Goddesses of the Celestial Gallery

Book excerpt: In the tradition of Celestial Gallery, this unique collection of striking Tibetan-style thangka paintings of the Goddesses of the Celestial Gallery are presented together for the first time, in this book-shelf sized format. Reproduced from the master painter Romio Shrestha and his team of artisan monks, who render postmodern interpretations of an age-old Tibetan artistic tradition. Made from malachite, lapis and marigolds and painted at times with just three hairs of a cat's tail, these paintings are produced in hauntingly powerful detail. Goddesses depicted include: "the goddesses of the arts" Saraswati; "the Divine Mother" White Tara a protector and preserver; "the Protectress " Green Tara : "the Dark Goddesses" Palden Lhamo, guardian of the lineage of the Dalai Lamas; and Kali, a wild and uncontrollable consort of Shiva, a devotee of time and keeper of the shadows within ourselves.