Merry Christmas!!!!

Fun with Holiday Art projects!!!    

Christmas Collaboration with my Grandson. 

Making Christmas Cards

One of my favorite card compositions  ~sheila l. kalkbrenner

2013 Review

  My Year in Review Exploding Box
from the Right Brain Business Plan  Year In Review Video Chat with Jennifer Lee author and founder of RBBP

The Cinquain inside the box top says,
"Artist
classical, conceptual
making, sharing, selling
building a self-sustaining studio
Independent"
It is based on studio goals that I set in Feb 2013  studio plan

 

I really felt this project was a perfect way to celebrate all that has been done here in the studio this year. It was certainly a year of bursting out of the confinement imposed by arachnoiditis and really pushing myself to put everything "out there".  The effort involved in making that happen is  not something that I take lightly. This project was really a fun way to recap these accomplishments and remember what I have been doing with my vertical time this year.

In addition to stocking up on an all new studio supply of prints, post cards, and calendars of my own work, I have gained confidence in my work and established my StudioYouTube channel *continued showing and working with the Wellsville Art Association*  licensed the painting, Honesty & Hope for show on Pain Exhibit.Org, with coverage in the American News Report, Pain Report featured pain art* resumed participation with Belfast Organization for Artists (BOFA) *applied for and was selected as the Artist for the Official Great Wellsville Balloon Rally 2013 Wellsville Daily Reporter  *created, published, and sold my own fine art coloring book* had my FIRST ever local solo show & sale* became an active member of Allegany Artisans Studio Tour* planned and implemented my own collaborative art exhibit A Round Now In A Square Time sponsored by the Wellsville Art Association* was a featured artist at OneFive4 gallery online10 point profile* and began making my own hand-painted Christmas  cards.

These activities were made possible through the adaptability of the ostrich  cot featured in my Works in Progress Reasonable Accommodations video AND the wonderful support of Friends and Family who believed that this work was worthy of public consumption. MANY, MANY THANKS TO ALL OF THEM. They do know who they are.

This Explosive Box for an explosive year is a great hands-on, engaging, visual record...like a 3d scrap book ...that jogs your mind and memories and inspires reflection for planning for next year. The tangibility of the project really pushed me to live in the MOMENTS of reflection before jumping to other new ideas.

Happy Holidays!!

The month of November was spent recovering from October. Moving into the Christmas festivities, I had a great time creating my own water color Christmas Cards for friends and family.


Some are available for reproduction. View more at  Christmas Cards on my website.

Frigid temperatures this month have increased horizontal time spent indoors. My Grandson and I have been spending after school time playing "construction site" and watching the Polar Express.

My oldest daughter came home from college to help decorate the Christmas tree. I am looking forward to making Christmas cookies when they all get here.  In the meantime, REST is at the top of my Christmas list.

Mandala Collaboration ~A Round Now In A Square Time

The A Round Now In A Square Time exhibit opened on October 28th.
The September Daily Mandala project concluded with this large collaborative floor mandala. I enjoyed the wonderful dialogue that it generated at the Opening Reception on the 28th. Allison and I discussed the creative process and the evolution of the project,as well as how it may change in the days to come, with patrons who attended the reception. Bottle caps for this project were contributed by community members. 

Top Ten Lessons Learned about Fine Art on the Artisan Tour

Sharing a Note To Self Moment

I am a lessons learned kind of girl. I assess and analyze things to death before I do them (now) and then I do it again afterward. From valuable quality time well spent to financial compensation, I am constantly searching for the most effective, productive, and profitable use of my vertical time. Some of these lessons were obvious no-brainers, others I would never have known without having experienced this open studio event. 

#1~ Never lose sight of the reason(s) you have chosen to open your studio space to the public. Are you just excited to share and show the work? Is money the main objective? Are you hoping to create or discover a new audience for your work? The motivation is as diverse as the work. Just know what your own motives are going into it and stay focused as the tour progresses. 

#2~ Miniature reproductions sell better and faster than the larger, higher-priced, more difficult to transport,originals but it is STILL necessary to hang and show some of these originals. 

