Connecting with Nature

HIMALAYAN NEWS SERVICE

KATHMANDU: With the aim of depicting the fact that “true beauty exists everywhere”, Bhikshuni Jamyang Wangmo, a Spanish-born Buddhist nun, writer and painter has put up her first solo water colour-painting exhibition entitled ‘Mountains and flowers of the sacred Khumbu Valley’ that started at Park Gallery, Pulchowk from April 27. Wangmo has tried to create her connection with Khumbu Valley — a land of powerful spiritual and healing energies.

Her artworks are realistic which give a feeling of peace and bliss.

The ground floor of the gallery displays landscapes of Khumbu and Thangme region where some of them were painted in 1976.

While most of the paintings have mountains and hills in them, the surroundings differ according to the seasons. Besides mountains and hills, one can see prayer flags, houses, monasteries, waterfalls and more in Wangmo’s painting where the use of the colours blue, white, green, yellow and brown is dominant.

Climb up the staircase and you will reach the area that displays paintings of different flowers found in Khumbu and Thangme regions. One can find up to six different flowers painted in one frame that are in their actual size. These images are lifelike where the artist has paid attention to the intricate patterns of each flower.

In one of her paintings, there are five different flowers on the hills and each flower in encircled by a rainbow. The clear sky with only little white clouds in the sky and waterfalls have created a beautiful image. The linings are beautifully done and the artist has paid attention to the minute details.

Talking about the use of water colour in her artworks, Wangmo said, “I like to work with water colour because it helps me show many layers and becomes transparent.”

When asked about her work on landscapes and flowers from these regions, she shared, “While walking around these regions, I saw the beauty of nature and tried to connect myself with nature through painting” and added, “In my view, everyone needs to connect with natural beauty as it helps one to open his/her mind and see things from a different point of view.”

It was in 1976 that she started to make sketches and since then she has been going to Khumbu and Thangme region once a year.

The exhibition is on till May 6.