Full House Creativity
September 5th, 2023
Full House Creativity
Christine T – Fantasy Flower Mandala with Inks, Watercolors & Pen
It was a full house in my art studio for the monthly Mandalas & Creativity Circle. There were eight of us. As always, the creativity that was expressed was unique, powerful and deep. All the art shown here was created a short time ago. What isn’t shown is the differing sizes. Some pieces are small, maybe 4 or 5 inches across. Others are large up 24 by 11 inches.
Christine T – Fantasy Flower with Triangles
Each person in our Mandala & Creativity Circles lets their inner guidance find expression with no effort or forethought to create a certain image. An inspiration may be there before beginning, but the process of unknown expression guides the way. Before we began I shared information about Frank Lloyd Wright’s use of triangles in a church building he designed. The triangles signifies aspiration to know truth. This was an inspiration for some of the art created that night , as seen here with Christine’s two triangle fantasy flowers.
Christine T – Yellow Triangles Fantasy Flower
Triangles call to Ann B. when she creates. The soft blue and green colors also find expression in Ann’s mandalas and art.
Ann B – Triangles & Dots Mandala
Everything emerges from within. Our Mandala & Creativity Circles are a time of quiet communion with deep self. The simplest forms often invite close contemplation and are a welcoming to enter in. They are meditation pieces.
Ann B – Blue Mandala with White Dots and Orange border
The exploration of the energy of colors that may be brought into her home was done by Nancy Y . The shapes emerge as different forms to those viewing. A dragonfly is seen by some when looking at this mandala.
Nancy Y – Bright Pinks & Yellows Mandala
Another color study of the energy of greens, blues and yellow by Nancy Y.
Nancy Y – Green, Yellow & Blue Mandala
I lead a guided meditation before we start to welcome in connection with the heavens and earth, so that we can join in the creative energy that surrounds us and is within us. Soft music surrounds us as we spend up to two hours in silence bringing spontaneous marks to life. Each person is in their own flow, not looking to see what others are creating.
Kathy F.’s Tree of Life Mandala shines in its iridescence with watercolor paints and fine lines of ink pen. It’s delicate lines let the rainbow colors shine through. A sun shines brightly in the center.
Kathy F – Tree of Life Mandala with Rainbow Shining Through
Kathy brought black watercolor paper for her artwork and to share with others. Black background intensifies the iridescent watercolor paints. The colors of her black background art shine brightly in this mandala painting.
Kathy F – Night Sky Mandalas in Gold & Pastels
Kathy F – Flower & Moons Night Sky Mandala
Others also created with the black watercolor paper. Gary S. created a dream vision birds eye view of an ecological restoration project he is bringing to new life. This dream vision is creating the foundation of what is coming into being.
Gary S – Vision of Twin Springs Restoration
Linda M. used black paper to create the union of two circles. Where they overlap is the shape called Mandorla (shape of an almond) or Vesica Piscis. It is the symbol of birth and the shape of the birth canal. The two circles give birth to a third shape. The white plus sign shapes are a Native American symbol for stars in the sky. Spirals represent journey.
Linda M – Birthing Mandalas with Stars in the Night Sky
Linda M’s owl mandala was an honoring of an owl image on a mug she used during a retreat that fed her soul. Painted with iridescent watercolors, the owl shines and represents wisdom.
Linda M – Wisdom Owl Mandala
Sometimes the shape of the white paper is an inspiration. The long piece of French made Arches Text Wove paper called for a fun colorful fantasy flower expression by Linda M.
Linda M – Long Field of Fantasy Flowers
Karen M. was also inspired by a long strip of paper. A recent walk in the woods was a discovery of many kinds of mushrooms that she honored in her painting.
Karen M. – Mushrooms From a Walk in the Woods
Karen honored a time she spent with her daughter in a nature reserve in the mountains with wildflowers and enchanted tall pines. When Karen and her daughter sang into the night the tall pines echoed back their songs. The trees and night sky spoke to their hearts. The sun and water merge in the middle and wildflowers dance in the light in her painting.
Karen M – Songs of the Trees with Water, Sun, Sky, Stars and Flowers
Karen used a “magic” brush to create this iridescent rainbow mandala with golden rays around it. The brush used is called a Chinese brush, used not only for Asian painting and calligraphy but also for watercolor. The brushes hold lots of water and paint, letting Karen create these continuous colored lines.
Karen M – Iridescent Rainbow Mandala
I created two origami books from 24 x11 inch watercolor papers I painted as a warm up exercise during mandala workshops I taught a few years ago. To loosen up, large strokes with big brushes and lots of watercolor paint, sumi ink and walnut ink were used to create circles. Both of these papers had these circle marks on them. The other marks made with markers and ink were added at the recent gathering.
The colored circles were pastel, painted with large brush stokes. I drew lines along the curves to create large flower like shapes. Several small flowers were created with turquoise and red markers.
My Origami Book of Flowers opened up – 24 x11 inches
I found a newsprint large piece, also created as a warm up exercise in a previous mandala workshop. I added words along curves of the circles and created a box with a small prayer. The paper is thin and felt like old air mail letters made of lightweight paper. Although cheap newsprint, its thinness made it feel special. The purple dots happened when an open marker made its own mark on the paper. Totally unplanned, but a welcome addition.
My opened origami “Prayer” book
The paper is folded along the center both ways and then folded again with the long sides to the center. A tear along the middle two sections and a folding into itself creates an eight page book. Here are what some of the pages look like when the books are folded and opened to two pages.
At the end of our Mandala and Creativity Circles we share our experiences and what was created. The diversity, uniqueness and depth of revelation is always a joyful surprise. The art work is past around so we can see more closely and clearly before returning back to its creator. It is like passing fine jewels around to admire the colors, shapes and images that were given life just a few moments before.
Enjoy & Create
