RING OF OAK FIRE

Saturday held 83F weather, sunny skies and a for me a four hour hike (art time included).  Yes, summer is here and the foraging is getting better and better.  Many more elements for nature mandalas are along the paths.

LOCATION:  GRANITE HILLS LOWER LOOP - BORDERLAND STATE PARK - EASTON, MA

This is a piece I did at Borderland State Park in Easton, MA off of Granite Hills Trail Lower Loop.  I cleared an area in an oak grove and let my little fluffy companion relax.  I sat on the ground, emptied my foraged materials bag out on the forest floor and let Spirit guide my hands.  This mandala took a little while to show itself.  I wasn't too sure about it but then as I was cleaning up I saw an oak branch that I had collected earlier.  There beckoning was the finishing touch - a ring of oak fire.  The energy was complete.

Would you like to attend a *MANDALA*EARTH*ART* workshop?  Come and play this summer.  Email me at gilmore444 @ gmail.com.

ENJOY!  Patt

JURY DUTY - A TIME OF MEDITATION

Have you ever been called to jury duty?  I have been called a few times.  I have never been chosen but I have shown up and sat from 8am to lunchtime before being released.  I took this session as an opportunity to meditate and draw.  My MP3 player helped me focus past the conversations that were in earshot.  I brought my sketchpad, ruler, protractor, pencil and pens.  Instead of "waiting"  I let a mandala create itself through me.  I call it JURY DUTY.  I finished it up in the quiet moments before bedtime that night.  Ahhhhh - PEACE.  I slept wonderfully.

These are some other mandala meditations I have created indoors.  Some are with sharpie pens and some with watercolor pencils.  All are about 8" in diameter.

Add a little color to your dreams.

Patt

SUMMER IS HERE!

We have been blessed with beautiful weather here in New England.  In the last week I have visited six state parks and two wildlife management areas.  Often I bring my trusty four legged friend along for company.  Meet Benjie.  I call him various names but that is the "official" one.  He is very good at patiently waiting while Mother Nature guides me in the creation of yet another mandala.

LOCATION:  QUIET WOODS TRAIL - BORDERLAND STATE PARK - EASTON, MA

This mandala was created on Quiet Woods trail in Borderland State Park in Easton, MA.  The lichen was especially vibrant in color.

LOCATION:  BY THE DAM - AMES NORWELL STATE PARK - ABINGTON, MA

This mandala was created on top of a beautiful soft nature carpet of moss.  The breeze made designing a bit tricky so I needed to weight the holly leaves down with stones.  It is located near the dam in Ames Norwell State Park in Abington, MA

Here is an easy way to create a circle if you forget your string.

Happy Solstice. Get outside and play and watch out for the poison ivy.