A Forever Friend – Creative Flow

August 5th, 2024

Special & Sacred Space

The special and sacred space where our monthly Mandala & Creativity Circle meets is like a forever friend. No matter how much time has passed since last getting together, there is an instant connection as if no time has passed. We hadn’t gathered together since April. May was cancelled due to a sudden severe storm and tornado warnings and in June I was away. We gathered in late July, and reconnected to the welcoming embrace of creative flow in our gathering spot, as if no time had passed.

Owl & Angel Watch Creative Expressions Come to Life

Some New Creative Expressions

Black, Blue, Yellow and Magenta Watercolor Tubes

A few of us played with “new” colors that are used instead of the traditional color wheel of red, yellow and blue. More colors combinations can be created with cyan, magenta, yellow than red, yellow and blue. These colors are seen above. It turns out magenta and yellow create red when mixed together. Red? We all learned that red was a primary color that can never be created from other colors. Not true.

The color swatches above are made with yellow ( top left) and magenta ( top right – although it is really more bright pink than shown here) and cyan (bottom right). The red in top row center is from mixing yellow and magenta. The green and purple (center bottom ) are made from cyan and yellow, and magenta and blue. Bottom left is a mixture of colors.

Christine T’s mandala is created with the three main colors: magenta, yellow and cyan. A heart of red is in the middle.

Christine T’s – Heart Centered Mandala

Christine also used the same watercolors to create a card for a dear friend. The expressions on the outside of the circle are like seeds and pollen bursting through to bring new life into being.

Christine T’s – Planting Seeds Mandala

Antiqued rectangle shaped paper is a lovely background for the reds, yellows and oranges of this mesmerizing mandala.

Christine T’s – Warm Colors Depth Mandala

Linda M used the “new” colors to create the deep vivid blue background with a bright orange burst of flower power.

Linda M’s -Blue Energy & A Burst of Orange Flower

Linda M’s hearts dance around the center, like angel wings floating in blue.

Linda M’s – Centered Hearts Floating in Blue

New antiqued rectangle shaped paper with deckled edges gave a perfect backdrop to Linda M’s softer colors in her flower.

Linda M’s – The Softness of a Flower

Kathy F created a circle of leaves and centered flower. She used caran d’ache water soluble crayons to create the watercolor center and left the vining brown in original crayon like marks.

Kathy F’s – Orange Centered Flower Mandala with Green Starburst Leaves

Kathy’s clear and concise expressions felt just right for her during our Circle. Red and orange starburst flowers are joined with complete and partial circles.

Kathy F’s – Starbursts & Circles

The blue echinacea shaped flowers on antiqued paper share a color not often seen in real life. Few flowers are this stunning color of blue. A gold seed head seems regal.

Kathy F’s – Blue Gold Echinaceas

Karen M created a mandala collage. She painted white paper black, added a concentric circles mandala and embraced both with a blue strip of paper. The small details draw eyes into the center.

Karen M’s – Circles Mandala Collage

Karen’s other mandala is a celebration of circles in a circle. The yellow flower shape with details is surrounded by hundreds (?) of small circles created with a straw like tip of an art instrument. Karen dipped the tip into watercolor and made the marks. All the circles are surrounded by bright pink. These colors are the “new” magenta, cyan and yellow.

Some Familiar Creative Expressions

Ann B loves the soothing colors of blue and green. Her blue color is like an ocean of tranquility that invites viewers into the depths. Vibrant spring green is a warm embrace of the blue.

Ann B’s – Tranquil Waters & Spring Green

A braid of three colors will join the blues and greens of Ann’s second mandala. Again the colors are calling to enter within.

Ann B’s – Braided Threads and Blue Green Mandala

Ann’s last piece evokes a summer field full of grasses, flowers, stars and sky. Oh to lie down in that field.

Ann B’s – Summer Field, Sky and Stars

Art for Love

Our Mandala & Creativity Circle met a few days after I returned home from a family visit. I was full of love for my two grandchildren. Their sweet innocence, joy and spirit filled everyone’s hearts to the brim. I created what I call “Wishes” for them to keep the essence of their two year old selves always. The front pages speaks to their uniqueness. The second page has my wishes and prayers for each of them. I made copies on cardstock that they have now. I will give the more fragile originals to them when they are older.

For My Grandchild – May You Always Hop Like the Bunny Into Wonder