• Arts
  • Creative Work Fund

Penpa Tsering is collaborating with the Tibetan Association of Northern California (TANC) to create a full set of traditional Tibetan altar pieces for TANC’s community center in Richmond, California. Traditional Tibetan woodcarving requires mastery over techniques as well as images, symbols, and motifs. The lead artist started his practice as an apprentice to two Tibetan master craftsmen at the age of 12 in Lhasa, Tibet. While inside Tibet, he was involved with reconstruction of monasteries and temples. He continued doing carpentry work in exile at Norbulingka Institute in Dharamsala, India, but has had limited opportunities to share his craft in the United States. TANC was founded in 1990 to preserve, practice, and promote Tibetan cultural traditions and to empower Tibetan Americans to thrive and to become contributing members of society.