Gyaltsen, Woodcarving master
Gyaltsen was born in Ngamring, a region in U-Tsang, Tibet in 1976. Like many families in that area of Tibet, his family was both herders and farmers, and Gyaltsen spent the early years of his childhood helping in the fields and looking after the family flocks. Gyaltsen’s father also worked as a stone mason, trained in the special Tibetan skill of masonry where craftsman expertly fit together stone blocks without the use of mortar.
At the age of fifteen, Gyaltsen travelled to Lhasa to learn carpentry. Most houses in his region are traditionally made using a post and beam construction, with window and doorframes also made of wood, and so carpentry was a very useful profession to master. Gyaltsen explains that during his youth, most of the youngsters aspired to learn carpentry, as there was never a shortage of work for a skilled craftsman.
Gyaltsen spent three years in Lhasa as an apprentice and then one day, he got a call from his brother in India, encouraging Gyaltsen to join him. Gyaltsen’s brother, who had already begun working at Norbulingka, explained that Norbulingka had a woodworking section headed by a very knowledgeable master. He thought this would be a great opportunity for Gyaltsen to further his skills, and Gyaltsen agreed.
In 1998 Gyaltsen travelled from Tibet to India, and after a few short months, joined Norbulingka under the instruction of Choe Phuntsok. Choe Phuntsok’s curriculum was unique in that it taught both carpentry and carving, where before these had been considered separate skills. The first few months of the course were spent learning how to sketch traditional designs commonly used in Tibetan decorative arts. Students then learned to carve these images on wood. Gradually, they moved on to more complex designs and acquired the carpentry skills necessary to create elaborate religious thrones and altars commissioned by monasteries and individuals. These designs were all taken from the common repertoire of Tibetan motifs, but stylized by the master Cho Phuntsok to create a recognizable Norbulingka look.
After a six-year course, Gyaltsen became a professional artist, and worked together with the carving team creating Norbulingka’s line of carved products such as incense burners and nomad tables, as well as special commissions.
In 2010, Gyaltsen became the master of the woodcarving section, heading a team of about 10 individuals. He believes that it is extremely important to preserve the tradition of Tibetan woodcarving, because it is through the various customs and traditions that an entire culture is preserved, and he, like all Tibetans, wishes to see Tibetan culture flourish for many centuries to come. Gyaltsen also believes that it is crucial to preserve not only Tibetan artistic tradition and designs as a whole, but also the individual methods. For example, although the design and proportions of a flower in a thangka painting may be the same as in a woodcarving, the rendering of each is an entirely different process that is unique to the particular skill, and so it is essential that practical knowledge be passed down as well as knowledge of designs and proportions.
At the age of fifteen, Gyaltsen travelled to Lhasa to learn carpentry. Most houses in his region are traditionally made using a post and beam construction, with window and doorframes also made of wood, and so carpentry was a very useful profession to master. Gyaltsen explains that during his youth, most of the youngsters aspired to learn carpentry, as there was never a shortage of work for a skilled craftsman.
Gyaltsen spent three years in Lhasa as an apprentice and then one day, he got a call from his brother in India, encouraging Gyaltsen to join him. Gyaltsen’s brother, who had already begun working at Norbulingka, explained that Norbulingka had a woodworking section headed by a very knowledgeable master. He thought this would be a great opportunity for Gyaltsen to further his skills, and Gyaltsen agreed.
In 1998 Gyaltsen travelled from Tibet to India, and after a few short months, joined Norbulingka under the instruction of Choe Phuntsok. Choe Phuntsok’s curriculum was unique in that it taught both carpentry and carving, where before these had been considered separate skills. The first few months of the course were spent learning how to sketch traditional designs commonly used in Tibetan decorative arts. Students then learned to carve these images on wood. Gradually, they moved on to more complex designs and acquired the carpentry skills necessary to create elaborate religious thrones and altars commissioned by monasteries and individuals. These designs were all taken from the common repertoire of Tibetan motifs, but stylized by the master Cho Phuntsok to create a recognizable Norbulingka look.
After a six-year course, Gyaltsen became a professional artist, and worked together with the carving team creating Norbulingka’s line of carved products such as incense burners and nomad tables, as well as special commissions.
In 2010, Gyaltsen became the master of the woodcarving section, heading a team of about 10 individuals. He believes that it is extremely important to preserve the tradition of Tibetan woodcarving, because it is through the various customs and traditions that an entire culture is preserved, and he, like all Tibetans, wishes to see Tibetan culture flourish for many centuries to come. Gyaltsen also believes that it is crucial to preserve not only Tibetan artistic tradition and designs as a whole, but also the individual methods. For example, although the design and proportions of a flower in a thangka painting may be the same as in a woodcarving, the rendering of each is an entirely different process that is unique to the particular skill, and so it is essential that practical knowledge be passed down as well as knowledge of designs and proportions.
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