Tendai is a figure of contentment, her many hands raised in positions of praise and blessing and her eyes closed in meditation. Surrounded by plants both real and sculpted, this piece created for the Asian-themed venue Tao Beach in Las Vegas represents both the spiritual and earthly world, natural and made.

The word ‘Tendai’ is both a Zimbabwean name, meaning ‘give thanks to God’, and the name of an early Japanese School of Buddhism. Established in 806, the Tendai School (天台宗) pursues an understanding of Buddhist teachings. “Not only human beings, but ants and crickets, mountains and rivers, grasses and trees are all innately Buddhas,” scholar Jacqueline Stone writes of Tendai belief.

Tendai is one of the artist’s growing collection of pieces inspired by deities, with each of the goddess-like figures symbolic of humanity’s place in the natural world.

“The depths of the hearts Of humankind cannot be known. But in my birthplace The plum blossoms smell the same As in the years gone by.” – Jien, Tendai monk and poet