DOT MANDALAS GO VERTICAL

Yesterday was full of thunderstorms so I hunkered down and painted some glassware. I am facilitating a wine glass painting Sip & Craft next Tuesday through the Leesburg Center for the Arts and it helps to have a few different designs for the attendees to model. I will have several templates to follow, teach some simpler one-stroke decorative painting technique to the brave and also offer up a few dot painting ideas. Of course, I will include some mandala choices.

Do you have a group of 5 -15 friends or associates that would like a fun time painting and crafting? Contact me for prices and availability. 

That's it - time for some trail walking and pool time. Don't forget I am running After-work Eco Art Trail Walks on Thursday throughout the month of May. Bring bug juice and a camera. This week is Sabal Bluff Preserve in Leesburg. Meet at the trailhead parking at 5:30. Mabe if it isn't windy we'll make an earth mandala together. :) 

Chau 4 now.

NATURE SPINS MANDALAS

So what's been up this week? NATURE! And scoping out the Central Florida State Parks and Trails. I simply had to stop several times yesterday to take photos and make a mandala. This spiderweb was high up and the late afternoon sun caught it just right. Look how perfect and intricate it is. Now that is EnviroArt!

SPIDER WEB MANDALA :)

Remember Thursday After-work Enviro Art Trail Walks begin this week at 5:30. Meet at the parking area of Bourlay Historic Nature Park and bring a camera. We'll have fun and learn a few thongs too.

This post is short and sweet. I am sliding off the laptop now as it is way too beautiful a day to be indoors. Lunch is digested and "I'm outta here".

MAKE ART OUTSIDE

It is spring and so lovely here in Central Florida where we are having some cooler than usual nights and great breezes from the lakes. I had some time today to take my art bag (my personal mobile art studio) to Lake Griffin State Park where I spread out under the pavilion roof. This is super convenient like in many state parks in the USA where there are facilities for fresh water and decent picnic tables to MAKE ART on. And that's what I did. I painted a mandala in a decorative motif called one stroke painting. Two or three colors are loaded onto the same brush at the same time giving depth and movement to the painting. There are several different strokes. It is such fun to learn and practice.

Next month I am facilitating a private Sip & Craft at the Leesburg Center for the Arts for members of a nursing association. The group chose to paint on wine glasses instead of canvas or vinyl. I will have the glassware all set for them plus the special paint and after class curing procedures that are needed to make sure their creations last.

I always like to teach some technique and not just plop people down with an example, a surface and some paint. Maybe the attendees will find a new passion and want to delve deeper into painting. FOr sure they will want to feel proud of what they painted so they can display it on a shelf.

If you are interested in booking a private group class or party please contact me. I designed a new program brochure showing the latest party offerings.



And speaking of program offerings, last week I wrote that I would announce when Enviro Art Trail Walks were to begin. It is next week (May 2nd) at 5:30 at select preserves near downtown Leesburg. The flyer is below. Join me! Join us! and bring a camera. The bald eagles were abundant last year and come quite close.

That's it. I was having so much fun in the state park today I almost forgot it was Mandala Monday and time to post.

Enjoy the spring. It is so refreshing!

MANDALA PAINT PARTIES RETURN

My fingers have been into so many projects preparing for summer programs for adults and teens. Before I preview the process art I just wanted you to know that Mandala Canvas Paint Parties are returning to the Leesburg Center for the Arts. While we are closed during Bike Fest I will be revamping our Sip & Craft program brochure. I will have some parties on the LCFA public calendar as well as privately booked events. When the new brochure is ready for printing/downloading online I'll announce it here.

What is a Mandala Canvas Paint Party? FUN! For those that say they have no artistic talent at all, the project is the most simple canvas to paint. It is practically a "paint by number" because I pre-line the canvases to block out where color should go. You choose the colors, paint the blocks and add detailing and BLING (if you choose). I painted up a new sample. The variations are limitless.

Other Canvas Paint Party subjects are available with full instruction, step by step so that attendees end up with a finished canvas very true to the sample. You'll learn technique and the how to's to create surf/sky/shadows from a professional artist.

Sip & Craft Paint Night March 27, 2019 - Private Party

Other things in the works are paper mache workshops. More prototype/sample creating this week. Here are pics of stage 1 & 2 of a lion construction.

 

And there is more. I have my fiber arts fine art piece I am working on but those pics can wait.

Note: My trail walks will be starting up in May. I will announce here and on my Enviro Art website http://getin2nature.com/ when they hit the calendar. If you are in the Central Florida area please join us.

Chau 4 now...

