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“Artistic expression and beauty of the Earth are portrayed lovingly in the beautiful designs of Nature Mandala Art. The colors and detail are stunning and invoke peace and inspiration. Absolutely lovely artwork honoring the cycles of nature.”

The “Loving Acceptance” nature mandala is made with a very special rose that grows wild throughout New England called Rosa rugosa. Rose has an affinity for the heart and the qualities of love, openness, and healing. The smell of rose evokes deep memories in our mind and body. The old time saying “stop to smell the roses” is an invitation to be present in the moment, breathe deeply and pay attention without judgement, with an open heart and with gratitude, kindness and appreciation for oneself and others.  

There are many forms of meditation practice. Mindfulness is a particular form of meditation where a person practices paying attention and noticing their present moment experience without judgement. Nature mandala art in particular, both the practice of creating it and focusing one’s attention on this visual art form is a mindfulness mediation practice. For me, mindfulness meditation practice and creating a nature mandala begins with noticing the plants.

Mandala, a Sanskrit word for circle, is a spiritual symbol that traditionally has been used to help focus attention and as an aid to meditation. One of the ways that I remember and reconnect with the meditation of this, and other nature mandala art designs is to visualize the mandala in my mind and heart and simply take a moment to pause and reflect on the feeling of the word and image. This simple visual meditation practice keeps the meaning of the mandala alive in my experience and helps me revisit and remember my intentions and aspirations.

I have been living in Vermont for over 20 years. My art is inspired by the beauty of this place and the incredible diversity of plants that grow in here. The root of my art is connected to the many years that I have been learning from the plants as a gardener and herbalist. This art form of creating nature mandalas has been so heart centering and joyful — and helps me share and connect with nature and others in a more authentic way. One of my hopes as a visual artist is that this art inspires others to connect more deeply with the natural world and perhaps even make a nature mandala of their own.

Gratitude is a quality or state of being. It is being thankful. It is an act of showing appreciation and returning kindness. Gratitude evokes feelings of  thankfulness, gratefulness, and thanksgiving. Gratitude is a practice, like a muscle to exercise. Each morning when I wake, I consciously spend a few moments thinking and feeling into what I am grateful for in my life. Gratitude is an invitation for thoughtful reflection and contemplation.

I created the “Intentions” nature mandala as a Winter Solstice blessing to welcome the return of the light. This mandala is an invitation to experience stillness, go inward, spend time reflecting and to set a vision for the year ahead. When setting intentions on the winter solstice, one can imagine the seeds of intention being buried in the darkness of the Earth. And, that what you conceive now will grow with the returning of the season of the sun.