February 17th, 2023
January 18th, 2023
This visit to Vietnam has been an unforgettable experience. From the bustling city streets to the beautiful rural landscapes, Vietnam is full of wonder. The second stop on my Asia buying trip was central Vietnam, where our hand-carved, marble statues come to life!
Every trip to Asia gives me the chance to step away from the normal patterns of my life and allows me to think differently. Jumping over puddles, dodging the occasional marble projectile as I walk through the streets filled with artists carving marble statues, my mind is free to wander. I always come up with my best ideas when I am strolling around looking for statues.
During this perfectly happy time, I jumped across a puddle thinking I was landing in a tiny puddle only to discover it was a much deeper lake of marble dust sinking both shoes up to my ankle in sludge. This started my day of marble shopping in Vietnam. Thankfully the day got much better!
I was immediately drawn to these amazing sculptures (pictured above). I had seen them before in paintings but had never seen sculptures of them. They are Noi, fierce temple guardians who embody good and evil (yin & yang). The detail and realism of the pair are just amazing with their intense stare and rippling muscles. Watching these magnificent statues being carved is a truly awe-inspiring experience. The skill and dedication of the artisans is remarkable, as they transform single blocks of simple marble into beautiful, intricately carved works of art. I cannot wait to have them in our warehouse to keep all the negative energy from entering!
I have known Lan and Huong for 15 years. After dinner, we all went to a dessert restaurant where I tried 5 different dishes of variations of fruit and coconut milk each stranger and more delicious than the previous dish. I asked her why it was that Vietnamese people were so happy and carefree. She replied with a simple answer that was actually the perfect answer….”We feel safe.”
I meditated on this while staring out the window on the ride back home to my hotel room. When I sat on my bed I immediately deleted all my news apps on my phone. Nothing inspires division, fear and hate more than our modern media. Good riddance!
Kuan pictured above is one of the main artists who is in charge of the final finer details of a sculpture. When I first started Lotus Sculpture 22 years ago, I used to think that one person carved each statue. That is not the case. Each statue is carved by a group of artists with each person responsible for a different aspect of the statue.
There are separate people who are responsible for:
1. The rough cut: Artists cut out the outline of the statue from a solid block of marble.
2. Carving the entire body and shape of the face.
3. Carving the intricate details of the robes.
4. Carving the finer details like the facial expression and slender curves of the fingers.
5. Sanding and polishing the final statue.
Highly skilled artists, like Kuan, carve the most important aspect of the statue; the face and hands. Just watching him work for 10 minutes and seeing the smile of Avalokiteshvara come to life is pure bliss for me!
This buying trip so far has been such an incredible experience.
I’m so thankful to have had yet another opportunity to take an amazing trip to Vietnam and I already cannot wait to come back!
Next stop, Cambodia to visit my wood artists and to look for new stone and bronze artists. Stay tuned!
~Kyle Tortora, Founder, Lotus Sculpture
January 11th, 2023
I finally made it back!
Vietnam is great! Everyone just lives their lives and enjoys it. There isn’t any pretense or anger between individuals. Driving, everyone is cutting people off and doing 3-point turns in the middle of busy roads. No one cares. It’s refreshing. Some people dance in the park at 7 am while others line up for group massages. I love it. It is the way life should be.
I always have such an incredible time here visiting the country’s local artisans in search of new, unique, and simply stunning wooden Buddhist sculptures.
As I make my way throughout Vietnam’s quaint coastal towns, jungles, and bustling cities – prepare yourself to be amazed by our artisans showcasing their incredible craftsmanship.
I’ve already discovered an abundance of new, one-of-a-kind, hand-carved wooden figures that radiated love, peace, and harmony. From wooden Buddha statues to Guanyin, Bodhidharma, and Hotei Buddhas, there are so many fantastic sculptures to admire here in this wonderful country.
Follow along as I share my encounters with the talented artists of Lotus Sculpture and give you a sneak peek into which statues may be coming with me!
Below are the faces of the artists Lotus Sculpture buys our wood statues from. I visited in the week before their Lunar New Year; Tet. It could not have been a better time for them to sell some of their statues. They were overjoyed to have some extra money right before they go on a month’s vacation for the New Year. On behalf of the artists, I will also say thank you to our wonderful customers. None of this would be possible without you!
I remember the first time Tai came into our warehouse. I was instantly drawn to him and his bright youthful smile. He was dressed in his mustard-colored monk’s robes with a brown shawl. He radiated bliss and happiness. He walked around the warehouse like he had been there a thousand times before, laughing as my dog, Oso, came up to greet him with a sniff, and taking pictures with my employee, Mark. He was looking for a Buddha statue for the main shrine of his new Temple in Valley Center, Dharma Mountain and Forest Meditation Temple (Thiền Viện Pháp Thuận). He was the happiest person I had ever met.
Since that first meeting, Tai has become a regular here at Lotus Sculpture. Over the years we have made several deliveries of temple sculptures to Dharma Mountain including a large 7 foot meditating Buddha sculpture that is nestled under a tree in their large open front yard. More recently, we delivered a large incense urn to be placed in front of the Buddha. It has been a pleasure visiting Tai over the years and watching the temple grow.
I have a deep sense of peace and contentment whenever I am in the open spaces of the temple with Tai. Oso is always welcome to join me. He runs freely on the grounds and has even jumped into the temple pond for a quick swim.
I always comment on the lifelong relationships I have developed with my artisans. The relationships that have blossomed between my customers and I have been just as valuable and have brought Tai’s blissful disposition into my life. For that, I am forever grateful.
~Kyle Tortora, Founder, Lotus Sculpture
The Buddha is often depicted within art and sculpture holding many different poses or postures. A lot of times these poses include specific hand gestures as well as positioning of the legs. Many people wonder the meanings behind these certain hand gestures and seated positions. The Buddha is often seen with either his ankles tucked, called the Double Lotus position, or with one leg resting atop the other which is called a Single Lotus position. These seated positions are in combination with certain hand gestures called Mudras.
One such posture that is commonly seen is the Buddha sitting with crossed legs (Double Lotus) and both hands resting palms up upon his knees. This stance represents meditation and is the most common posture due to the Buddha’s enlightenment through meditation underneath the Bodhi Tree. This stance, called the Meditation Buddha, represents inner wisdom, emotional stability, and clarity of the mind.
Another important posture is that of the Buddha with legs crossed (Double Lotus), left hand resting face up within his lap, and right hand pointing to the ground with his palm facing towards him. This pose is regarded as the Buddha calling the earth as witness to the moment he reached enlightenment. This stance, called the Enlightenment Buddha, signifies gaining insight, achieving great character, and having self-discipline.
Here are a few more common postures of the Buddha:
Protection Buddha: The Buddha sits in either Double or Single Lotus position with right hand raised facing outward and left hand in the lap. This position represents having courage and offers the bearer protection against fear, delusion, and anger.
Teaching Buddha: The Buddha sits in a Double Lotus position with hands up at chest level. His hands form a circle by joining thumbs and index fingers with the right palm facing in and the left facing out. This position brings about wisdom, understanding, and finding the truth behind your life’s path.
Contemplation Buddha: The Buddha stands with legs together and both arms against the chest, palms in, and right hand on top of the right. This pose represents patient understanding.
Free UPS Ground Shipping SALE!
For a limited time we are offering free UPS Ground shipping on all orders within the 48 States. International customers will receive a 40% discount off the price of shipping. This discount will be extended to our Canadian customers as well!
Items weighing over 150 pounds including packing materials will be shipped using a freight service. Domestic Freight will be discounted by 35%!
