Creating Buddhas

"Creating Buddhas: The Making and Meaning of Fabric Thangkas" is the story of a western woman who became a fabric thangka maker. In the course of the film, we see her produce a thangka of the deity Green Tara, a female Buddha.

Fabric thangka is a silk embroidered and appliquéd art form in Tibetan Buddhism and is also known as Applique Thangka/Brocade Thangka/Silk Thangka.

This is a skillful and moving film about the thangka maker, Leslie Rinchen-Wongmo. She is considered a master thangka maker and is one of the few female makers in world. Her love & devotion in this spiritual work are captured in the film. She studied for 9 years at a fabric thangka workshop in Dharamsala, and met with and received the Dalai Lama’s blessing before she decided to return to the West and bring the gift of fabric thangka to our culture.

The film explores Leslie’s life-changing journey of discovering fabric thangka, her apprenticeship in Dharmasala, India, the step-by-step by process of producing a fabric thangka, and the history and spiritual importance of thangka making in Tibetan Buddhism, enhanced by comments/interviews with Buddhist teachers such as Glenn Mullin, Robert Thurman and China Galland.

"This film beautifully captures the essence of the life and work of an extraordinary woman blessed with the talent to preserve and pass on an extraordinary tradition. An eloquent and visually sumptuous meditation on what it means to create sacred art." --Reverend Heidi Singh, Pasadena, CA

The Filmmaker, Isadora Leidenfrost will be present for discussion after the film. Light refreshments will be available starting at 7pm. $8 donation requested for the event. RSVP requested to: simmonssusan@hotmail.com 610-203-3200

Here's the trailer:

DIRECTIONS to the PMC, 8 East Eagle Road, Havertown , PA :
From Main Line Area:
Take Haverford Road or Wynnewood Road to East Eagle Road.
PMC is off the NE corner of East Eagle and Darby Roads,
Address is 8 E. Eagle Road.
For parking, turn right onto Darby Road
Oakmont Public Parking Lot is on the right, directly behind PMC.
Entrance to PMC is on East Eagle Road address is 8 E. Eagle Road.

From Center City and West Philadelphia :
Take Market Street west to West Chester Pike (Route 3).
After crossing Township Line Road (Route 1), turn right on Darby Rd
When Darby Road splits, take left fork.
Cross Eagle Road, park in Oakmont Public Parking Lot on right,
directly behind PMC.
Entrance to PMC is on East Eagle Road, address is 8 E. Eagle Road.

From West Chester and points West:
Take West Chester Pike (Route 3) east to Lawrence Road (immediately after 476 interchange).
Turn left onto Lawrence Road . Follow Lawrence Road to Eagle Road.
Turn left onto Eagle Road. Follow Eagle road to Darby Road.
Turn left onto Darby Road and then right into the Oakmont Public Parking Lot.
Parking Lot is directly behind PMC.
Entrance to PMC is on East Eagle Road, address is 8 E. Eagle Road
From Delaware :
Take I-95 north to I-476.
Take I-476 north to exit 9 (West Chester Pike)
Turn right (east) onto West Chester Pike (Route 3).
Immediately move to left lane. Turn left at next traffic light (Lawrence Road).
Follow Lawrence Road to Eagle Road. Turn left onto Eagle Road.
Follow Eagle Road to Darby Road.
Turn left onto Darby Road and then right into the Oakmont Public Parking Lot.
Parking Lot is directly behind PMC.
Entrance to PMC is on East Eagle Road, address is 8 E. Eagle Road.

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Comment

Comment by Carol Waite on July 24, 2009 at 1:25pm

Susan, I'm really excited about this event. Thank you for organizing it! Carol

Comment by Carolyn A. Pearson on July 21, 2009 at 4:40pm

Susan, It looks like we'll have a big crowd...that's awesome, thanks.

Comment by Noel Albertson on June 9, 2009 at 7:23pm

This is going to be a great event, Susan, thanks for organizing it!!