Color Wheel Mandala - the Circle , Triangle and Spiral- Finished

I found I could say things with color and shapes that I couldn't say any other way - 

things I had no words for.
Georgia O'Keeffe

This is the color wheel mandala that I started at our mandala workshop last sunday.  I have been laid up since the workshop with a problem knee.  It has been raining everyday, and I have found such solace in the drawing I have done on this mandala.  Working with the color wheel, mixing the fine pencil point of one color into another on the lovely nubby paper, has a comforting healing effect.  I was lost for hours, watching the colors emerge, blend and over lap.  Playing with the shapes, witnessing they way they interact and the stories they seem to tell me intuitively is an endless pleasure.
Truly healing.  Blessings to all.

Exploring the 5 Universal Shapes -Spring Mandala Workshop

Yesterday Patricia and I facilitated our Spring Mandala Retreat Day.  We incorporated Angeles Arrien's process with the 5 Universal Shapes into our mandalas.  The energy in the group seemed to hum with contentment as we welcomed the Spring through creating mandalas in community.  

Here are the  photos that were taken of the days creative process.  

 These are the scale of light experimental doodles that we did at the begining of the day,  each of us exploring the circle, square, triangle, equal distant cross, and circle in our drawings.

                              
                                  Shapes Mandalas with just a hint of color coming into them.

 It is magical to see these in process photos of this drawing process.
Look at the magical, emergence of color and light in Marsha's mandala.  So luminous!!

                           It is amazing to see how each persons drawing essence presents itself.

I feel so honored to witness this creative emergence drawing process, and sharing it here is also a shared pleasure..

                                                        Everyone working away.

 I loved the energy in the room in the afternoon, after we had been deeply drawing for a while. The focused joy of drawing was almost  visceral.  Both calming and energizing at the same time.  The healing power of art and the focusing energy of drawing mandalas, intertwined.  How lovely.

 This is me drawing the my mandala.  I was working with the circle, spiral and triangle.

            Here are everyones mandala's at the end of the day.  Each one so unique and whole.

 Everyone agreed to send me images of them when they are complete, so I will post them when they arrive.

I personally started a color wheel mandala, and I really look forward to playing with it and letting it emerge into what it will become.  I will post its evolution eventually..Until then, happy drawing.

Mandala ...and the Spiral Process

As I spent time working on this mandala during the week, I reflected on my last post here, where I was a bit discouraged about flitting around from one art project to another and not losing myself deeply into one experience.  I realized ...or rather had a rather large epiphany that like the center of this mandala, I was deeply into the Spiral Process at this point in my life.  When one is in the spiral process, they are engaged in experimentation, moving from experience to experience,  seemingly going around in circles, but actually moving into different levels of awareness.  Change is the constant and is what is needed for growth and healing.   

So in my Friday Medicine Art group this week, I shared this awareness as well as Angeles Arrien's 5 Universal Shapes Experiential, which is explained in depth in her beautiful book The Signs of Life.  Realizing this changed my perspective around how I spend my time these days, and shifted me from judgement to joy. This mandala is still not complete, but its getting closer to the essence of where it wants to be.  I will post it once again when it is truely complete.  

For those who do not know of Angeles Arrien, she is well worth finding out about.  She is a cross cultural anthropologist, Basque Mystic storyteller.  She has written many wonderful books on myth and symbol as well as researching rites of passage and tying them into contemporary life.  She is an inspiration to hear speak and is truly a wise woman teacher.  More information can be found on the link to her website.  

My Slowly Evolving Mandala

I have been slowly working on the Mandala I started at the last Illuminated Mandala summer retreat day.  My focus was creating a visual prayer for the earth.. It has changed a bit and will continue to evolve over time.

As color has come in, the central focus has been come a spiral at the center of the earth rather than the earth itself.   It always amazes me how images have a life of their own and take form of their own accord.  I just follow the inner prompts and see where it takes me.   I have to remember to stay out of judgement and into the witness.  I guess just getting out of the way.
I will post more images of this mandala as it evolves. 

Setting up the Studio again- getting ready for Saturday

Living the Butterfly Woman archetype.

 " Into The Blu" 

It's raining today, a perfect day for going into my studio and setting up for the Encaustic Open Studio day I am hosting /facilitating this Saturday.   

We definitely need the rain here in Northern CA., as we dance with a major drought...however, the rain does have a tendency to turn me inward, something I have been rather obsessive about  lately, as I try to put together the loose ends of my life.  
I hate to say this, but I havn't cranked up the hot plates since my last Encaustic weekend over a month ago.  I know part of the reason is because I have had  to move around the encaustic set up for my women's group and the mandala workshop, cleaning wax off the tables, and creating a different atmosphere/ enviornment for each class....but
But it is also a lethargy that has taken hold since I am not working a regular job anymore.  It's not to say that I haven't done any art, I have completed a mandala, and worked in one of my altered visual journals.  But undivided studio time with my encaustic paints, which is where I really loose myself and get into a flow, just hasn't happened.  I flit like a butterfly.

Yes,  its all this putting it away and bringing it out that shifts my attention. 

 I am looking forward to getting back into my work with wax again.  It is also important to honor that I am going through a " spiral" process right now, and to not devalue it, but enjoy the flitting, and truely indulge the butterfly in me.  Perhaps I am the Butterfly Woman.

Evolution of a Mandala - Summer Solstice- Universal Shapes

I have been slowly, but surely working on the mandala that I began at the Summer Solstice Mandala Retreat Day.  I am almost complete, but not quite.  I am just waiting for inspiration to know where to go next to bring it to completion.

Here is its evolution.   

By the way the shapes I chose were the triangle, spiral and equal distant cross...

This is the initial drawing of white on black...finding my way....


This is far as I have gotten.  The summer feel comes through strongly.   It feels like it needs something more...but what....I will wait until I get a sense of direction before I add anything else.  

Happy Summer!