Dancing in a Circle - My Mandalas

For as long as I can remember I have been fascinated with the symmetry and precision in historic architecture, especially the round rose windows in many of our old churches. Playing with a compass in grade school in math class, wonderful circular shapes could be drawn with intersecting arcs filling the space - and there it was - the answer as to how the rose windows were designed!

Circular shapes play a constant part in our lives. As Fincher (1991) says, "we are predisposed to respond to the circle" whether it be a circle of friends, our own cyclic lives, the seasons or an actual physical, circle that has no beginning and no end. When I think of circular shapes, I also think of the labyrinth that was drawn centuries ago on the floor of Chartres Cathedral in France and mandalas that artists have also been creating forever.

Circular drawings, paintings or mandalas are part of my art experiments. Mandala is a Sanskrit word that means center or magic circle. They appear on the walls in ancient caves throughout the world. Other artists create mandalas from loose, coloured sand and let them blow away once they are finished.

Over the years, my mandalas have evolved to contain written messages. Look carefully and you will see  the words Love, Hope or Joy. Each is an original watercolour that is matted and backed with acid free material and comes in a cellophane envelope. They make a nice wedding or shower gift or something special for a friend. There is lots of space on the mat below the image to write a personal note, a quotation or little verse.

If interested, contact me a patriwinans@gmail.com

Matted size: 8 X 10                  Image: 5½ inches in diameter

                                                                                     Ⓒ content copyright 2012 Patricia Winans