Kite at Eagle Peak

Kite at Eagle Peak, 30 x 30 cm acrylic on canvas, © Olivier Hijmans 2015

Mountains always have my attention. Is it their solidity? Their overwhelming appearance? The way they play with light? Their vistas? Probably all of the above.

Kite at Eagle peak is a painting I made in 2015. It is now for sale on Saatchiart.

Eagle Peak is the mountain top where the Buddha is said to have expounded his teaching called the Lotus Sutra. This is regarded his most important teaching, in which he declares all life to be inherently endowed with the highest potential for wisdom, compassion, courage, happiness and fortune.. no ordinary message indeed.

So I used this single fluttering kite as a symbol for this state of absolute spiritual freedom, as it playfully dances around this serene mountain top. The moon is there to witness the show.

Herbie Hancock on Buddhism and Creativity

"...and I hope all of us can agree that we are all artists playing the music, writing the script or painting the picture of our lives.." -Herbie Hancock

Seriously, I have nothing to add to what Jazz Legend Herbie Hancock expresses in this talk, given as part of a Harvard University lecture series. Please take the time to watch this full hour and ten minutes... it's so worth it. It is really encouraging to sense the incredible life condition of this great music pioneer, with whom I share my mentor in life, Daisaku Ikeda. And as an artist and human being, I will take Mr. Hancock's profound words to heart.