Colorado Bronze Visit

Our traveling swamis visited the somewhat remote workshop of Bryan Buikema, called C8. Bryan was an apprentice to Bobby Page who crafted all of our bronzes over the years: the amazing silpi statues, Hanuman and more. When Bobby decided to take the Great Journey last year, his wife Kathy introduced us to his successor Bryan, and this was our first meeting with him.

He took us through his shop in rural Colorado where he is working on two projects for the monastery: the 35 bronze panels for Iraivan Temple and a custom-crafted chain for our new Bell Tower.

It proved to be a creative meeting during which the details of the chain were brainstormed and additional refinements revealed. Such oneness of mind is a key to successful creative projects.

Bryan's assistant, Tim, shared with us the technical process of making the chain, a bit too convoluted for this story but fascinating. You will see more of Bryan's metal craftsmanship in the years ahead.

Paramacharya and Tillainathaswami meet Bryan. Holly Young flew all the way from the Big Island to be with us for two days. She is working with C8 on our two projects and was eager to meet Bryan.

Bryan with his son.

Examining the 14\" by 48\" bronze panels.

The text is cast by specialists in Pittsburg and shipped to C8 where Holly\

s art is attached. The background will be black when finally done, and the text golden. '

A look at the rough panel before the patina is added.

Bryan is also crafting a special small chain which will hold the 510-pound granite bell in our new shrine. The chain will go through the redwood beam, inside the yellow circle.

We encounter his chain for the first time. Wow!

It is different than the design we submitted. His team tried to do that one, but the stainless steel was not amenable to the bending it required.

So this new design evolved, and we love it. More organic than our design.

This is the device Bryan invented to shape the links.

So natural looking. Good job!

Next time you visit Kauai Aadheenam you may see this holding the bell.

Amazingly, Bryan\

s design is similar to the stone chain, which he had never seen. He was a bit astounded when we showed this to him. '
}

];