#3 Offer an assortment of sizes

#4 ~ Keep it light. Reserve the serious context and conversations for gallery shows and exhibitions.
Although some of the travelers may enjoy the more intense aspects of your work, sharing with ALL of them will leave you exhausted and spent before the tour ends.

#5 Before the tour, make sure your demo space or work space(s) is easily accessible to multiple viewers. IF possible choose a central location.
(Late Saturday, I moved this around so that more people could see from the front of the studio space.)

 #6 Be sure there is plenty of room for visitors to look around and offer multiple displays so that everyone isn't trying to get into the same corner of the studio at the same time.

#7 Be sure to have at least one friendly assistant to greet the public while you are demonstrating the work that you do. Visitors are coming on the tour to see how the art is created. If you are too busy greeting and managing sales, you will not have time to do justice to the demonstration aspects of the open house nature of this event.




#8 If you are a multi-media artist, plan several projects in assorted media that you can demonstrate while visitors are in the studio. For me this means using ALL of the work stations in my studio but don't forget lesson #5 as you are planning this out.

#9 IF your work space is designed for reasonable accommodations for a disability, use this in your demonstration. Reasonable accommodations in the work place don't always mean just having room for a wheel chair. The more employers realize that there are options and low-cost methods to meet these needs, the more likely they are to hire or maintain people with disabilities without resentments of the obligation to do so.

#10 Have a plan but be open-minded and willing to make adjustments as the tour progresses.

Myself the Studio Elf

Seven Days and Ten Hours Left to be ready for The Allegany Artisans Studio Tours.

In my first year as a member of the Artisans I am making many changes in my studio space to make it ready for public access. I suppose (and hope) that the more frequently you do this, the less prep and adjustment you have to do. I understand that each artist would want to accommodate the supply and demand associated with the anticipated increase in studio traffic. Ideally though,  wouldn't a daily practicing artist eventually just open the studio as it is while it is in use?
I am not sure if the other Artisans are conducting business as usual in their studios or if they, too are working long days and later evenings (NIGHTS) to prepare for this public event. 


I have this image in my mind of all us ...well the ones I have met so far...wearing horizontally-striped socks, pointy boots, and stocking hats (and the rest of our clothes) as we brush, twist, turn, scrape, pound, mold, etch, glaze, melt, pour, polish, stitch, print, cut, paste, sodder, frame, check, re-check, display, and repeat.  Unlike the gadgets & gizmos and whozits & whatsits made by the elves, most of our work probably does not have a pre-determined destination. As I excitedly designate a space for each studio offering (sacrifice), the thought crosses my mind that by the end of the month "that one" might not be sitting there anymore. Some work takes months, or longer to finish, it becomes a part of your space and a part of your environment. I think as an artist, if you want to make any kind of living doing this, you have to be prepared to rearrange your environment on MANY levels. There are items here that it would be difficult to part with but, I remind myself that each piece was created with the intention of sharing it with other people. I have had to remind myself not to borrow trouble by imagining the impression the item will leave behind but, to focus on the impression it will take with it when it goes.

 I finished painting the porch just before the rain began. Wind from speeding trucks not-withstanding, my sign is up...most of the time.

I remember four or five years ago when I first started to consider participating in the tour, I was asked how I would paint enough pictures to make it worth while for the patrons AND myself. I am looking at this first year of participation as an educational experience to gain an understanding of what people are looking for when they stop in to a studio this way. 
All items sold in my studio are made using my original art.

 SheilaLynnK Art studio (A Fine Art Connection) 2013 Offerings Include: 
A diverse price range on all items = 25 cents to $450
Note Cards, Post Cards, Poster Prints, Coloring Books and some of the original pieces used to create these reproductions.
This year I will be doing a studio clearance sale during the tour. This sale will include a large assortment of small prints and miniatures reproduced from original studio art. These will range in price from 25 cents to 5 dollars each.
Order forms for items NOT in stock in the studio are available.
If you are interested in scheduling a commission consultation appointment ($40) you may do so at this time.

