Rondo Mandala

I find music can be the most expressive of all of the arts, and abstract art sometime comes close to it. The paintings of Wassily Kandinsky are a good example. My mandalas are in part an attempt to also get close to the sensation that you can feel when listening to music.

Minster Mandala

When on my travels, I like to visit buildings that have interesting fan vaulted ceilings, mostly in houses of worship. Sherborne Abbey in England is a good example. There is an amazing sensation when first looking up to see the ceiling from the center of the building. The same feeling can be had when looking up into a large tall tree. I try to create this sensation in some of my mandalas, including this one.

Albion Mandala

Albion is the oldest known name for Great Britain.

Dandelion Fairy Clock Mandala

This mandala design was not based originally on a dandelion. Thats what it reminded of, after I had finished it. Sometimes, I have no idea of what I am going to create at first. It can be very exciting to use a more random  approach, until something starts to emerge.  It is important to have an open mind, be playful, and have fun with it.

Rosetta Mandala

The Crystal Universe

  

As an artist, I am fascinated by design, and the incredible designs found in nature. Wilson Bentley, a self taught farmer from Vermont, USA, was the the first person to photograph a snow crystal (snowflake) in 1885, and spent the rest of his life recording them. According to Bentley, no two are alike! His book "Snow Crystals" contains 2400, and yes, no two are alike. Designs and patterns abound in the universe, and we are part of that pattern.  

Lindisfarne

The island of Lindisfarne is located off the Northumbrian coast, England. It is also called Holy Island, and was a primary pilgrimage site for Celtic Christians. Whatever your religion or believe, Lindisfarne is a spiritual and mystical place where you can find calm and solace. Although we may not have a physical place like Lindisfarne to go to, mandalas can act in a similar way,  bringing peace and tranquility to our lives. 

Centrum

Om Mandala

It has been said that there is harmony, peace and bliss in the sound of Om. It is the most important word in Hinduism and is held sacred, the expression of spiritual perfection. A  short but powerful word that starts with O, which is also a circle. I have tried to capture a sense of sound and power in my mandala. 

Winchester Mandala

Inner Peace

Electric Blue Mandala

I tried to capture in this mandala a sense of life's circulating energy. 

Tor Mandala

Madeleine's Mandala

Connections

Everything in the universe is connected in some way or another. Everything is in a state of flux, cycle and pattern.   

Dawn Light

Inner Eye

Enlightenment

Occasionally throughout life, we discover pearls of wisdom that give us insight, greater understanding, and open up new possibilities for spiritual growth. My painting depicts this idea, but instead of using a pearl, I used a flame of light that is reflected within the shell.    

American Butterfly

The Butterfly Effect

A small act can have a great effect on the surroundings, and bring about positive things, or dire consequences. It is prudent to reflect before we make the next move. 

Leonardo's Globe

Leonardo accomplished in one lifetime what few could accomplish in ten lifetimes. A dynamic man, who studied and drew the dynamics of nature, and who's creativity was boundless.      

Fruits of the Spirit

Ceremonial Orb

Floral Dance

Tropic Morning Mandala

Tropic Morning Mandala was not created by painting with LED lights, which is how I create most of my mandalas. I photographed real leaves that were simply backlit by the the morning sun, and then I played with the design and composition in photoshop. I have to admit that it was not photographed in the tropics, but at the Huntington Gardens in Pasadena, northeast of Los Angeles.     

Stratford Mandala

Stratford is associated with Shakespeare, and it is one of the places I like to go when visiting England. I tried to capture in this Mandala a flavour of the Shakespearian period. 

Victoria's Mandala

Putting On The Ritz.

Sacred Geometry

The search for the perfect composition,  dynamics,  balance and line, is the gestural part of the drawing, and for me the most exciting. It can become a spiritually rewarding experience. The Taoist saying "The journey is the reward" is very true. 

Dakota Mandala

    

"Everything the Power of the World does is done in a circle. The sky is round, and I have heard that the earth is round like a ball, and so are all the stars. The wind, in its greatest power, whirls. Birds make their nests in circles, for theirs is the same religion as ours. The sun comes forth and goes down again in a circle. The moon does the same, and both are round. Even the seasons form a great circle in their changing, and always come back again to where they were. The life of a man is a circle from childhood to childhood, and so it is in everything where power moves.“

- Black Elk, the Dakota elder

Glastonbury Mandala

I dedicate this Mandala to Mary Caine, who is associated with Glastonbury, England, and is well known for her work on the giant zodiac wheel in the area. Mary was one of my art teachers, and opened my eyes and awareness to many things.   

Inner Flight

Purple Symphony

Chippewa Mandala

Lotus Blue.

The psychoanalyst Carl Jung called the mandala "a representation of the unconscious self." I am not sure if this mandala represents my own unconscious self, I just know that creating it was most enjoyable, and that I was pleased with the end result. My intention was to create a design that was both harmonious, balanced, and a place for self reflection. Out of all the mandalas I have created, this has the most calming effect for me.   

Floriana Mandala

Regal Electric.

Fruit Mandala

Electric Yo-Yo

Gabriel's Mandala.

This design was made for my son Gabriel. 

Mystic Fruit.

Some of my Mandalas end up looking like sliced fruit, which I suppose is not surprising. Fruit are the end, and the beginning of a cycle, carrying the seeds for the next cycle of life.   

Blue Flower Mandala

There are many light sources that you can use to make a light painting. I mostly use LED lights. You can also use normal flashlights, sparklers, fibre optics, cellphones, fire poi, street lighting and car lighting. 

Sedona Mandala

There is something about visiting Sedona, Arizona, that has an immediate calming effect on you, at least that is what happened to me. In Sedona they have a Mandala which is a large medicine wheel made of rocks. It is well worth the visit to see it.     

Mystic Mandala

Most of my Mandala designs are symmetrical, to give a strong design balance, and a sense of calm to the viewer. Unlike the traditional Buddhist Mandala designs that use many straight lines, I tend to use rhythmic curves, similar to shapes found in nature. Petals, wings and waves.    

Fleur-de-lis Mandala

The effect of painting with light can sometimes give you a result that looks like stained glass.

Sea Shell Mandala

Producing the kind of Mandalas that I make is always a voyage of discovery. Painting with light is a relatively new art medium, compared to all the others. Man Ray was probably the first to use it in the mid 1930s, but it really took off with the advent of digital photography. You can see your results instantly.