First Online Exhibition

August 4, 2021

Yesterday the East Side Art Institute initiated its gallery and store, featuring my work in both parts of the website. This is my first online exhibition, and most of the featured art is related to my Buddhist practice. I will have more to say about this in the days and weeks ahead.

Upcoming Featured Artist at ESAI

August 1, 2021

The East Side Art Institute, ESAI, is a new project initiated by Nancy Utterback. Located in Boulder County Colorado, ESAI’s mission is to provide a dynamic place for art-based education and creative exploration. I will be the first featured artist on the new website: https://eastsideartinstitute.org/ A short piece about Mary Caroline Richards, part of my longer essay about her literary work, is available at https://eastsideartinstitute.org/blog/.

Another Time of Change

December 28, 2020-April 15, 2021

On December 28, 2020, I began my sixth studio retreat, which continued until mid-April 2021. As with each of my previous retreats I was in solitude for many hours each day. This was a deeply nourishing time for me. During the last six years, I have seldom written much about my yearly retreats, five of which have been 100 days or more. I undertake these retreats under the guidance of my Buddhist teacher, the Venerable Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche, and each retreat has had a unique practice focus. From 2016-2020, these retreats have included both meditation and art, especially creating art that relates directly to the meditation practice. This year was somewhat different: I focused more intensively on the meditation practice alone, and my capacity for sustained concentration deepened.

Fall 2020

October 5, 2020

On September 27, 2020 I gave my third dharma talk in the Mangala Shri Bhuti LINK podcast series, available here. Approximately 120 people listened to that talk during the live podcast, and I posted a partial transcript in my Blog for October 5, 2020.

Then, on October 1, 2020 I participated in the virtual launch of a new journal, Periferies, which is published by the Center for the Study of World Religions at Harvard University. During this 100-minute Zoom, I spoke about a large drawing titled Prayers: Compassion Practice, which was published in Periferies this month. See https://deborahjhaynes.com/marking_time/P1

Time of Change

Late December-April 2020

I have begun my fifth studio retreat. After a year of travel, public events, and time with friends and family, I will be in solitude for many hours each day. I welcome this change.