If you have visited my studio, I would love to hear about what items you felt were successful, which ones you felt didn't work for this venue, and what you might like to see that wasn't here this time. Please leave your comments below.

Make sure you enter your name in this year's Raffle. Entry  Forms are available in each studio.



Art; a step in the right direction.

Down Time

Back-pack -check, camera- check, sketch book- check, unplugged-check.
Rapidly approaching burn out and meltdown, we made a break for it on Friday.


Firey Fall Foliage

Surprisingly warm weather and lovely fall foliage perfectly framed a long weekend away from it all. 


A Country Dog at Heart

Warm winds & drifting leaves were interrupted by thunderstorms just long enough to inspire 3 games of Clue and a bottle of Port. A perfect prescription for weeks of perpetual insomnia; the solitude, accompanied by a healthy portion of home-cooked pork, mushroom & sauerkraut stoup, induced seven hours of un-interrupted sleep. 
Did I mention the home made Concord Grape Ice Cream (from the fresh-pick 'em- yourself grapes we got at Jerome's in Naples , NY) that was in the freezer... m-m-m-m-m good.

Usually confined to the house and a dog-run in the back yard, my dog was over-joyed to be included on this retreat into the wilderness. Unaccustomed to such outings, we were all quite exhausted (and somewhat crippled) following an afternoon hike to the spring that quenches the house. Several hours later, I attempted to play fetch with him. I threw his stick. He trotted to it, plopped his body on top of it, and looked at me as if to say, "Go Lay Down."

I forced myself to exhale, rest and enjoy the smell of acorn and buttercup squash roasting in the oven in preparation for a yummy, spicey squash bisque prepared by loving hands (NOT my own). A speculative sports announcers' hum about the New York Giants and the opposition lulled me into an afternoon cat nap. "Turnovers, possessions, making their way back to the line of scrimmage..." z-z-z-z-z-z did somebody say "turn-overs"? z-z-z

Back at the studio in the village:
For the first time today; my grandson rode the bus from pre-school to visit with me in the studio. A session of construction site, four games of Candy Land, PB & J and a cup of chocolate milk later; we fed the dog and finished our after school time watching Elmo videos on youtube.

Returning to work tomorrow, I will continue preparations for the 2013 Allegany Artisans Studio Tour and the collaborative exhibition, A Round Now In A Square Time ,with fellow artist & friend, Allison Midgley.

The challenges haven't changed, the obstacles remain, but the blessings are recognized.

Day 30~ Oh The Thinks You Will Know!

"Think left and think right and think low and think high. Oh, the thinks you can think up if only you try!" ~ Dr. Seuss (Brainy Quotes)

$16.99 to Buy and Print This 
or Buy the Inverted Digital File of this colored pencil drawing

In the end, the imagery in this drawing just seemed inherently Dr. Seuss-esque. It was not intentional but, I did find the resemblence comforting.
The end of this thirty-day commitment seems to be just the beginning. I am intrigued to learn what, if anything, it means when certain colors interrupt others. Are there parallels between color relationships and human relationships?

Is the Mandala a Magic Mirror that heals with its revelations? Like the mirror, are they a tool to connect us to humanity?

Without any premeditated determinations, this one gives the impression of a spiral and a mandorla, positioned as an eye, taking up the same space. Why?  All of which are juxtaposed in a manner which creates a basic landscape instead of a specific pattern or shape as the previous ones had done. Why?

Of the magenta, Fincher says, "I have seen it in the mandalas of women who are establishing autonomy, identifying a vocation, and enlarging their world view. These women are taking action while staying grounded in their true femine nature."
She goes on to define the positive vs. negative aspects;
 motivation,focus, and liveliness
vs. impatience, egotism, or a loss of focus in excess emotionality respectively.
Is it just conincidence, then, that this is the central color choice which dominates this drawing?

Considering that, just hours before doing this drawing, I had an uncharacteristic emotional meltdown in the privacy of my home in response to my current ambitious efforts toward "autonomy, identifying a vocation, and enlarging my world view," I am inclined to think there may be some merit to these well-established symbolic associations.

