Celtic Spiral Mandala

One of the most fascinating places I visited while in Ireland a few years ago was a megalithic passage tomb called Newgrange. Like an underground Stonehenge, the alignments with the heavens were calculated and precise in this 5000 year old structure. Only the light from the rising sun on the winter solstice could reach down the long passage to the inner chamber.
I remember the remarkable triple spiral carved in a stone at the entrance. Over time this Neolithic design was incorporated into Celtic motifs. I used the spiral triskele as a central element to this botanical mandala, and added some Celtic weave designs.

Frame Style

Unframed $50.00 Framed $80.00

Pink Flowercircle

This mandala was made from pink begonia flowers. I thought it was lovely in its basic form, so I did not add a main image theme like I do with most of my mandalas, nor did I add a frame. I did decorate it with some jewels and a circle of glyphs that I created.

Dragonfly Wheel

Dragonflies are wonderful creatures and they are an excellent design feature to incorporate in my botanical mandalas. Like butterflies, their symmetry is easily recognized when viewed from the top and are also an attractive and pleasing form.
The intricate,lacy wings were a fun challenge to draw.

Detail.

Rex Begonia Zodiac

One of my favorite subjects for my botanical mandalas is the begonia. The variety of colors, the variegation, and the detail in the veins, all combine to give fascinating and intricate symmetries.
This begonia mandala inspired me to include the symbols of the zodiac and frame the mandala with a variety of astrological symbols.

Crow Wheel Mandala

I always enjoy watching crows when they come to forage at the bottom of my bird feeder. Their interactions are fascinating and suggest an intelligence and social structure that is complex. The form of the mandala also allowed me to draw a circle of crows in flight to surround the pair.

Bear Mandala

When I think of bears I think of their beauty, majesty, and their power.
But I also think of their playfullness. I was once at a zoo watching polar bears play. One threw a beachball across the moat directly to me. I caught it, and the bear stood there looking at me expectantly. Of course, I threw the ball back to him. He skillfully caught it, then resumed playing with the other bears.
While I was touched by this interraction I was nevertheless glad for the moat.
When I drew this bear for my mandala I thought of the bear's significance in Native American culture, so I included some symbols that I have seen on petroglyphs.

Hydrangea Treecircle

The deep blues of this hydrangea mandala suggested the night sky to me. I drew a circle of winter trees to set against the stars. I also included a small circle of my glyphs in the center. The blue of the hydrangea is lovely, but a bit monochromatic, so I added a circle of jewels in a complimentary color.