NOT QUITE DUST

Tomorrow is INSTALLATION DAY.  I will be at Borderland State Park in Easton, MA creating a large nature mandala at the mansion entrance.  Stop by and say hello.

On another note, last week while hiking the Granite Hills Trail Loop Lower with Sr. Benjito I stopped to see what was left of OAK FLAME created on July 2nd.  As the grove is quite sheltered there still were pieces in tact.

ASHES TO ASHES...

DUST TO DUST.  Well not quite yet.

As the big mandala at the Ames Mansion needs to last 3 weeks (the duration of the art exhibit inside) I will need to wire some things down.  Wish me luck.

Adelante >>>>>

AN ENCHANTING CHALLENGE

In my last post I alluded to some exciting news and this is it.  A couple of months ago I submitted three of my photos of my earth art mandalas to a national juried art show.  Artists were invited from across the USA to submit their work.  In the final selection 51 artists from 14 states were chosen and I have the honor of being one of them.

My art indeed is different.  It is transient. The wind or waves take it away.  I capture the compositions with digital images.  My art is made in two mediums; 3D earth art and photography. On the left is the 8 x 10 photograph selected for the show.

If being chosen to display wasn't honor enough I was also asked to create an installation outside the mansion entrance.  The mansion is located within one of my favorite state parks here in Massachusetts.  It is a park that I frequent several times a week during spring and summer.

I have been busy foraging.  There is an opportunity here to go big and I am taking it.  I have designed a 7' mandala to be constructed using foraged materials from all around the park.  I have made a template so as to get a better grip on types of materials and quantities needed.  Friends have helped me forage and I am out with Sr. Benjito several times a week gathering things during our trail walks. He loves it and of course I do.  This truly is a project made of love.

There are some challenges on this one though.  I have been asked to create a piece that will stay in tact for the duration of the show (three weeks).  Mother Nature can you really hold off the rain and wind for three weeks?  It has been so dry here that as an artist I would make that request but as a nature lover I simply can't.  We need the rain. So yes, I have been challenged in this design.  No stones can be used near the mansion and nothing edible.  The deer, squirrels, raccoons and birds could do a lot of damage to a 7' nature mandala.  Things will need to be wired and weighted down and any template used will need drainage holes.  Construction will be done atop the cobblestone entrance and not on the forest floor.  And at the end of the show on October 4th all trace of the installation will be removed with the foraged items returned to the woods.

I am challenged but it is an enchanting challenge.  All will work out divinely.  Do I know what the piece will look like in the end?  Absolutely not.  I have a good plan but...  I will spread out my foraged paint box of colors and textures and let the nature muse use my hands and whisper directions in my ears - again.

Materials Photos:  Queen Anne's Lace, Goldenrod, Birch Bark

SMALL TREASURES

Life has been a bit busy while developing online courses this summer but I always get myself out into the woods several times a week to refresh and recharge.  (See one of my favorite comics below).  Yesterday I took my faithful four legged friend with me to Borderland State Park in Easton, MA for a lovely romp down the trails.   Along the way I spotted some moss that had been uprooted and remembered a great large flat boulder further along the trail.  I tethered my companion and foraged for finishing touches. He's quite used to my nature art stops and patiently waits for me to finish.

BORDERLAND STATE PARK, NORTH EASTON, MA - WEST END TRAIL

I had only three feathers.  A beetle, since passed volunteered his spirit to be included.  The mandala is little and beautiful, a small treasure of treasures.

Many acorns are on the ground.  I am keeping an eye out for hickory and beechnuts.  The red and black wild raspberries are a plenty.  ENJOY!

I will be writing about a bit of exciting news a little later in the month.  A large mandala installation is in the works.  Plan on visiting it if you are in the Easton area.  In fact maybe you want to help me forage. :)


For now I leave you with this picture.  I will translate it for you.

What are you doing?

I am using my tablet.

What model is it?

It is called the sky.

Does it have good applications?

Oh yes!  It has the sun, the moon, clouds and stars...

How long does the battery last?

 A long time.  I never have to recharge it.  It recharges me.

.

