Evolution of a Mandala -Full Moon Mandala

Here in Northern California, the changing of the seasons are subtle, on the surface it still feels like summer, yet in my body and my psyche, I can still feel the turning of the wheel of the seasons and the inevitable turn towards the dark.  Autumn exposes itself daily, in the vibrant colors of the leaves, the changing of the sunlight as it moves lower and cooler towards the horizon, and the bold orange autumn moon, rises over the valley of the moon.

Since I am so process oriented, I decided to share the  process of the drawing  of a mandala, that speaks strongly of the moon and the changing of the seasons.  This Full Moon Mandala, was created in honor of the winter solstice.  As the seasons, glide effortlessly one into the other, I continue to be drawn to this piece.   

I usually photograph as I am drawing, every step of the process, sometimes obsessively.  Here is my creative journey for this mandala.

Matted  prints of this mandala are available for sale on my etsy store

SoulArteEclectica

Greeting cards of this mandala, as well as T-shirts of it are also available for purchase on my 

Cafe press store.

Fall Mandalas complete

Here is the completed mandala's that I began on the Fall equinox.  Once I finished my gratitude mandala, I went straight to work on my Fall mandala.  When I start I can't stop...so now I can go back to working on my encaustics... Whew, I love drawing with color.

Small Fall Equinox mandala.

Mandala Progression

I love to draw with prismacolor pencils...and whenever I begin a new mandala I am lost for days whenever I have a spare moment...in between work...and details of  a life fully lived.  Here is the Mandala I began at the last Mandala workshop.  This is a gratitude mandala, in honor of the abundance and blessings in my life

I focused on the image of the house because it symbolizes my life and all that is filled with meaning and joy.   This is as far as I have gotten...but I plan on cleaning up the inside of the house and enriching the colors encircling it.  I love to slow down and move into the soothing esthetic trance that creating mandalas with prismacolor pencils brings forth.  MOre to come.. on this piece I am sure. 

More Mandala's from Workshop

Here are a few more photos from the Fall Illuminated Mandala Workshop.   

Fall Equinox Mandala Workshop

Last Sunday, we facilitated another Illuminated Mandala workshop at my studio.  This is a photo of the outside of my studio.   I love doing these mandala retreat days.  The process is so healing, I get to set intentions for the new season and witness what comes through for the participants.  



Here are some of the mandalas created in the group that Patricia and I taught.  

You can see the begining scale of light drawings as well as the begining of each mandala in black and and a progression of some of them.  

The work that every one did was beautiful.  We spent the day focusing on the harvest and all the gifts of abundance in our lives that we have harvested.  

It was a lovely day. 

New Encaustic - Just added to my etsy store..

The Star Gazers

6"x8" on cigar box

I rarely promote or talk about my etsy shop here...but I thought I would start...Here is a sweet, enchanting encaustic that I did on the back of a cigar box.  It includes rice paper, appropriated imagery, gold leaf and encaustic paint... I think it is enchanting.  So, from now I will ocasionally highlight some of the artwork I have in my etsy shop Soularteeclectica on my blog. 

Here is the link to it on my etsy site.

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id+14765350

Encaustic Tree Series - All of six them......

I have finally completed my summer time encaustic vision....photographing  trees and doing encaustic paintings and  phototransfers of the tree images on top of the paintings.  

I have learned alot in this process.  Working with the encaustics in a new way, exploring color, line and form...as well as developing a finer eye.  I have been noticing and photographing trees for months now and began to look at trees as individuals with unique personalities, flaws and idosyncracies....as if they were people.  Here is the completed series.

I found myself looking for the perfect tree.  What were my criteria, unique tunk, branches that stood out, no background to divert attention and alot of sky showing through the branches.  Then I began to think about standards of beauty, in not only trees but people.  What is beauty, what makes imagery stand out.  Each tree had flaws, the branches were changed by life and wind, and trauma.... again and again the parallels with people began to emerge.  This has been a very powerful and evocative process for me.  

My final tree in this process, is the most subtle and evocative.  I am ready to move onto another series...I am all fired up with the possiblities.  My work with encaustics has taken another turn.  I am looking forward to more exploration of this new direction