VAST: The Art Cafe

It was in junior high school when I was dying to become an artist. I was lucky to meet my art inspiration and English teacher, Karma Wangchuk in Paro, but I never had any formal training from him. I would just look at his work, go back to hostel and play with my colors.

It was about that time VAST opened in Thimphu. By then I was doing well with watercolor and was winning some prizes in school art competitions. I went to Thimphu several times just return from the VAST door, I couldn't dare walk into the studio. I was very insecure. I thought it was for the rich and talented. That mistake cost me heavily. Even though I kept the passion throughout high school I couldn't really do anything significant. I couldn't afford a set of oil paint, and when I finally bought one I couldn't buy a canvas. Today I could afford both but my art has left me.

Still today I dream to visit VAST, I slow my car when I pass by their Chubachu Studio just to see what is inside but a certain feeling of guilt won't allow me to pull over and walk into the studio. I have known and seen the great founder of VAST Asha Karma for years and I have huge admiration for the man. I just wish I had gone to him, I know he would have made me an artist. I wish I had known VAST is for anyone who loves art. Perhaps being an artist was never painted on me.

Asha Karma & VAST

Well that was my story but yours shouldn't be like mine. I have asked VAST artists and lovers about the formalities of visiting VAST and there is none. You can walk in just like that and if you wish you could spend hours painting there under the guidance of professional artists. If you have your art works you could take there and hang them among their works to be sold. It's a haven for artists.

So Dear Readers, if you have an artist in you, among your friends or in your family who wants to take art seriously in life take them to VAST. It keeps its door open to everybody. I am going there in December for sure, I am not too old begin again. 

Oil on Canvas for my King and Queen

As I watched my friend Hemlal giving finishing touch to the portrait of their majesties the king and queen for their wedding celebration, I wondered how I should express those million feelings that are singing in my heart. I could see people around me writing beautiful poems and composing sweet musics, there are already so many lines written on Facebook walls and blogs, how could I write something so differently satisfying? Eventually, after months of pondering I realized however I write I am only going to dilute my strong feelings.
Then during one of my visits to Hemlal's makeshift studio I suddenly remembered my childhood passion for painting. But since he has done the portrait so well I had to think of another way; something through which I could bring out the character of the compassionate king and the divine romance of the wedding.
I recollected all the kings I know from history and none really qualified my criteria- some weren't kind, some were brutal, some fully consumed by greed and others by lust, the few kind kings I remembered weren't either wise or handsome. There was no one worldly king I could think of who could be used as a legendary reflection of our beloved king.

Penciling my feelings.

The only king I know who so much characterizes our king was but an imaginary king from Disney Renaissance; an image of the perfect king envisioned by Walt Disney Feature Animation- yes the Lion King. The king I loved for ages. There among the many pictures of Lion King I saw one which emits the radiance of pure love and eternal comfort, which is exactly what I wish for our king. Thus I picked it up and started sharing the room with Hemlal.

The Finished canvas. 

Oil and Canvas for Royal Wedding

There are million things happening at a time in Bhutan for the celebration of Royal Wedding and I am involved in half a million of them- at least I like to be. I am chasing deadline after deadline, personal to official, and moving out of my comfort zone in making the occasion something I can cherish forever as my personal achievement.
I am being approached by two groups of students to help them record their song, direct their MTV, Edit the Video and send it to BMF for the Book of Congratulations. They won't believe when I say I can't and therefore I am into it. I promised them that even if their MTV doesn't make it for the book it will go to Youtube. Then there are poets who want me to edit their poems, type it and send. On the other hand I am collecting pictures from students for the Bhutan Observer collage creation.
I am advising our school carpenter on the engineering of a giant structure he is building for the royal wedding dance, helping Dzongkhag in writing felicitation message to be published in Newspapers, assisting school administration in coming up with ideas to celebrate in our own school... I have copies of all the letters addressed to school for the celebration and I am celebrating it already.

Far in the corner of storeroom, my colleague Hemlal Pokhrel is doing his magic on Canvas. He is the artistic branch of our school and for the last few days he has set up his studio in the desolate room. He is doing a larger then life portrait of the royal couple to be used as the central piece during the celebration in Punakha. I visit him often in his studio to appreciate his work and push him ahead.

Hemlal going larger than life

I haven't yet thought of what I and my family would do to celebrate the auspicious wedding...