Lopen Phurba Namgay
		Phurba Namgay was born in 1964 in the village of Chendipji in Trongsa. When he was a child, as part of his preparation to become a monk, he studied Tibetan writing (Choki), “dharma” and “ritual” under watchful eye of his uncle, one of Bhutan’s Lama’s.
		Exhibiting unusual talent for drawing, at the age of 13 he entered formal studies of traditional Bhutanese painting, at the Institute for Zorig Chusum, the government’s school of traditional arts in Thimphu.
		After eight years of study Namgay gained an apprenticeship, which eventually led him to become a master painter. The next eight years of Namgay’s life were spent working on commissions of murals temples and monasteries throughout the kingdom of Bhutan. Examples of his work can be seen in Punakha Dzong, Paro Dzong, Trashichhodsong and Paro Tsang Chuiko.
		Namgay returned to the Institute for Zorig Chusum in 1990 to as an instructor of thanka painting and rimo, or drawing. Artworks produced by Namgay represent some of the best examples of contemporary Bhutanese thankas and mandalas available. Nmagay specializes in commissions employing hand mixed natural pigments, mineral paints and 24k gold. Phurba Namgay uses the traditional methods of thanka painting that include preparing his own canvas, paints of minerals and natural pigments and brushes of natural animal hairs. Mahayana Buddhism permeates all of Phurba Namgay’s works as well as his life. His paintings are imbued with power and a blessing of spiritual integrity. Lopen Phurba Namgay’s thankas grace temples and art collections all over the world. He lives in Thimphu.
		On Thanka Painting	Phurba Namgay's Bio
		The Thankas