CROP CIRCLES AND STAYING DRY

When it isn't possible to create in the woods due to darkness, weather or location there is always pencil, pens, ruler and paper.  The Sunday after camping I chose to stay inside in a dry spot, listen to instrumental music and draw.  I thought I would share.  I do believe this mandala will become my new logo.   I used a black sharpie on watercolor paper.  It will be interesting to see it after applying water color pencil.  Stay tuned.....

8.5" x 8.5"  WATERCOLOR PAPER AND SHARPIE INK

And here is an asymmetrical mandala that I did during our pouring rain night while staying dry in the tent.  People say it looks like crop circles.  Maybe....

Sketch paper and sharpie ink.  I usually fill in with colored permanent marker but I am letting it sit for awhile to percolate.

So whether you can get to nature and use her paint box of colors and textures or not you can always create from your heart.  It is an amazing meditation.  If your mind begins to wander you know it and are brought back to the mandala and it's symmetry. Yes, symmetry even in the asymmetrical "crop circle" drawings.  It is all sacred geometry.

Draw some mandalas.  It is wonderfully relaxing.  I highly suggest you get some supplies and begin yesterday.

TEMPORARY LANDSCAPING

Summer is moving forward quickly.  Linda and I had the opportunity to book an amazing campsite at Harold Parker State Park in Andover for two weeknights.  I made sure to choose a campsite that I had seen during a drive-thru tour of the Lorraine Camping area.  It was rather large, flat with few roots and located by the drop off to the water.  The first night was clear.  We had the rain-fly off so that we could sleep protected from the mosquitoes and still see the sky.  After midnight and all the way until dawn it was so quiet.  HEAVEN.  The following day was clear and left time to sit, read, walk, recline in the hammock, listen to the sounds of nature and of course make mandalas.

HAROLD PARKER STATE PARK (LORRAINE CAMPING), ANDOVER, MA

AFTER AN ENTIRE NIGHT OF HEAVY RAIN THE MUSHROOM BURST

The theme of the day was "Honoring the Wild Mushroom." of which there were plenty in the immediate area.  I chose a big red one and built around it.  Linda chose a teeny tiny orange clump and built smaller scale.  I truly wish we had more clear days there to do more but the clouds and rain moved in.  Thank goodness for the BIG tent.  It is like having a portable cabin.  We were safe and sound and dry all through the rainy night.  Before packing up and moving out I checked the condition of our temporary landscaping and the mushroom mandalas looked only gently disturbed.

LINDA'S TINY MUSHROOMS SURROUNDED BY ACORN TOPS, PINE CONES, MOSS AND LICHEN.  FANCIFUL AND FAIRY WORTHY.

THE FAMOUS BIG TENT FACING THE LAKE WITH TEMPORARY LANDSCAPE ART

Loraine Camping closes for the season after the first week of September.  Sniff.  I love that spot.  Next year I will reserve early and get a nice long weekend or maybe a whole week playing and sleeping in the woods.

Nature is out there and she is waiting for you.  Go visit.  Take your inner child, your kids and TAKE YOUR TIME.


Saluti
Patt


Don't know where to go in your area of Massachusetts?  Click HERE for listings from the DCR or Google search your state.

CAMPING AND CREATING

Linda and I took two nights camping right by the beach at Winter Island, Salem MA.  We had a wonderful time but oh how I wish we had a film crew with us especially while we set up my new 10'x14' tent in the wind.  Though a bit of a struggle we were successful.  We had lots of rain the first night and the big tent was a blessing.  In the late afternoon before the rain began and as the tide was coming in we set off to the beach (a stone's throw from our campsite) to make a beach mandala.

LOCATION:  WAIKIKI BEACH - WINTER ISLAND - SALEM, MA

The thunder began rumbling and I feared that we would not have enough time to complete the mandala but circumstances gave us two little helpers, Savanah and Matthew whose family was taking some end of the day beach time.  Not only did gathering colored rocks and shells keep the kids happily busy and focused it really helped us.  As soon as the last few red stones were laid in place the rain began.  Everyone scattered as I stood and enjoyed a celebratory lightening show.  Then I too took cover.  Not more than an hour later the mandala had been washed to sea leaving behind a great memory and energy.  Thanks kids!

 

Children respond beautifully to the energy of making things.  Get them out there and play with them.  They'll show you what to do.

ENJOY THE SUMMER.

PLAY WELL WITH OTHERS AND CREATE AND SHARE.

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