Om shanti

...Art as a form of meditation!

Not sure I meditate when I create art but I do talk to myself a lot, particularly as I grow older. 😛  Not sure that counts as meditation but it might be as close as I get, and I take "close to" more and more lately.

But this is how I began in my  Khadi journal...

First I began by collaging one of the Irresistible India Collage Cut-Outs on top of some paper that already had paint and stenciled patterns from the Decorative 6-Petal Flower Screen stencil by Gwen Lafleur which has a flower mandala pattern. 

I also continued the stenciling in a similar color paint as the background paper to tie in the collage material.

KHADI 100% cotton rag PAPERS are made in Karnataka, South India

I continued by adding mark making and splattering with white paint, some hand-made washi tape made out of peacock tissue paper and tape and then added some 14K gold leaf paper as an accent.

mark making and gold leaf

A happy accident occurred when a drop of water fell onto the paper showing me a way to bring out the stenciled design more like a relief. I then took some gel medium and washed over the edges in order to highlight the effect.

I then took out my bamboo pen used with India ink to draw (to the best of my ability) the symbol OM (described as the most important mantra for worship) 

Om is a mantra, or vibration, that is traditionally chanted at the beginning and end of yoga sessions. Coming from Hinduism and Yoga, the mantra is considered to have high spiritual and creative power but despite this, it is a mantra that can be recited by anyone.

...and then followed with a mantra for peace, which we desperately need these days. 

Om shanti shanti shanti

· Motifs inspired by mandalas👍

· Geometric shapes

· Tiles - ceramic, pantiles, glazed tiles, or their designs...

· Asiatic flowers, such as cherry blossom, chrysanthemum, orchids, lotus, Frangipani, lilies, hibiscus etc..

· Calligraphy or handwriting👍

· Fabric, faded or dyed👍

· Powdered pigments