AVOIDANCE HUMP NOW CROSSED

WOOSH ~~~~~ Gone. My day is almost gone. I have been sitting in the same position for about 4 hours BUT I got a new video uploaded to my GETIN2NATURE youtube channel and finally after almost two years updated my getin2nature website to reflect what I am doing now in terms of EnviroArt, Eco Art, Mandala Painting, Presentations and more. CLASSES!!!

There is more to do on the web but that BIG AVOIDANCE HUMP has been crossed. :) Yey ME!

As for art here is a pic - then a website link - then the video link. Have FUN. I think my leg is asleep. It is time to move the body and stretch EVERYTHING.

Upcycling a damages tabletop a few days ago. Pretty Cool. Remember the records? I will be promoting classes in acrylic pouring on vinyl for Spring.

http://getin2nature.com/

There you will find the process video and a whole lot more.

CHAU 4 NOW!

GETTING YOUR PAINT ON

What an amazing Leesburg Art Fest this year. So FULL. I designed a PAINT LIKE POLLOCK Create Station for the kids. It was superbly messy, educational and FUN!

I awoke today body sore therefore I simply had to keep moving. I needed to catch up in the garden, make tentative designs for a new fiber art Create Staton for BoHo Fest in September and actually (can you believe it) paint a damaged table. One would think I had quite enough paint but priming is meditative. It's GOOD FOR YOU.

Here are some pics from the Art Fest's Saturday. I still haven't edited Sunday's. Today was for quietly balancing with my own creations at my own pace - alone in space.

Until soon - back to priming

OM :)

ROSEMARY GOES MOROCCAN

Just a little garden update. The weather is finally good in the mornings (and afternoons on my days off) to do some serious garden work. Being inside on the computer just seems wrong :) but it is 5:00 and the sun is getting low so a good time to stop for the day.

My faux Moroccan tiles ended up in the rosemary and blue daze mandala. I am so happy the daze finally came back. Last year's freezing made it unavailable everywhere so I had to go from just a few cuttings and nurse it along. I planted some dianthus on Sunday. I am almost ready for new mulch. I still need to tackle the herb garden, side garden, other side garden, mint and wildflower (planned) area and back of the lot. Hmmmm - Where will the veggies go?

Step by step it slowly moves along. I am a weekend gardener now. Luckily I have long weekends. Most of the time. March is going to be a bit crazy because of Art Fest so I am taking what I can for time now. I even got in a bike ride today. JOY JOY!

Buddha's yellow bush daisies have been transplanted to the foundation. They will be in transplant shock for a month. I will start with potted plants until I make a decision as to what goes in the ground.in front of the pedestal. The bush daisies got way big! Patience Patricia Patience.

And now off to shower the dirt off and clean it out from under my fingernails. What's for dinner?

TOGETHER WE'VE GOT THIS

Remember this photo from September's BoHo Fest in Leesburg, FL? The HUGE Community Street Mandala on canvas?

We rocked on the color fill in. The detailing was not completed during the fest so I am looking to finish it up during a super cool program we hold inside the art center on the first and third Wednesdays.

ART LOUNGE

I took the canvas home to size up the task but really... it is SO BIG that I need to bring it on the 6th to ART LOUNGE (CREATE) and spread it out on the Great Room studio floor to properly paint it.

HEY!

Do you want to help finish it? Then get on over to the Leesburg Center for the Arts

at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday February 6, 2019 and I'll give you a brush and some paint.

TOGETHER WE'VE GOT THIS!

THE ALTERNATE STUDIO

"Winter will take some patience." That's what I said on a short Facebook video this morning after waking up to 35F in Central Florida.

Today I am working in my tiny bedroom as the studio is a large open space and hard to heat. I am diggin the sunshine too. It is a good time to work on garden froo froo and not outside digging. Last year I painted some cinder blocks in a Moroccan Style motif. They became Buddha's pedestal. This year I am creating pavers for around the earth mandala.

That's it. I am getting back to the sun and color.
Chau 4 now!

FA-BLUE-OUS BUDDHA

I'd rather be blue thinking of you, I'd rather be blue over you, Than be happy with somebody else.


Another short post because I have been rocking the garden redesign. My 200 lb solid cement (ok I am exaggerating but it takes 2 full sized people to budge him) Buddha has been in my garden for over a year. Last week I was given an arch arbor kit to paint and build to place over him. Somehow the gray concrete called out to become BLUE. Today I stained dear Buddha and he looks pretty darn good. I think he is happy. I know when the  hanging planter and vining plants get in he will look blue but feel FA-BLUE-OUS!

Another short blog post this week. Two pairs of gloves failed in the dying process and now I have smurf hands. It will be wierd at dinner out tonight so I best go fix it. :)

Chau 4 now.....

