Pema Namdol Thaye is a painter, sculptor, 3D-mandala specialist, traditional Tibetan architect, author, and art educator. An artist of Tibetan-Bhutanese heritage who studied in Kalimpong, India, he has won international acclaim as a master of traditional Himalayan arts. He was awarded permanent residency in the United States in 2008. In the same year he founded Padma Studios in Los Angeles.