Flow Mandala Art
Playing and completing flow mandala art pieces as I prepare examples for the weekend workshop on the 7th December. Art is about feelings and stories and creating flow mandalas is perfect for finding your own stories.
Finding stories
Some stories wait for completion as we grow into them. The girl, dog and boat have been important symbols for me for as long as I can remember.
Art is a wonderful dreaming space where you can create your world and find the parts of your story that have been forgotten or lost along the way.
I have included an empty dream catcher for you to dream your own flow mandala within the space. Print it out and fill in your own dreaming within the sacred circle and trust where your story leads.
Flow Mandala connection
Every mandala piece I create is different and holds parts of my story. Perhaps some of the stories below resonate with your own story. Personal symbols flow through all of my flow mandalas and are a way to step into the circle. This is about trusting that inner wisdom to guide the process. The easiest way to begin is with what you already know and then follow the path to where it leads.
Symbols and flow
I have mixed several symbols into a series of small mandalas as I explore the journey image in my art. The symbols that repeat are the girl, her dog, the boat and often the moon. Each symbol holds a personal meaning to me and is part of my inner story. The dog is always my companion who guides my path and is that constant loyal friend. I love the way the dream catcher evolved as it feels appropriate…perfect actually as she sits catching stars in her lap.
The white rabbit is always magic and a reminder that anything is possible. The small white bunny inside the small circle of light is guided and safe as she is watched over by owl spirit from within the inner circle as the other rabbit’s support her path from outside the circle. This layered flow mandala was a play with collage and a stencil that evolved into this beautiful little story of growth.
The space in the garden always feels as though it needs a cat to complete it. This piece started as a tissue paper collage play. The 3 blackbirds were on the tissue image and inspired the story that unfolded. My friend Glynis was sharing cat stories as we were at an open studio together. I feel like it was inevitable that this piece would have at least one cat in it. The chicks in the nest came from a memory of an image in my Mums bird book. It is interesting to note what sticks as my mum has been gone for 20 years and yet with this image she is part of the story. Every piece holds surprises and unexpected directions tp explore.
Under the Dreaming Moon began as a warm-up piece for the flow mandala workshop as I thought about the power of one main image in a piece and how to encourage a playful approach using personal symbols. I wanted a simple beginning to easily step participants into the creative space of making their flow mandala. I love the words that wanted to be included and wonder about the ribbon type images that emerged in the spirals.
This piece will be the basis of the main piece in the flow mandala workshop as I will be sharing several different approaches and everyone will start 3 pieces and aim to complete 1.
I do like the idea of having treasured creations to continue after the workshop and know this approach is easy to explore in small spaces of time. There is always a need for drying time and it is lovely to play across several pieces. The need to work on multiple pieces creates a lovely flow in the process.
Create your own
What would your flow mandala art hold? An easy way to begin is to doodle your own flow mandala. Draw the circle as your border and play with images. It helps to choose a single strong symbol to begin with and then let your imagination and your intuitive heart take the lead. Allow some of the drawing to spill into space around the sacred inner circle of the mandala. Enjoy the playful approach and trust the first thoughts as you add lines, images and words. Each time you step into the circle to create, you will find different images forming. I love the addition of words within the image that seems to flow naturally. These are sacred circles are soul containers that hold parts of your inner story. The process itself is a mindful practice and a way to explore your world through an intuitive process that is about letting go of the rules and being free to create.
Hope you find many spaces to make your own flow mandalas as you step into mindful creative spaces.
Love and Blessings
