About Lama Pema Tenzin

Early Years

Lama Pema Tenzin is a Vajrayana artist from Bhutan, a beautiful and environmentally pristine Buddhist country, high up in the Himalayan Mountains. This country is a visual feast for the eyes and art is an integral part of the culture.

Pema’s father, Lama Kunzang Garwang, was Pema’s first teacher. Lama Kunzang Garwang was also an artist and he recognized Pema’s artistic abilities first. In those times there was not paper in Bhutan to spare for things like a young boys doodles. But they did have writing tablets. These were made from a piece of smooth wood like plywood. The surface was painted black and then spread with a type of grease. That surface was sprinkled with white ash from the fire and that was the tool used to practice letter writing and for Pema, Art!

At the age of thirteen he began focusing on the traditional Tibetan and Bhutanese arts with his teacher Buli Tulku Rinpoche, learning how to create beautiful thangka paintings, sand mandalas and tormas and how to build stupas according to the ancient guidelines. Buli Tulku Rinpoche is a true master who studied with and received his teachings from His Holiness Dudjom Rinpoche. Buli Tulku Rinpoche continues to teach his students all the sacred arts and has worked tirelessly to that end. Pema also studied with Loppen Ugyen Lhundrub, a revered Vajrayana artist who was awarded the gold medal during the Silver Jubilee Anniversary (1999) from the fourth King of Bhutan, as the best thangka artist of the country in his time and who also continues to teach, and finally Pema also strengthened his understanding of sacred art by living and studying with the great Terton Padgyal Lingpa.

Arrival in the States

In 1991 HE Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche was in need of two Vajrayana artists for his flourishing center in Northern California. Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche asked Buli Tulku Rinpoche for a recommendation and Buli Tulku Rinpoche recommended Lama Pema, who was also endorsed by the Royal family of Bhutan. That year Lama Pema came to Chagdud Gompa for just a few months, speaking no English and a little bit homesick. He returned again the next year to California at the centers request, and has been returning every year since.

As Lama Pema became more comfortable in his surroundings here, learned a little english and made some friends, he has made the US his second home, bringing Vajrayana art and goodwill to such exotic places as Tennessee and Florida. In this country he lives in San Rafael, CA.