IT'S A MATTER OF BALANCE

Oh my goodness, I have been a bad little blogger. I haven't posted since mid November and here it is the new year. My Bad. Year-end was so busy. So is this beginning to the new year but... big but, all seems so much more in balance. Why? Because I am diligently taking care of me. This week I am simply going to post some photos of nature and get off the computer.

I was off grid Saturday night and Sunday morning. I didn't even have cell service. Friends took me to the coast. I was fully present. :)

These are terns on New Smyrna Beach. We also went to Blue Springs to visit with some manatees. Lovely.

I love the "do" on thee terns!

I have vowed to myself to BE out in nature at least five times a week. I am continuing my morning meditations before I get out of bed. Starting EACH DAY with deep focused and meditation makes an enormous difference in life quality. I believe it opens up your energy for good things to enter. Who needs valium?

The other thing that I am doing is eliminating or cutting down severly on some things in my diet and reducing computer time (that one is hard as I work as a graphic designer). More on that another time. Beach, Biking, Bed, Bonfires...It is a matter of balance.

Well - I leave you there. Happy 2019. See you soon.

Chau 4 now!

MINDFULLY FOLDING GOOD INTENTIONS

Here you go....a post that has little to do with mandalas except for Mindfulness, Moving Meditation,  and Art. Well that's a lot actually. And where it goes... :) spirit stole my fingers again.

Origami: The Japanese art of paper folding.

Recycling old magazine pages for peace cranes.

For many years when it gets to be around the "holiday" I fold paper cranes. I give many away with the intent of spreading peace and good wishes. I don't usually have traditional Christmas trees. Often I simply decorate with garlands of cranes or put the cranes on a ficus tree along with little colorful globe ornaments and cocktail umbrellas. It's not so much about the religious holiday for me. It is about thankfulness, reflection and new year intentions to go forward brighter and better.

Peace and goodwill for all. The CRANE means that for me.

This year I am in my own BoHoMoHo Boo *Bohemian Mobile Home Base of Operations* in Central Florida. I have no family here and few friends outside of my work at the art center. There will be no gifts to put under the tree again. That's just stuff anyway. My MoHo is uncluttered in the no chaos zen way that I like it. I don't need nor want gifts. The sentiment is the important thing to me. If someone wants to gift me something make it their friendship (that is an honor) and an excellent experience. I opted for experiences over material stuff decades ago pre-nomad time.




I have been cutting 5- 6" paper squares from old magazines and aged colored copy paper on my paper cutter and making the first waterbomb fold. I have many "starts" stacked in a container to easily take along with me. I can fold the rest of the creases myself and teach others. Spread and share the love. There are a few stories about the crane and its meaning. 1000 is a personal quest. I am expanding that to be a community quest of good intentions this year. More on that in another post.....

For now I just want to introduce you to this amazing young woman and what folding cranes did for her, her heart, her creative expression and more. The cranes can do this for all of us. Pay attention. Our next generation of creatives are the ones to bring change to our world. Take a moment to watch, listen and be inspired.

I am going back to mindfully folding good intentions. >>>>>

SO I DO IT

NEW WATERCOLOR - DRY TIME BEFORE INKING

BEGINNING INKING

I was going to title this post "Sometimes You Just Need to Sit Still" but then I stopped sitting still. I can't do that for too long. I have my moving meditations such as biking, walking in the woods, making art pieces, gardening and drawing mandalas.

"At this moment" autumn is here in Central Florida. I awoke at dawn to 55F - NICE. I am wearing slippers. Insert smiley face. Mornings are lovely. How anyone sleeps in dumbfounds me. I have already been out in the garden chatting with my plants and picking up raintree pods and branches. I save both for earth art. I am often surprised how they work themselves into a piece.

BUTTERFLY LOVING THE LANTANA

This cooler weather inspires me to create my fiber art and my earth art again. On Sunday I found myself wrapping raintree sticks while getting "wrapped up" in fiber arts youtube playlists.

Is it me or is this a fall thing? All I know is it feels right so I do it. Look forward to future posts and pics of mixed earth art and fiber media coming up.

I don't have much computer time today so must be getting on with it. >>>>>> More coffee - more puttering - I have a guest coming for a week and need to sweep up my earth piddle. My enviro art construction can be a messy process sometimes and dust gets everywhere but it "feels right so I do it".

I have added a few happy pics...

NEW SIDE GARDEN BIRDBATH - SUNKEN VASE & PLATTER

BUTTERFLY BUSH - MAGNOLIA & CYPRESS MULCH"

 ENJOY!

NON-EARTH ART PIDDLE

JUST WALK AWAY

This morning when I awoke I practiced my usual routine. Actually I don't need to practice. I have it down. I woke up before the sun rose, stretched out from the fetus position and sighed a happy big sigh. Each day is a rebirth. I noticed the birds singing, the breeze coming through the windows and then I began to analyze my dreams. It's fun and often enlightening to take the time in bed before your mind gets diverted and you forget.

