Unique Buddhist wall art to meditate the calm of a stunning Hawaiian landscape.
Impressionistic photography of Byodo-In Temple is called “Solitude” for good reason.
Tucked into the foothills of the Koolau mountains on the windward side of Oahu, Hawaii, is the Buddhist Byodo-In Temple. Mist and clouds drift down towards the temple from cooling tradewinds. Someone sets off the Buddhist standing bell, and you feel the reverberation deep in your soul. Peace envelopes you with soundwaves gently fading into the mountains like a plume of smoke carried in the breeze, dissipating as it mixes with the atmosphere. The smell of distant rain mixed with moist volcanic soil and thick tropical plants connects you to the earth.
Impressionist Photography
In creating “Solitude,” I wanted to try a new photographic technique to me called “in the round” or the “Pep Ventosa technique.” Pep created this impressionist photography technique, and while it involves many steps, the outcome, when done well, produces beautiful impressionist photography. Quite literally, you walk around your subject taking almost the same pictures multiple times but stepping around the object by a short distance for each shot. The intent then is to merge them into one impressionistic photo. The method is not simple to achieve, and I had no idea if I could make it work with this image. But I had a burning desire to try. And the beauty of the temple was a tempting subject for creating Buddhist wall art.
This impressionist photography style culminated in taking 13 photos from slightly different positions. I focused on the temple and moved about a foot or two to my right to shoot again. The trick was to keep the building in the same place each time. And finish before the rain clouds opened up, which they certainly did for about 45 minutes after this session.
Once I had those, I combined the 13 photos, aligned them as best as possible to keep the integrity of the temple, and blended each photo into one. Finally, I changed the opacity and light on each image to make some more prominent and others fade into the background. The result is wispy and dreamlike. While rooted in realism, the result is Buddhist wall art that is impressionistic.
Spiritual art: a broad and abstract concept
Perfect for abstract photography art
I selected this “in the round” impressionist photography technique because the outcome produces an abstract vagueness. Symbolically I wanted my temple photo to be a contemplative, individual experience embracing the enigma of what spirituality represents.
Whether spirituality means transcendence or aliveness or something in that spectrum, the focus is on self-reflection, personal study, and connection with something greater than yourself. Hence, the meaning is tough to nail down because it is personal. Therefore, an abstract photo seemed like the way to embrace this scene.
Purposefully, the structure of the temple softens. There is a bit of vagueness to the roofline, the pillars, and the railings. The trees on the mountainside become visual echoes. Some trees are prominent; others dissolve into the distance, which gives a sense of depth and texture. People are recognizable but without details, just abstract figures. A soft garden foreground eventually dissolves into the fountain and pond.
Contemplative art and symbolism in Buddhist wall art.
Contemplative art invites insights by remaining open and curious. As you relax into the emotion of this impressionistic perspective, imagine a Buddhist monk walking on the way to prayers giving you a sense of reverence and awe. Sense the clouds drifting along the trees, just as time moves forward minute by minute. Listen to the almost subliminal splatter of water from the fountain punctuating the still pond.
Your eye follows the horizontal form that sweeps up at the corners into flying eaves. Are they curved to prevent the wooden columns and walls from rotting from rain? Or do they ward off evil spirits who prefer straight lines according to elders? The Asian architecture is symmetrical. We seek out balance in our lives and to exist with nature. Can we, like this temple, not overwhelm our environment? What else do you sense in this image?
Can you give me some tips for decorating my wall with “Solitude?”
11 ideas for decorating with spiritual art
Artwork for daily reflection is a relaxing way to unwind and add beauty to your interior space. Using spiritual art in your home, office, or yoga studio boosts your mood and adds a touch of the sacred to your personal journey. Take a look at how a dreamy Hawaiian landscape can awaken your walls with this Buddhist wall art.
Create a zen space where mind, body, and spirit can be involved. Whether it's the absorbing strategy of chess or a deep conversation with a friend, both benefit from a mystical temple as Zen wall art. Pictured here, "Solitude" is printed on Lumachrome acrylic, a contemporary way to hang artwork without the visual competition of a frame and mat.
Central to Buddhism is the simple enjoyment of everyday life; sipping a cup of tea, for instance. Celebrate the legacy Buddhism gave us with "Solitude" as wall art where you pour a cup of pure enjoyment. Shown here in Lumachrome acrylic, the print is ready to hang upon delivery.
Tough decisions like moves in chess require intellect, creativity, and a calm environment of contemplation. Right concentration demands mindfulness. Compliment the areas in your life with insightful artwork that powers your imagination. "Solitude" here is shown with a thin black gallery frame and sizeable white mat.
Focus on your practice by making your yoga studio an inviting place to leave behind concerns and relax. Let "Solitude" center your attention. This print is framed with a large white mat and a thin black gallery frame. The natural greens of trees and grass bring the beauty of nature into your practice. Green works well with other colors and creates serenity as a versatile color.
Decorate your sanctuary for meditation with Buddhist wall art featuring the Byodo-In Temple. Soft clouds drifting through the trees draw the attention inward. "Solitude" is a perfect compliment to incense, crystals, and a singing bowl. “Solitude” is pictured as a print with a large white mat and a thin black gallery frame for a classic look.