The more I know, the more I think.

Even now, as I revisit the image above this post, I am somehow reassured by the observation that the area below the spiral/eye is made up of relatively consistent, unwavering, layers of earthy-tones...perhaps a representation of solid ground? A form of validation that, in spite of the oppositional relationship between arachnoiditis and autonomy, my ambitions are just and well-supported by my life's work to date? I will need to review the on-line resources from this series of work and text references at hand to make the determination whether this is a legitimate assessment. In the mean-time, the making and the looking have comforted me greatly on this difficult day.

Day 29~Flattery of Complements

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or Buy The Inverted Digital for Your Meme

On the 29th day it occurs to me that there is very likely a reason that doctors are advised not to attempt to diagnose themselves. In the interest of using art and mandalas as a part of the healing process; it might be more effective to do a series of mandalas which do NOT consult the reference materials until the series is complete. It seems to me that in reference to any use of Joan Kellogg's Great Round concepts for interpretation, the work would be a more honest, unclouded representation of the phase or stage of development the person is in at that time.

Stage 6 is considered a confrontational phase in which the individual works to resolve the duality within herself/himself. "We feel ambilvalence as we are forced to confront the paradoxes in our existence and endure the tension of the opposites within ourselves....Complementary colors may appear side by side giving a sense of energetic confrontation."  ~Fincher

In my attempts at self evaluation I first look for the stage, then the color meaning, and the meaning of the forms. The blue tip of the left triangle is pointing to the orange tip of the right triangle, which are both at the center of the image. (Keep in mind, I did not even think of these forms as triangles DURING the drawing process. At the time, they were just 'by-products' of a need to divide the left and right circles.) Triangles are said to have some significance in identifying important concerns or direction oriented decisions based on which direction they point and the subject of their gaze.

Fincher's  text reminds that the significance may be clearer upon evalution of color choices as well. My color selection here was quite random. As I began the drawing it was facing in a horizontal position with the circles placed and intended simply as a sort of reflection of each other.
So-o-o-o, I went to the color place. I chose the color system associated with chakras as this one is new to me, hence the most "pure" interpretation might be revealed there.
Orange is said to be of the second chakra representing the development of autonomy. Light blue/blue is said to be the fifth chakra, the ability to love without receiving anything in return. "This chakra also has to do with sharing your gifts, talents, and abilities without expectation of reward."

The duality of this particular combination hit a sharp note regarding my current life. In reality my basic autonomy (which is something I am certain that I NEED) is ENTIRELY dependent upon my ability to expect and accept rewards/payment for sharing these 'gifts, talents, and abilities.' I am in the transitional phase of learning to expect monetary payment for the work that I produce in my studio. This is a big adjustment in my life as I have, as many artists do, made art for its own sake for many years. It is not surprising then, that this 'confrontation' occurs at the center of the mandala.

Likewise the reds, associated with basic survival needs, are exactly opposite the green of caring for others. This too, is a prevalent motivating concern underlying most of my decisions. As I am sure this is an inherent concern of the human condition I am not surprised that the two colors were assigned these associations as conflicting entities.
In any case, I proceeded to assess the drawing in this manner after it was completed.

The pros and cons of autonomy weigh heavy at times.  In self-diagnosis, I am not surprised to 'find' these conditions in my drawing. It would be interesting to know how somebody, better versed than I, would interpret these images WITHOUT knowledge of my day/life.

Day 28~ Another Midnight Mandala

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The most powerful lies are the ones we tell ourselves. They have the power to define our reality and how much we accept the reality defined by others. The reconciliation of our fantasies to the revelations of reality is expressed throughout the symbolism inherent to the cycles of Joan Kellogg's Great Round.

“Mindfulness helps us get better at seeing the difference between what’s happening and the stories we tell ourselves about what’s happening, stories that get in the way of direct experience. Often such stories treat a fleeting state of mind as if it were our entire and permanent self.”
― Sharon Salzberg, Real Happiness: The Power of Meditation

I have, in this brief, soon-to-be 30 day, exploration of the use of mandalas for healing, come to the conclusion that they are a method of developing, revealing, reflecting, documenting, and exposing our journey into "figuring it our for ourselves."

