"God is a circle of which the center is everywhere and the circumference is nowhere . . . " ~ Empedocles, 400 B.C
Hello Mandala Friends
My name is Linda Phillippi and I'd like to introduce you to my world of Mandala art. I live in the beautiful Mission Valley of Northwest Montana where I am constantly inspired by Nature's wonderland here on the Flathead Indian Reservation. I appreciate everything about the mandala: gazing upon them, designing them and teaching them. Please peruse these pages and come back now and then to see what's new. Welcome to my world.
Artist Statement
If art is the visual entrance into the mystery of creation, then for me, the mandala is the ultimate portal. The word Mandala is derived from the root, manda, which means essence. The suffix la has been added creating the word mandala, meaning essence container. Its' circular form symbolizes the cyclical nature of life and time, orbiting a center, as the earth orbits the sun, but with a new maturity and a different perspective with each evolution/revolution. Due to it's rhythmic nature, mandala gazing can be a deeply relaxing exercise, encouraging it's viewer to journey to the center of both the mandala and of one's self.
When I discovered mandalas several years ago I knew instantly that I had to make them in whatever medium I could. My current medium of choice is acrylics on canvas, allowing me to fill my "essence container" with all the bright and luminous colors I could never resist. My background in graphic design has been beneficial in helping me to lay out the often complex and repetitive aspects of the mandala. I particularly love the tradition of decorating mandalas with crystals, gold leaf, and a new approach of adding dimensional paint, making them into highly ornate and textured works of art.
The inspiration for my paintings is usually nature based, but I am also intrigued with fantasy, mythology, multiple cultures and goddess figures throughout the world. My paintings honor beauty and express gratitude in all things.
Mandalas are an ancient art form and cross into so many religions and cultures that a person could spend a lifetime studying them. I just want to make them and learn what I can about them and from them.
When I discovered mandalas several years ago I knew instantly that I had to make them in whatever medium I could. My current medium of choice is acrylics on canvas, allowing me to fill my "essence container" with all the bright and luminous colors I could never resist. My background in graphic design has been beneficial in helping me to lay out the often complex and repetitive aspects of the mandala. I particularly love the tradition of decorating mandalas with crystals, gold leaf, and a new approach of adding dimensional paint, making them into highly ornate and textured works of art.
The inspiration for my paintings is usually nature based, but I am also intrigued with fantasy, mythology, multiple cultures and goddess figures throughout the world. My paintings honor beauty and express gratitude in all things.
Mandalas are an ancient art form and cross into so many religions and cultures that a person could spend a lifetime studying them. I just want to make them and learn what I can about them and from them.