I then got up, started the coffee, pushed the ON button on my laptop and checked my mail, Facebook and the weather. Soon I got to puttering. When I got back to the laptop, my laptop that I use for all my design work, it gave me a 24 second warning to plug in. That's when the trouble began. I couldn't plug it in in time. Now I can't get it to boot up. Three hours searching and trying solutions and another hour looking for laptops online.

TECH FAIL.

Walk away Patt!

I have 2 old broken Acer netbooks. The screen is totally smashed on one. I have it VGA'd to an old monitor. It is connect to a sound system in my studio so that I can stream groovy music. I also have another netbook with a partially broken screen (it casts red fuzz) which is what I am typing on now. I wear readers over my bifocals to see what I am typing. 

Walk away Patt, walk away.

All weekend I was getting text messages from someone that should know by now I don't keep my phone near me and I dislike texting. Call me! She was offering me an old smart phone to use. I suppose I should reply. But...

Aren't I sucked in enough?

Close the cover Patt.

A web design client called Sunday frantic that several browsers showed his site with security issues. Not a problem, but for him a scare. I said most likely the web host service was doing updates. My suggestion was to wait a few hours. But I had to dig in only to find that indeed the host was making server updates. Less than two hours later all was fine.

Pull out the watercolor paper and pencils Patt.

Tech messages from the Universe do not need hardware and you are already pre-loaded with the software. Running too many programs all at once isn't such a good thing.

Today is my day off. I am finally taking my own advice and getting my art supplies out and...

Just walking away.

Read my blog first - then walk away ;) Chau 4 now.

CROCHETING FRIENDSHIP INTO A MANDALA

I have three special women friends in Buenos Aires, Argentina. We met several years ago at the Club Europeo. They were in my "So To Speak" English conversation group. Often I was asked by others, "Patt, you speak English well. Why are you here?" Well, besides the fact I was extremely welcomed and valued at the Monday meetings I had another reason for attending. I wanted to gain knowledge about the Argentine culture in a language that I could understand. I could ask questions and get understandable replies all while being helpful by correcting their English. And ther was another HUGE added benefit. I could make friends.

Those three women and I became Las Rebelas (The Rebels). When the club shut from late December to March for summer holidays we continued to meet at my apartment or hang out for dinner downtown. And even when we all stopped our club memberships our deeply rooted friendship continued through new babies to job changes, boyfriends and long trips away.

They call me Swami Patt for all the sharing of angel cards, dowsing rods, spiritual teachings and grounding techniques through difficulties. But most importantly, they call me their friend.

They gave me this crocheted mandala when I left Argentina. It now hangs in the kitchen of my BoHo MoHo Boo in Central Florida. I feel the warmth of their friendship each time it catches my eye. Many times I have attempted and failed to crochet something similar. I don't know why it is but I am a complete disaster at crochet. Youtubes do not help. I need someone to gently guide me and my hands, in person, with the buena onda (good vibe) of an old friend.

So how about it? Are you near Leesburg, FL? Are you patient and kind? Can you teach me how to crochet a mandala? We can do it in English :). or ....

Would you want to teach a group class at the Leesburg center for the Arts? :) <3 Please let me know.

Besitos y Abracitos
Swami Patt

BOHO FEST 2018 COMMUNITY MANDALA

AWESOME * BODACIOUS * COPACETIC and GREAT VIBES - the ABC's of Leesburg's first BoHo Festival. I had the great pleasure and honor of facilitating the huge mandala canvas painting in front of Sip on Main. I began painting the center of the mandala off site. The city's crew bolted it down to the pavement to keep it in place and then the kids filled in the outside rings. So much fun! I will be finishing off some details and we will have a huge backdrop to use AND be able to have the kids put their little hand prints all around it at the next community event. All good!

Rather than type more about this BRILLIANT event I am simply going to post a few photos. The whole day was exceptional. Smiles everywhere! And yes, we are making BoHo Fest an annual event.

#leesburgarts
#arthappenshere

   

OH AND ONE MORE THING...

REGISTER FOR OUR NEXT SIP & CRAFT PARTY AT THE LCFA ON OCTOBER 3RD. THE CANVASES ARE 12" X 12' AND PRE-LINED FOR YOU. NO ARTISTIC ABILITY REQUIRED.

MAKE IT A DATE NIGHT OR FUN GIRLS NIGHT OUT.

ADVANCE REGISTRATION REQUIRED.

THE LINK IS AT LEESBURGARTS.COM * SPACE IS LIMITED

https://www.leesburgarts.com/sip-craft-parties/