From: The Dance of the Seven Veils; Skinny Legs And All ~ Tom Robbins (1990)
"...there would be willing followers until humanity reached that philisophical plateau where it recognized that its great mission in life had nothing to do with the struggle between classes, races, nations, or ideologies, but was, rather, a personal quest to enlarge the soul, liberate the spirit, and light up the brain." 

"Even though the great emotions, the great truths, were universal; even though the mind of humanity was ultimately one mind, still, each and every single individual had to establish his or her own special, personal, particular, unique, direct, one-on-one, hands on relationship with reality..."

"We're making it up. All of us. It. All of it. The world, the universe, life, reality, especially reality. WE make it up. WE made it up. WE shall make it up. WE have been making it up. He, she, it makes it up."

The key is that we all must figure out how to apply that knowledge/realization to our daily lives. We must figure it our for ourselves.

We, you, me, I define reality. That definition is based on an instinctive, intuitive, inherited knowledge of the cycels of human existence.

"It is good to let ones mind travel from one dimension to another, alwasy to find its way back to the familiar, the land, the woods. For the ultimate secrets of the universe are contained withint the mind of man (humans). We have had the key, and it is within the abilities of each of us to fit it into the lock." ~ The Summer Woodlands, John R. Quinn (1980)

The development of My reality is also influenced by the realities of others which I permit to permeate, bump into, or overlap my own.  The extent of the influence is indicated or pre-determined  by my own confidence, security, and convictions regarding my existing perception of reality.

The power to make up reality is a power that can be used for good or evil. The duality of human nature indicates that it will be used for both.

Day 27~ Layers

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or Buy the Inverted Digital File

"Circles in your mandalas can remind you of the flow of life whose currents spiral in and out of things bound solid in time and space."
 ~Fincher

The Great Round Diagram ~Kellogg

Several stages of Joan Kellogg's Great Round seem to be in evidence here. I could not isolate one specific stage when I cross-referenced the diagram in Fincher's guide.
 These are the ones that seemed most evident:
Stage Three ~ Labrynth or Spiral
Stage 5~The Target
Stage 8~ The Functioning Ego

Fincher states that Stage 8 is the culmination of Stage 3. I suppose it makes sense that elements of both might appear in the same image.  I am not yet certain, but there seems to also be some sense of hierarchy in the drawings. As explore the references I am discovering on this journey, it occurs to me that perhaps, there are layers of meaning in each which indicate the general phase or stage of development juxtaposed with reactions to an experience of a given day.

To me, this drawing seems to show the path I am on in my creative/career journey and the progress I am making there overlapped with my personal journey and some of the persistent insecurities which shadow my accomplishments.These forms seem to be an odd balance of steady, consistent direction with random concerns popping up in an overwhelming way.  I have to assume that there must be some significance to the deconstruction of the star as the tirangles progress but perhaps those associations will be discovered with further research regarding the significance of the spiral and layering in mandalas.

Day 26~ Big Wheel

$16.99 to Buy and Print This 
or Buy the inverted Digital File of this Colored Pencil Drawing

As the demands of the days have left me to complete and contemplate most of these late into the wee hours of the morning, it occurs to me that I should have named this series, "Midnight Mandalas."

Upon completion the first thing I realized is that the magenta/purple/pink areas look like a cross of sorts that is buried under the other forms. Fincher suggests, "The cross is associated with the human challenge to know one's dark hidden side....Crosses rotated to form an X may also represent the end of a cycle....When a cross appears in your Mandala you might want to consider that you are balancing the duality of human nature."

12:52 a.m. of Day 27...I am exhausted. I must complete this post after I have had some sleep.

Sleep is good.   Awake now, I can see that this drawing is a layering of previous concepts into a new whole idea. 
"The clash of opposites is resolved with the Squaring of the Circle  (day 21). There is no longer the tug-of-war that was experienced in stage six...We have incorporated within ourselves the qualities of each that are necessary for a fully functioning adult identity... One is ready for a mate."

