Fantasy Flowers Workshop, Mandalas & Creativity

August 7th, 2023

Creative Play Time

We had creative play time from 10 am to 8 pm during the Fantasy Flower workshop recently. Four of us shared a sweet sacred time of bringing our own fantasy flowers into being. A week later more flowers, mandalas and creative marks were made during the 3+ hours of our monthly Mandala & Creativity Circle.

Big

During the workshop we went big with 17 x 25.5  inch paper, large brushes and lots of already wet watercolor paint. The paint was watered down intense Pilot Iroshizuku Japanese ink. Other watercolor paints were added. Both sides of the paper were painted with big strokes and colors. We experimented with different brushes, pens, paints, inks and strokes. With these papers we created folders to hold our smaller sketches and paintings in a special holder.

Linda M – outside of folder

Linda M – inside of folder – flap will be turned to inside to create pockets
(stay tuned for the finished folder in next month’s blog)

These papers were folded into three and four pocket folders. A flap of the bottom of the outside was folded into the inside to become the pockets.

 Kelly L – outside of folder

Kelly L – inside of folder holding more creations made that day

My large paper with changes – becoming a folder

My folder needed toning down from the first marks I made. Both sides started out with turquoise and orange. I added pink wash over what would be the outside and then drew loose flower shapes that would be defined by the calmer purple background. The background is from acrylic paint that still shows some of the original background. I put a blue wash over the inside and created flower shapes by adding the orange background, like the front.

 My finished front – 3 pocket folder

Inside of my folder with some art from the workshop inside

Kathy F – Bright colors of her folded large paper

Kathy F – Bright colors of her folded large paper

Small

We created flowers and images on smaller pieces of paper.

Kathy F – Six Different Fantasy Flower Paintings

Kathy F – Little Mandala Flowers

Linda M – Flowers in a Meadow

Linda M – Blue Flowers

Kelly L – Flowers with grid of inspired flower shapes

Kelly L – Abstract collage from flowers

Kelly L – Sunflower & Sky with Collage

Grids

I took an online course by a UK artist Tansy Hargan. I follow her on Instagram and love her grids of smaller paintings. Inspired  by her, we used her viewfinder technique of going outside and capturing small interesting sights in sketch form and then using those to create abstracted paintings. I will be creating more of these grids. I love the small paintings together.

My first grid of small paintings, as seen through the view finder

Kathy F – Grid Paintings inspired by garden.

Kelly L – Grid of Flowers & Leaf

Grids – Origami Books

A years-ago workshop by Santa Fe artist Edi Klinger introduced me to origami books. Simply by folding, scoring and tearing we created books. Of the twelve kinds of origami books we were introduced to, the simplest one creates 8 pages. It is a type of grid pattern. I love using these pages as a way to experiment with different materials and techniques.

My small origami book of fantasy flowers. Each flower area is 3 x 3 inches.

Folded book with 8 pages.

Mandalas & More

As always, mandalas and more creativity came to life on the Sunday evening of Mandalas & Creativity Circle.

Christine T – Mandala made at the Atlantic beach she visited each morning of her stay there

Christine T – at home and still feeling the ocean, sky and birds of the beach.

Ann B – Inspired by Secret Women’s Language

Ann was inspired by the secret women’s language Nüshu. The women of a small Chinese village were forbidden to learn reading and writing, so they developed their own secret oral and written language Nüshu. Words were written in small pieces of paper they could hide up their sleeves and in other secret ways so the men wouldn’t know. The language is no longer secret, but few elders who used the language are left. Younger women are preserving the language and teaching it. There is hope to keep it alive. Here is more information.

Ann B – A grid of serene colored trees

Linda M – Blue spiral with aqua waves (perhaps inspired by Ann’s colors?)

Linda M – White Spiral – White words written on flower meadow

I want to thank all these amazing artist creatives who share their unique gifts. During our time together we share a womb of creativity that safely lets us give birth to these joyful expressions of colors, shapes and love. Namaste to you all.

Enjoy & Create