Leslie Rinchen-Wongmo
Studio 80
Leslie Rinchen-Wongmo makes art that speaks to our highest aspirations. Her inspiring textile images are simultaneously traditional and contemporary. One of the only westerners trained in the rare Tibetan art of silk appliqué thangkas, she is passionate about the preservation and evolution of this sacred cultural tradition.
During four years of traditional apprenticeship in India, Leslie created silk thangkas for His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Sogyal Rinpoche, and Tibetan monasteries throughout India. Since then, she has produced images for dharma centers and private collectors throughout the US and Europe.
Over the course of two decades her nomadic life has brought her full circle from California to India, through Italy, and back home to California. Each place has touched her and influenced her vision.
Leslie’s unique story is the subject of the acclaimed documentary film, Creating Buddhas: the Making and Meaning of Fabric Thangkas. She was guest artist at the 2010 Sun Valley Spiritual Film Festival. And her sacred textiles have been exhibited internationally in museums, juried shows, and dharma centers and featured in the pages of FiberArts and Spirituality & Health magazines.
She mentors students around the world through her Stitching Buddhas Virtual Apprentice Program, and her Threads of Awakening Weekly Wake-ups bring a regular shot of inspiration to followers everywhere. Ventura’s Bell Arts Factory is now home to her evolving Stitching Buddhas Atelier, a space for dedication and learning.
website – http://LeslieRW.com
email – info@LeslieRW.com
JULIAN GONZALES• Open Studio, May 4 from 6-9 p.m. • Photographer • Studio 95
