Sydney photographer Jamie Williams is one of my favourites – he photographs all the Tibetan events back home and beyond, and has a way of capturing the moment perfectly. I will be featuring more of Jamie’s work soon, but for now I just wanted to show you this one which I love. It is available as a card too, and I bought a set of them a while back for birthdays and special occasions. This image is titled Enlightenment. He also shoots such events like Australian Fashion Week, and various festivals. Check out his flickr set here.

This special documentary created by Australian Lara Damiani, was guided by her burning passion for human rights, social justice and freedom. Starting back in 2006 and funded through personal cash and bank finance, Lara decided it was time to begin filming. Her subject matter just happens to be something close to my heart: The plight of Tibet and the Tibetans.

But unable to secure finance for post production, the project stalled a little while ago until a generous donor unexpectedly came to the rescue. As Lara says, “It’s a perfect example of what can be achieved when people who really believe in something come together”. Please give a large round of applause for Lara as I introduce you to her film “Tibet’s Cry for Freedom”, with this exclusive trailer, narrated by actress Kerri Armstrong…


Find more videos like this on Candle4Tibet


Congratulations Lara, this looks to be a fantastic production, I can’t wait to see it! For more information, please visit Lara’s site here.

well you may be aware that I have alot of things on my mind right now. My plans have become my unplans, and my focus has shifted for the moment. I’ll keep you informed of my whereabouts in due time. For now, I want to share one of the things at the forefront of my mind: I have been receiving many messages over the past few weeks… and I won’t pretend it’s not a little bit exciting to get an email from Richard Gere in my inbox. But I know it’s only because we just happen to share a common interest in humanity…

Today, being the eve of the Olympics, I will be starting another series of posts about Tibet and China for the duration of The Games in Beijing. I love both these countries for the positive attributes they offer the world. And I will be showcasing some of the things that I love about them and how they inspire me.

Starting with this message from my friend Dorji Dolma la in Sydney, with thanks to the ATC and Get Up Australia – two associations that have worked tirelessly to bring awareness to the plight of the Tibetans. Please watch and listen to her message and remember, humanity needs Tibet.

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images courtesy of The Art of Peace Foundation.

“A TibetSydney hand-weave isn’t a rug; it’s a story. A story where one becomes part of the narrative… Here it becomes a calm controversy of textures, palette and meanings between the occidental and oriental, futurism and antiquity, noise and contemplation, skin and intellect…”

I have found I have become so fascinated in the art of weaving – it is such an art, and just the sight of a loom makes me a little giddy. The TibetSydney showroom in Queens St, Woollahra is not only an inspiration for it’s weaved creations, but is also an interior masterpiece, created by famed architect Donavon Hill…

I first learnt about TibetSydney in Vogue Living, and I remember drooling over the images and carefully digesting every single word…

And I remember thinking, how does something so ‘everyday’ like a rug, become so evocative, so rich and layered, so full of depth. And I thought – it is culture. It is influences. It is one’s personal experiences and attachments as an artist that is interweaved into each piece, creating and weaving stories into each creation.

This is something I hope to achieve in my own work, in whatever medium it takes. The idea of weaving one’s cultural experiences and intimate moments into an everyday artefact makes an interior sparkle with life.

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Click here to read the story narrative of the TibetSydney rugs, and the inspiration of the designs.

Some years ago, the time known as ‘my indigo days’ when I had my store, I used to hold special exhibitions to mark the arrival of new furniture or art. One night, in November of 2003, I was to hold my last exhibition. I was showcasing the work of a local photographer’s visit to India, and I had invested in a large collection of antique furniture from India as well as antique jewellery from Tibet. The opening night was a hit – the store was full to the brim. And one of the lovely people who came in that evening with her 4 young children in tow was Sophie Bouris.

I will never forget, because my store was not exactly child friendly. But these children were so well-behaved – surrounded by loads of strangers, in a frenzy of chatter and bustle as cushions, tables, clothes, and jewellery were being ogled and passed over the counter. Sophie and I connected on that one fleeting first meeting, and looking back we see that our chance encounter was perhaps, no chance at all.

I tell you all this because it is my meeting Sophie that led us both to meeting Tenpa, and both of us individually yet concurrently, developing a special connection with him and his family.

Fast forward to today, and Sophie and my other dear friend Leona, recently returned from an incredibly sacred journey to Tibet with Tenpa, his sister Thongga and their father who is known to many as Rinpoche, but who I call pala (father, in Tibetan). The journey was perilous as the risk of Tibetans travelling back to their own country can be fatal. I was distraught when they all left, and I sent them my positive thoughts every moment of every day they were away. I hung on to every email Tenpa was able to send me to tell me they were all safe, and I was a wreck when I would receive mail that sounded tentative and less than reassuring. But they all arrived home safely and live to tell the tale.

And here it is…

Sophie has compiled this incredible book filled with stories and events from the journey, including her stunning photographs and the journey details through the eyes of pala, Tenpa and Thongga. I have been lucky enough to have sneak peaks over the last few months as the book has been developing, and I will give you only five words to describe it: intimate, captivating, intriguing, heart-breaking and inspiring. A must read for not just those interested in Tibet, but anyone who has a heart.

I am so excited to announce that Sophie has given me the go-ahead to offer the book for pre-order. Just email me your name and contact details and I will put you on the list for the first books off the printing press in August. The aim of the book is to raise awareness of the Tibetan situation and hopefully raise some money from sales.

The book will initially come out of Australia but we’d like to offer the book all over the world, and in lots of languages – so if you are interested to volunteer translations or to help subsidize a print run here in Europe or America, please let me know.

Thank you Sophie, for creating such an incredible body of work, and for sharing it with us all.