A single Mandorla (day 22) is in front of or on top of the cross and at the center of an unintentional tree. Full and robust, it differs from the leafless one in September Satellite, the Circle Game  post (day 19). The first tree has far reaching roots but a small barren top.

September Satellite

Fincher counsels that, "When the roots of your tree are exposed you may be feeling insecure, uprooted, or vulnerable.You might even be experiencing problems with your feet. The trees you draw portray your whole self: the physical, emotional, and spiritual aspects of who you are."
A bountiful tree can indicate connectedness to the outer world, active motherhood- even increased involvement with your adult children, and a balance between the dualities of human existence.

How I saw the drawing when
I first picked it up this morning.

There is an extensive vocabulary of symbolism associated with trees.  In and of themselves they can become a window into our perception of ourselves and our place in the world.
Jung enumerates some of these associations:
"...growth, life, unfolding of form in a physical and spiritual sense, development, growth from below upwards and from above downwards, the maternal aspect (protection, shade, shelter, nourishing fruits, source of life, solidity, permanence, firm-rootedness, but also being 'rooted to the spot'), old age, personality, and finally death and rebirth. (1983:272)" ~Fincher

In retrospective consideration of the mood and events of the day when these drawings were made, I can see which concepts are represented here. As I move through these drawings and learn more about the symbolism inherent in mandalas, I am developing a deeper understanding of what it means to look inward while still functioning in an outward direction. No single symbol or shape or color can tell everything. They are simply parts of a whole which must be considered in the context in which they are given and in relationship to the others around them. In a series of drawings, such as this thirty day project, the focus elements seem to overlap and repeat over the course of the time in question. For me, this demonstrates a period of transition between phases of what art therapist, Joan Kellogg, calls the Great Round.
Mandala Associates
MARI Connections
MARI Reasearch
The Great Round

Day 25~ Intangible substance

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or Buy The Inverted Digital Image $16.99

Stage 9 is supposed to represent the completion of the stage 8 endeavors. In it you will see evidence of the slowing of the creative flow of energy. 

"during the height of our achievement we begin to sense the inevitability of our destruction." 

I suppose it is comforting during that moment of recognition to know that the cycle to achievement will repeat again. Devastation occurs when we permit ourselves to be surprised by our own rise and fall. The only constant is change. 

"There is no linear evolution; there is only a circumambulation of the self.” ~C. Jung

Incognito (BW) 9.25.13 ©Sheila L. Kalkbrenner

The absence of color changes the meaning of the form. I am hovering on the verge of something which I cannot quite define...something not-quite-right and more than a bit un-nerving for its lack of clarification. Like eyes on the back of my neck; it prickles. It is hiding in plain sight. The slightest shift of light or color will reveal the change that is coming. For all its incessant inklings; I recognize it. I have been on this part of the circle before. ~slk

“Each person’s life is like a mandala- a vast, limitless circle. We stand in the center of our own circle, and everything we see, hear and think forms the mandala of our life."

~Creativity for the Soul 100 Days for Mandalas

"Throughout the whole vegetable, sensible, and rational world, whatever makes progress towards maturity, as soon as it has passed that point, begins to verge towards decay." ~Robert Blair, poet

"I am doomed to an eternity of compulsive work. No set goal achieved satisfies. Success only breeds a new goal. The golden apple devoured has seeds. It is endless." ~ Bette Davis, actress

Read more at Brainy Quotes

Day 24~ Shine

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or $16.99 to Buy the Inverted Digital File of this colored pencil drawing. Delivered via email

I feel safe in saying that we all have a heart light that we carry with us. This Mandala is the representation of the heart lights which I hold close to my own.

