Korean, Japanese, Indian and White Taras. A Black friend said to me - I thought I was going to need to learn how to make this art as I don't see any one who looks like me. Representation is really important to me.
This woodblock took me 9 months to carve. I painstakingly carved a large Mokuhanga woodblock and then hand printed onto Japanese paper, with watercolor inks. Mokuhanga is a traditional Japanese woodcarving and printing technique. It is labor-intensive with hand carving and hand rubbing the prints using watercolor inks. I then hand-painted this woodblockprint making it one of a kind.
Title: Diversity Taras, 21 Taras
Artist: Faith Stone
Size: 26x30 inches
Date: 2023
Medium: Mokuhanga woodblock hand rubbed onto mulberry paper