The Daruma Factory

Oil on Canvas 24 in x 24 in / 60 cm x 60 cm

A Daruma doll is a hollow, round, traditional Japanese doll modeled after Bodhidharma, the founder of Zen Buddhism, symbolizing perseverance, good fortune, and goal-setting. Purchased with blank eyes, you paint one eye when setting a wish or goal, and the second eye upon its fulfillment, representing persistence ("fall down seven times, get up eight"). These dolls are typically red but come in other colors, and are used as reminders to stay focused on achieving objectives.

I used to buy one every year from my local temple.

I wondered how and where they were made - there must be (and, indeed is) a factory which produces them. I placed my production line in a glass house with tripical plants all around to give the picture a more enticing and exotic flair.