If we are lucky, we are surrounded by cherished people and we take the time to recognize their hearts shining, too. Some shatter easily inside of their crystal confines...shards leaving vulnerable holes, the fragments scattering upon the floor. Setting us ablaze in wonder and confusion, others burst into flame with the slightest provocation. And, still others, hover and glow independently inside of their skins... warming those who touch them .The rest of them fluctuate between these states of existence. Crossing boundaries on a whim, keeping a safe distance when it suits them; they come in and out of our lives fleetingly but effectively when we need them the most. If our heart light is strong, we embrace them as they are or mercifully let them go when we cannot. In the words of Neil Diamond, "Turn on your Heart Light." 

Day 23~Stop the Madness

ASAP logo  by Nicola Reeves

This new logo, created by Nicola Reeves,....looks kind of like a......Mandala....
I hope it becomes a symbol of great healing in our broken health care system

Mandala madness, this daily project I am doing to learn more ways of healing through art,  is briefly interrupted to bring you this important public sevice announcement to STOP THE MADNESS that allows spinal injections and invasive spinal procedures to leave so many people permanently disabled and suffering.

 I have completed the Reasonable Accommodations video for my you tube channel in hopes that it will provide some support for the survivors, information for the injured, and eventually help lead to some accountability for the arrogant.

Living with Arachnoiditis means adaptation, bursts of productivity, and respect for our limitations. Learn more at Arachnoiditis Society for Awareness and Prevention (ASAP)
This video features activity at SheilaLynnK Art Studio.
Accommodations for damage to CSF rotation, the spinal cord, and CNS include:
an inversion table, The Ostrich Cot, Sunbeam Renue heat therapay pads from Fingerhut, and a great deal of time management.
Music and vocal performance ~Beth Hart , Screamin' For My Supper ~1999).
(This video uses copyrighted material in a manner that does not require approval of the copyright holder. It is a fair use under copyright law.)
You can support studio projects, reasonable accommodations, and community action goals at: https://sheilalynnkart.see.me
Follow the studio at www.sheilalynnkart.com, sheilalynnkart.blogspot.com, or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SheilalynnkArtStudio?ref=ts&fref=ts
Find out about the 2013 Allegany Artisans Studio Tours at: http://alleganyartisans.com/index.htm

Day 22 ~ Mandorla, Resolution, and Unity

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or Buy the Inverted Digital File of this Colored Pencil Drawing

"Goethe's color theory indicates black as a symbol of matter and white as a symbol of spirit. To Goethe the colors blue and yellow represent the body and soul of human beings. ...Green is produced with equal parts blue and yellow...Green was an affirmation for Goethe of the state of harmony that can be achieved by human beings who balance within themselves both body and soul. Since blue and yellow are derived from black and white (In Goethe's color theory) green also represents the resolution of  opposites symbolized by darkness and light." ~Fincher 83-84

This combination of colors, which resulted in a variety of shades of brown, could represent the resolution of the duality which exists between the complementary colors, red and green.

Multiple circles are layered to create depth within the safe boundaries of the outermost edge of the mandala.

The Mandorla is the almond shaped space which is created when two circles over-lap. It is said to represent the coming together of opposites in a place which heals the divide between the two. In mandalas these may appear at times when the grace of this reconciliation is present.

In this mandala, there is still movement and opposition in the center showing the existence of some unresolved inner turmoil that is tightly controlled or protected by the external balance. As I witness my young-adult children venture out into the hazards of the world, a Transformation is still taking place here.

At $25,000, The Mandorla Art Award is Australia's most significant Christian-themed art prize. This competition is currently open with a registration Deadline of June 2014 Terms and Conditions apply.

Mandorla Magazine alludes to the notion of exchange and imaginative dialogue that is necessary now among the Americas. First published in Mexico City in 1991, Mandorla emphasizes innovative writing in its original language--most commonly English or Spanish--and high-quality translations of existing material. Visual art and short critical articles complement this work.

