Photograph by Ray Powers.

Photograph by Ray Powers.

Photograph by Ray Powers.

Photograph by Ray Powers.

Photograph by Ray Powers.

Photograph by Ray Powers.

Photograph by Ray Powers.

Ray Powers, Ojai’s multitalented composer, songwriter and photographer, will present “Monks and Mandalas” at the August meeting of the Ojai Photo Club. The meeting will take place on Tuesday, August 18, 2015, at 7:00 p.m. at Help of Ojai’s Kent Hall, 111 Santa Ana Street, Ojai, CA.

A fusion of images, music and storytelling, the presentation documents the visit of the Tibetan monks of the DrepungLoselingMonastery to Ojai in May of this year. Powers follows their meditative construction of a sand painting of the Buddha of Compassion and then its ceremonial destruction.

His original score accompanies the images, interweaving the ancient chants of the monks with contemporary synthesizers. This multimedia approach is rooted in Powers’ unitary concept of art: his perspective embraces, as he expresses it, “all art forms as extensions of one another, sharing the same wellspring of creative thought. With sound, words, and images similar attributes are shared: the contrasting tension of opposites, provocative storytelling and the conscious interpretation of perception.”

Before the presentation, Powers will outline the history of the monks, their spiritual lineage, their monastery in the Tibetan diaspora community in India, as well as their commitment to peace. Documenting the monks’ visit to Ojai was especially meaningful to Powers because of an earlier encounter with them: “I first made acquaintance with the Tibetan Monks from the DrepungLoseling monastery in New Mexico in1989. The occasion was the first Rainbow Warrior Festival, a multicultural arts and music gathering to promote peace, encourage tolerance and celebrate diversity. I was flown from California to photograph and document the event. Fast forward to 2015 and I have the honor to share a week with the next generation of monks from the same lineage as they teach, provide ceremony and create a sand painting mandala of the Buddha of Compassion for the city of Ojai.”

Because of the stillness needed to immerse the meeting into the world of the monks, Powers will play his cedar flute to bring calm and silence into the room. Then the images will reflect, as he says, “what my eyes perceived, my mind understood and my heart experienced.”

A resident of Matilija Canyon, Powers has had a long career in a variety of artistic media, and is best known for his pioneering work in East/West fusion music, most recently for his “Valley of the Moon Suite.”This groundbreaking composition is the first orchestral work written about the Ojai Valley; it had a world premiere in Aprilwith a performance by the Ojai Youth Symphony.

After his presentation, Powers will review images submitted by club members. Monthly presentations are part of the Ojai Photography Club’s community service outreach and visitors are welcome to attend.

The Ojai Photography Club, which is devoted to education, inspiration, and camaraderie, meets on the third Tuesday of each month, February –November. Only members may submit images for critique. For additional information please visit: www.ojaiphotoclub.com/ and www.raymondpowers.com