‘celebrating the beauty,
diversity and inter-connectedness
of all life on our home…
Mother Earth…
‘She’ who provides all our physical needs…
through her endless bounty and creativity….’
How it all began:
One morning in 1997 I woke with a kaleidoscope of pictures whirling in my mind’s eye……….animal faces looking at me, babies and children, the phases of the moon, the seasons, the elements and the colours of the rainbow.
They all spun around a central axis with a clear crystal at its centre….
I had been drawing and painting mandalas for many years…
but what was this?
I was puzzled and each morning just before I woke,
I watched in fascination as so many images appeared….
Was this a mandala that I could possibly make?
The task seemed daunting and so I just let it evolve, sketching and taking notes for many months ……
Then one day the image of the completed mandala appeared before me….
I saw everything as ‘dancing energy’ and so thought fine stitches in needlepoint would be appropriate…
So I painted 5 images with acrylic paint on canvas and then stitched in ‘petit-point’ working the colours in embroidery thread as I would a watercolour painting… working from dark to light…
13 cm x 16 cm each
but then soon realized that this would be an impossibility… a lifetime’s work!!!
So I changed tack and started with the pencil animal drawings… on A4 paper …. 72 in all
I had to learn many new skills and there were so many questions….
How was I going to get it all together?
Was it even possible?
I experimented by painting a large acrylic canvas to sort things out in my mind….
I eventually chose silk painting for the wallhanging. I loved its sensitivity and fluidity of colour. I also used a combination of different textiles to help me capture the ‘textures’ of nature.
I wanted to express the ‘feeling’ of each season.
the ‘inner depth’ of winter….
the ‘upsurge of life’ in spring….
the ‘outburst of energy’ in summer….
the ‘letting go’ of autumn….
I started at the centre….
with painted silk and tiny seed beads
then:
* the phases of the moon
* male and female combine to create ‘sparks’ of life
* babies of the four nations – each safe in a loving womb
*children of the four nations – living on the Earth
* a circle of animal charms – each animal a ‘gift’
* rainbow children – living in harmony
* the elements – earth ,air, water, fire
* the seasons – winter, spring, summer, autumn
* 64 birds, animals, flowers – each reflecting our own nature
* starlit sky – the influence of the stars and planets
* yin and yang – the influence of night and day
* yellow rays of sunlight – warming creating growth
* the colours of the rainbow – the colours we perceive
and our body’s chakra system
* pale blue pure air – the ozone layer
* eternal knot – life in constant motion
* red and gold circles – natural cycles
* the green border- the greenery that supports all life – abundance for all
Over time the final image evolved and was quite different to my ‘planning’ painting.
Working with fabric was a completely new challenge.
So I re-sized 64 of my original drawings on the photo-copier to make them small enough………
and then coloured and transferred them onto white cotton fabric
I sewed them onto the border and cut away the excess …
There were many sets of 4….
which tested my patience and accuracy…..
The colours of the rainbow were silk dyed and flower embroidered….
I would often get stuck, not sure how to proceed and the same process happened…..
First thing in the morning, just before I was fully awake
I was ‘shown in my minds eye’ the next step…….
I just kept following my ‘inner guidance’… just trusting…
I kept a ‘working journal’ of my progress – recording all my
trials and errors along the way…
It was an amazing journey, learning new skills. The discipline was phenomenal and the frustration extreme!
At one time I was so exasperated by the whole thing that I threatened to take it to the ‘tip’.. but when my partner said he would help me put it in the car… of course I declined!
I had a wonderful sense of satisfaction when I finally completed it.
and a sense of awe that I had achieved my goal…. set so many years before…
The original concept began in 1997, the beginning of the work in 2000 and the completion of the wall hanging in 2003.
The finished piece is 2.7 metres x 2.7 metres.
My intent was to create a sense of movement,
the cycles of life interweaving
and the inter-dependence of all….
watch the slideshow below
to see the images in close-up
It represents for me:
‘a blessing for our planet’
with a wish that all children live in harmony,
with love, clean air, pure water and nourishment
‘each one of us a thread
we each have a place…..
woven through time
in this sacred space…..’
I hope that all who view my work,
respond by sending blessings
to our home, Planet Earth
‘eartheart’
eartheart – eartheart – eartheart
eartheart –– eartheart
( can you hear her heart beat ? )
I wish to thank
my partner for his support,
patience and understanding.
Nillumbik Shire for my
Cultural Development Grant in 2000
© forrest-moon
2014
'tapestry of light' mandala 