Language as Mandorla

"Johnson (1991) claims, the mandorla is demonstrated in a well-structured sentence. He says that is why we like to talk so much because it is restorative and healing. Good talk restores unity to a fragmented world. He says that to make any well-formed sentence is to make unity, or that the mandorla is formed every time the truth is told. It is similar to Freud's talking cure. When distressed, language that is properly used is highly curative. As long as we are provided the right container, we can make mandorlas of speech, and cure many things (Johnson, 1991). Also, all good stories are mandorlas. As they speak, gradually through the miracle of the story, they demonstrate that the opposites overlap and are finally the same.[Johnson, R. (1991). Owning your Own Shadow. San Francisco: Harper Collins.] ~ Brian Jensen

Day 21 ~ Squaring the Circle

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This particular shade of blue brings me a sense of comfort and peace. It reminds me of Forget-Me-Nots, although most I have seen in life are a slightly darker, more lavender, shade. Yellow petals remind me of Sunflowers. Together they remind me of my mother. She was a passionate person. We were often passionate about opposite things. She told me once that she enjoyed my company because I was like my father. The knowledge of her presence always calmed me. No matter the turmoil, whether thrust upon me or self-induced; She was my friend and my companion, my confidant in all things that ever truly mattered. Knowing that it might chew me up and fling me back, She accepted my willingness and compulsion to fling myself at life.  I miss her.

My father was always there to brace her up against my adventurous nature. I imagine he must have listened to her worries. He taught me that you don't have to like something to be good at doing it. He showed me how to see the work that needs to be done and just do it. 

Young parents, I assume they must have comforted each other in the acceptance of a parents' lack of control over the choices our adult children make. 

SQUARING OF THE CIRCLE:

"This is the place of balance between maternal and paternal power....We feel capable of initiating action instead of being the passive recipient of the actions of others...We are ready to do not just be...Typical mandala forms of Squaring the Circle display designs characterized by four. Crosses, squares, stars, and flowers with four petals are often seen. The Squaring of the Circle is the place where we take a stand on what we know within ourselves to be right.  It is the beginning of life lived according to our own values."~Fincher

Day 20 ~ Diversion Tactics

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I have been working too hard the last few weeks. My body is protesting. Today is going to be a much-needed day of rest for me.

In the Secret Language of Symbols David Fontana says that, "in heraldry the cockerel represents pride and courage. Waking at dawn it is a solar symbol, a sign of resurrection." 

This illustration was drawn on an early August day not unlike today. I am in much need of resurrection.

Day 19~ The Circle Game

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The harvest moon crested the rolling hills tonight as I walked home from calling hours commemorating the life of a true friend of our community. Autumnal transition is in the air. Once again, I am reminded that we are all walking the circle, captive on the carousel of time.


"What can we gain by sailing to the moon if we are not able to cross the abyss that separates us from ourselves? This is the most important of all voyages of discovery, and without it, all the rest are not only useless, but disastrous." ~Thomas Merton


One of the first fundamental stages of artistic development is the ability to make the circle. "it's a universal stage of artistic development that every normal child throughout the world experiences. In fact, it is the first major milestone in image-making and for that reason, a child's circle drawing may be one the earliest representations of the self."~ Cathy Malchiodi 

In the origins of all humanity we have had a survivalists fascination with circles deeply rooted in our inherent connection with natural cycles of life, observations of the patterns of the solar system, and deep-rooted awe of the oh-so-magical moon.
 Myths About The Moon 
Mythology of the Moon (NASA)

In cultural art throughout history the moon is generally represented as white or silver. White is also often used to represent silver. One must take into consideration the aspects associated with the color silver if white is being used in this context.

White appears in mandalas in several different ways.
It can be applied to the fresh surface of the paper.
The white paper can be left blank in selected areas.
It can also be applied over other colors giving a pearlized look to the work.
Each of these methods lends itself to a variety of outcomes and interpretations. Joan Kellogg teaches that white paper left blank, especially at the center of the mandala, indicates a certain readiness for an imminent change.

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Due to the diverse applications, symbolic cultural associations, and alchemical symbolism associated with the properties of the color white and its link to moon myths; it is wise to analyze its use in mandalas via its juxtaposition to other colors, shapes and symbols. As previously suggested, individual life experiences and personal visual vocabulary at the time of the drawing will also inform this assessment.