Lawrence Diggs

“When we create art together, we can tell a deeper story than just the words we use.”

Lawrence  Diggs, 76, is an artist, a Soto Zen monk, and a Buddhist prison chaplain. He founded The International Vinegar Museum in South Dakota, designed and created a national emergency medical system in Burkina Faso, and helped plan and build a Buddhist temple in San Francisco. He has been honored with numerous awards, including a Medal of Honor with gold stars from Burkina Faso. 

Lawrence employs diverse media to be a conduit for others to learn new techniques, use different materials, and discover new ways of thinking about art. “I say, come sit with me. If you feel scared, let me know and we can work it out. If you don’t have resources, let me help you find them. That seems to be the most important thing I do.” 

As a prison chaplain, Lawrence helped individuals impacted by the justice system create an outreach group that crafts handmade greeting cards to normalize compassion in the prison. They draw the images and write the greetings, and the message is, “You are not forgotten, you are seen, you exist, and you have people in this prison who care about you.” 

When we talk about funding, we usually focus on the money. Lawrence approaches funding from a standpoint of inquiry: he asks, what are you trying to do? What is it that you want? What’s your goal? What’s your mission statement? Not just in this one piece, but in your whole life? 

Experience Lawrence’s work and words here.