Cultivate the body and the mind. Buddhist monks initially drank tea to fight fatigue and sleep while practicing meditation. Now tea is an inseparable tradition. Sip and appreciate the simple things in life while relaxing in the tranquility of "Solitude," shown here with a large white mat and thin black gallery frame to compliment the back tea set and accessories.
Observing the "Solitude," you realize you've stopped seeing things the way they are; you start seeing things the way you are. So, for a shift in thinking and a break from the endless noise of the world, settle in with this artwork. Displayed here as a Lumachrome acrylic print and uninhibited by mat or frame. Stunning in the way the acrylic captures light and amplifies the colors.
Aesthetically pleasing artwork eases the stress of waiting for a doctor's appointment or medical procedure. Put your patients at ease with the naturescape of Hawaii's landscape and meditative temple. "Solitude" provides a contemplative and comfortable scene to focus waiting patients’ attention. The print is framed in a thin black gallery frame with a large white mat.
Prominent in nature and your living room, the color of bamboo green embodies a vision of lush foliage that offers relaxation. Green symbolizes well-being, balancing the head and heart energies. If your choice is to live with the peacemaker of colors, "Solitude" is an aesthetic green that will blend well in the same setting. The print is finished as a Lumachrome acrylic print, ready to hang without a frame and mat and showing off vibrant healthy colors.
Slow down and give yourself time to unwind and notice your perceptions. "Solitude" offers a different reality. Soft, ethereal, and otherworldly, you'll be moved by how your perception will alter over time. A gallery piece on any wall you display it on, this print is matted with a large white mat and framed with a thin black gallery frame.
Let the entryway to your home welcome guests with a sense of with calm and peace. "Solitude" sets the right frame of mind. Here the print has a large white mat with a thin black gallery frame which accents the black laquered asian entryway table perfectly.
Five aesthetic color combinations for abstract art.
Color palettes for “Solitude” to harmonize with your home, office, or yoga studio.
When considering living with art, your choice of mood for your room is influenced heavily by the color palette. So I’ve pulled out five beautiful color palettes from this impressionist photography to give you a sense of how you can use color in paints, fabrics, and accessories that will complement the choice of “Solitude” as abstract wall art.
Pulling from "Solitude," a colorful palette in this impressionist photography reveals rich colors that add sophistication to your interior design. Link Water is the color of the sky and in the cool blue family of colors. The following two are shades of olive, known for promoting peace and harmony. The fourth color is Bakers Chocolate, a color I've run into in images of forests before. I love the name so much I wrote a post themed around that color. Last is a rich pop of Falu Red: the iconic color of barns in America and wood homes in Northern Europe who emulated the chromatic similarity of more expensive brick structures.
Do you desire to achieve a clean, sleek look? This muted palette pulls Lavender Mist as the first soft blue from this impressionist photography, followed by Link Water with the dreaminess of the cloudy sky. The olive colors follow, offering harmony. Concluding the muted color palette from "Solitude" is Falu Red as seen in the Temple. This red is romantically reminiscent of the whimsical wooden cottages in Sweden, Finland, Estonia, and Norway.
For a cozy room full of life, this dark color palette emphasizes the richest and deepest from "Solitude." At one end of the spectrum is a blue tone called Link Water. Ironically, the sky opened up with steady rain not long after these shots, and water and sky became linked. Next, the olive hue offers a perceptive quality. The density of a very dark green found in New Zealand's forests called Maire emerges next. Finally, seal brown adds the final dark tone like a leather bomber jacket.
For strength and intensity, choose a deep color palette. Observing where your eye sinks into the deepest of colors in this art print called “Solitude,” you’ll find the sky’s most intense tone to be Link Water, a cool shade in the blue family. Next, are olive green colors emanating empathy. Then Baker’s Chocolate, rich and solid like the name, offers a pure dark deepness. Finally, Red Oxide is dramatic, expressive, and luxurious for interiors. Bonus: it revitalizes your spirit with energy.
Focusing on the light in the impressionist photography called "Solitude," the color palette that emerges starts with a light pastel blue-magenta mix called Lavender Mist. Next is a similar light shade with more contrast called Link Water. The third and fourth in line are olive greens, a nod to harmony and sophistication. Last in the line-up of colors is Verdun Green. The word "Verdun" is an Old French derivation that means "green knoll," conjuring up a bright sunny day in the country.
Hawaiian landscape and temple art.
Rituals remind you to appreciate the qualities of awareness, tranquility, and insight. Settling your mind of thoughts and observing your emotions assists your inner journey to well-being. The ritual of coming to the temple is like setting aside time to meditate or journal. Thoughts settle. Focus turns towards the profound. Inner stillness replaces outer chaos. Let “Solitude” guide you to experience your spiritual life.
Ann Newman is an abstract photographer, writer, and creator of Annstracts. As a former, professionally-trained salesperson, Ann understands that people want to solve problems or accelerate growth for a better future. Exploring the symbolism in abstract photos, she lets them tell stories that offer hope. You might find Ann near her home in Phoenix, bent down looking at the tiniest details of a bug, patting any nearby dog, or looking up at a tree to figure out what bird she just heard.