Nature Mandala within an Urban Landscape - Buenos Aires

Monday, January 29, 2018

NATURE HUGS HONORING MOTHER EARTH

It is still a bit cold in Central Florida evidenced by the several layers I have on in the below photo. It was taken inside my house on Thursday. Ouch! I have been told many times that these cold temperatures are not usual, it is an odd year. Well I don't know about that but I do know that I am looking forward to spring! Anyway...a very special postal delivery warmed me up from the inside out. Insert Big SMILE HERE :)


Keith Beaney's Earth Mandala Calendar arrived last week and I thought that if a picture was worth a thousand words a video would be worth 12 times that amount.

Really, think about how a land artist would explain what they do."I make earth designs out of twigs and pods and leaves. They blow away and biodegrade. Ashes to ashes, dust to dust."  Most of us photograph our work. I created the book that you see at the top of this page. Keith Beaney of the UK makes BRILLIANT calendars. Check out this video I made. LOVELY. A year full of nature hugs honoring Mother Earth from a very talented land artist.


The video says it all. Go to the FAcebook. Here is the link: https://www.facebook.com/Earth-Mandala-Calendar-2018-1492308927718255/   

That's it people. I am busy beyond words. I need to stop typing now and get on with it. This post is short but ever so sweet and beautiful :)

As a land artist, earth mandala creator and workshop facilitator please send me your inspirational images. Share your appreciation for Mother Earth through your ART.

Be INSPIRITED!

 Adelante >>>>

Monday, January 22, 2018

STABLE OF STALLIONS

OK, the title of this post is a bit tongue in cheek and has nothing to do with Mandala Monday except for the fact I have been incredibly busy. WHY?

A couple of weeks ago I accepted a part time position at the LCFA as the Program Coordinator. This is BRILLIANT for me especially living in a brand new part of the world. Connections in the art and business arenas abound. My mind is absorbing and clicking and clacking on programs and projects. This temporarily leaves me less time for my personal artwork. I am getting my brain wrapped around it all though. It is simply an adjustment having 10 scheduled hours and non-scheduled inspiration and follow-through time. One of these" brilliant "inspirations is the rise to the title of this post.


Fashion Week in Leesburg happens is in March. Eight professional designers will be showcasing complete with runway. When I heard this my brain's gears started churning with the question, "How do we get kids involved?" BAM, instantly my Little Read Dress Workshop came to mind. As a former designer and costumer myself I had to jump right on in and make a proposal.

Lake County Eco Fashion Design Competition 2018

It is a go! A call to the high school student artists/designers of Lake County, Florida is forthcoming. I will be traveling to area high schools to chat with the students, plus boys and girls clubs, YMCAs, etc. It is exciting getting our youth turned onto art and into environmental responsibility.

HELEN HELPING OUT
So my stable of stallions? In the back room of the Leesburg Center For the Arts I spied two male mannequin torsos. I had worked out different ways for the student designers to make their newspaper garments at the Center. Out of all the options I chose having uniform dress forms. I am now paper mache'ing 15 unisex light weight and portable mannequins. Yes I know - time consuming. Each form needs to be 5 to 6 layers of paper, glue and paint, and cardboard stands made. I will be bringing the original rubber forms from my Home Studio to Open Studio meetings (every Friday @ 10 AM) at the LCFA so that other artists can volunteer to help me get them done. Also if you are in the area instead of getting together for coffee and drinks at a cafe with me COME ON OVER TO MY STUDIO and get your hands sticky. Volunteer - that is what I am doing. It is good for the soul.

As for my CronePods...

I did get some sunshine time to add more wrinkles to a piece yesterday. She called to me, "Pay attention!" Of course my dear wise woman, of course..

More on my fine art pieces another time. I need to get sticky. :)

Make some mandalas and send me the pics.

Saluti!

Monday, January 15, 2018

A BEAMING GOOD VIBE WEEK

Last week was simply brilliant. The people I came in contact with both in person and online just seemed to be beaming. My media/lecture event at the LCFA was stupendous. Attendance was almost double what was expected. We had to bring out more chairs from the back. Some photos are at the end of the post.

I showed my environmental sculpture work, one of my mandala videos and my Buenos Aires book as well. I also joyed in showing the works of my favorite mandala-land artists. I covered mandala history as religious art, ceremonial art and street art. This segued into an Inspirational Earth Art Tour of the works of several artists including Ines Barro de Batista and Ana Castiho of Portugal, And Keith Beaney of the UK. The four of us have never met each other in person but are in an online group of Nature Mandala lovers. I posted my photos of the evening on the group page and tagged the three artists. I received messages from each of them. I think good work should be celebrated and shouted out.


Keith creates the most colorful mandala calendars each year. I love his work. It is so full and warm and abundant like a huge loving hug from Mother Earth. I will link the facebook page for his calendar here so that you can place your order. My calendar is on the way to Florida from the UK today. I am SO EXCITED!


The next part of the LCFA event was an invitation to join together and participate in making two joint mandalas. It was wonderful. So many people happily engaged. Many were seeing the materials I brought from private trails in the area with a whole new frame of reference.  In fact, I heard from the director of the Center For the Arts that a group that attended got together and made mandalas on the walking trails of their gated community. They wanted to surprise and delight trail walkers. Now that makes my heart sing!

The night was a huge success.  I just love my work/play.

Here are some more photos. Until next week....make it BRILLIANT!










Monday, January 8, 2018

MANDALAS IN THE WILD AT THE LCFA

I am so very excited and happy to be speaking at the Leesburg Center For the Arts in central Florida on Wednesday evening. The topic is environmental art and specifically earth mandalas. This three hour event includes a media presentation featuring the works of several land artists from around the world including yours truly. I will be featuring images and video from the USA, Europe, the UK, South America and if time New Zealand.


I wrote the presentation to educate and inspire people to play. There will be table top mandalas with a plethora of materials foraged from private walking trails in the area. Everyone that wants to may add their decorative artistic mark and create a cooperative mandala together. “Mandalas in the Wild” is free and open to the public.

For more details check out the youtube video - 


 Share this post with your friends and I hope to see you there!
  

Monday, January 1, 2018

WELCOMING IN A BRILLIANT 2018

BRILLIANT NEW YEAR EVERYONE. I hope it was a happy and safe and celebratory time for you. As I have a new "nest" I decided to forgo the festivities at the clubhouse and cook super healthy food for myself, catch up on some Masterpiece Theater DVD's from the local library and reflect upon the past while looking forward to the exciting future.

This year's adjective is BRILLIANT! Last year's was AWESOME. I am working/playing my way through the alphabet.



Today I finished the gold inking of this 11" x 14" watercolor mandala while the cold rain came down. Taking photographs of the mandala in natural light was a bit of a challenge, but I was able to snap this one out on the covered porch. Rain and watercolors don't mix. Well actually they do which is the danger. The rain thwarted my Trail Association hike this morning but I shall not complain. Rainy days are great days to peacefully render on paper. Hopefully we will be able to see the full moon over the lake tonight.

And... That's it. Get back to your relaxation and chilling out on this first day of the new year. Here is toasting (for me with a cup of hot tea) to a AWESOMELY BRILLIANT ART-FULL YEAR!

PS: I have two watercolor mandala workshops coming up at the Leesburg Center For the Arts. They are in March and April so I will fill you in closer to the dates. ENJOY!