STRUTTING YOUR STUFF

Strutting Your Stuff Mandala (Mandalas for Peace series) © Sue O'Kieffe 2009
source image - peacock feather

I have been looking for peacock feathers for almost three years. I wanted feathers straight from the bird instead of ones that had been handled and processed and had who-knows-what-done to them. I love the story of how the feathers I used for this mandala flew into my life.

I was recently introduced to pediatric physical therapist Jackie Mast, who is joining with Icelandic physiotherapist Anna Katrin Ottesen to put on an international conference Called Healing the Healers in October '09 in Reykjavik, Iceland. I have decided to enter one of my mandalas in their silent art auction that helps raise funds for the healers to come to the conference. During our correspondence Jackie and I shared our mutual love for feathers; Jackie shared with me she had collected peacock feathers when she lived in central California. A few days later I got an email from Jackie asking if she could mail some feathers to me, and voila! here we are.

There is so much I loved about creating this piece. I have been learning how to make Photoshop brushes, a technique that takes a little bit of practice. Veerle has a great tutorial explaining the process. I created all of the brushes I used in this mandala piece for adding the extra texture around the image, and I must say I'm mighty proud of what I have accomplished. When I researched information about peacock medicine, this is what I found:

The peacock reminds us to see the beauty in all aspects of life. Its eerie call sounds similar to a laughing screech and reminds us to laugh with life and not take things so seriously. As it presents itself with confidence and awes us with its beauty it teaches us how to keep the ego under control and to set all vanity aside...By observing the peacock we can learn to strut our stuff with dignity and grace. ~Sayahda

Going further, I learned that the number 5, ruled by Mercury, is a dynamic number that signifies change. Lots of that change stuff going on here as well. In the next few days I will tell you more. It's all good.

~Sue O'Kieffe




1.

LIVING A PEACEFUL LIFE

Revitalizing Mandala (Mandalas for Peace Project) © Sue O'Kieffe 2009
source image: salal

I thank you God for this most amazing day, for the leaping greenly spirits of trees, and for the blue dream of sky and for everything which is natural, which is infinite, which is yes.~ e.e. cummings

I had the pleasure recently of exploring a part of the North Coast of California that I'd never really visited before. I'm not sure how far my friend and I walked to reach Elk's Head, but along the way we actually saw plants new to both of us. Times like that are really a delight. When we reached our destination, we got out our drums and played to the ocean for about 30 minutes. It raised my energy levels, and I have to believe the sea lions, pelicans, gulls, and oyster catchers that were all nearby enjoyed it too.

Salal, however, is well known to me. It grows in abundance up and down the west coast. This is another shrub that has a fairylike quality. The flowers remind me of little bells and I will tell you the bees just love them. It made me really happy to see those buzzers gathering up pollen and flying away happy drunk on nectar.

The mandala that I made using the top photograph as source image feels a little dreamy and romantic on the one hand, yet the vibrant lime green background has a revitalizing quality. The 6-rayed mandala is also one of my favorite formations. The number 6 has a vibration of equilibrium and completion, of creativity, beauty, the union of sexual opposites.The Pythagoreans referred to 6 as "the Mother," the Chinese endow the number 6 with the passive receptive qualities of yin (cit. Susanne Fincher Creating Mandalas). For myself, the 6 rayed mandala just makes me go ahhhhhh.

Those ahhh moments speak to me of a peaceful life, open and loving, vibrant, rich, juicy, sustaining, expanding, heartfelt and sharing. This is what I want for myself. This is what I envision for others.

When do you feel the most peaceful inside? What do you feel looking at this mandala? I would love to hear your answers to both questions.

Namaste.

~Sue O'Kieffe
Sacred Circle Mandalas

1.

FAIRYLAND PENTAGRAM MANDALA

Fairyland Pentagram Mandala (Mandalas for Peace) ©Sue O'Kieffe 2009
source image: false lily of the valley

Do you have a special place in nature where you feel connected to the earth? My special place reminds me of a fairyland when these false lily of the valley flowers are in bloom. I love their heart-shaped leaves. The first time I was ever in this place I felt a deep connection to the nature devas who reside there, and it's someplace I go for renewal both in person and in meditation.

I thought since the flowers have a magical connotation for me that I would use the pentagram as the formation for the mandala. If you aren't familiar with the associations with the pentagram, wikipedia has pretty good information. Fascinating stuff.

I would love to know more about where you feel the most connected to nature.

~Sue O'Kieffe
Sacred Circle Mandalas

1.

DEVELOPING A RESONANT HEART

Heartbeat Mandala (Mandalas for Peace series) © Sue O'Kieffe 2009
source image:coleonema flowers imbued with rose quartz energy

The mission of the Institute of HeartMath is to help establish heart-based living and global coherence by inspiring people to connect with the intelligence and guidance of their own hearts ~ (from their website)

The first time I noticed these flowers up close was right after a refreshing spring rain. The pink energy of the blossoms seemed to radiate soothing love. As I was completing this mandala, I was reminded of the calm that rose quartz offers during times of stress. I created a rose quartz mandala from a photo I had and used it for sparkly texture that is in the space surrounding the flowers.

So what does this have to do with the Institute of Heart Math's Mission Statement that I posted above? My perspective is rooted in spiritual orientation, but I love finding examples of how spirit, science and art all interact. The Heart Math Institute does some amazing research on the relationship of the heart to the brain and emotions in developing what they call a resonant heart. It is much too involved to go into in great detail here, but I would definitely recommend a look-see of their website and the work they are doing in reducing world wide stress. What a goal, eh?

I have a PDF from IMH called The Resonant Heart that speaks, among other things, of Attitudinal Breathing ® and how it helps in developing consciousness. I would be happy to email this PDF to anyone who wants one. Just contact me using the email link posted in the right hand side bar.

Below is the Attitude Breathing Tool developed by Doc Childre, founder of the Heart Math Institute:

Attitude Breathing Tool
1. Focus on the heart as you breathe in. As you breathe
out, focus on your solar plexus.The solar plexus is located about
four inches below the heart, just below the sternum where the
left and right sides of your ribcage are joined.

2. Practice breathing in through the heart and out through
the solar plexus for 30 seconds or more to help anchor your
energy and attention there. Next select a positive feeling or
attitude to breathe in and out through those same areas for
another 30 seconds (or more). For example, you can breathe in
through the heart an attitude of appreciation, and breathe out
through the solar plexus an attitude of care.

3. Select attitudes to breathe that will help offset the
negative emotion or imbalance of the situation you are in. Breathe
deeply with the intent of shifting to the feeling of that attitude.
For example, you can breathe in an attitude of balance and
breathe out an attitude of forgiveness, or you can breathe in an
attitude of love and breathe out an attitude of compassion.
Practice different combinations of attitudes you want to
develop.You can tell yourself, “Breathe Genuine,” “Breathe
Courage,” “Breathe Ease,” “Breathe Gratitude” or whatever
attitude you need or want.Even if you can’t feel the attitude shift
at first, making a genuine and earnest effort to shift will at least
help you get to a neutral state. In neutral, you have more
objectivity and you save energy.

~Sue O'Kieffe
Sacred Circle Mandalas

STAYING IN BALANCE

New Year Miracle - (Holiday series) - © 2009 Sue O'Kieffe
source image - dandelion gone to seed

When considerng creating a mandala for 2009, I wanted to make one using a basic four rayed structure, because 1/1/2009 breaks down to 4 numerologically (1+1+2+9=13 1+3=4). Fours are the number of structure and stability. During these shaky times we are facing, I think it is good to assume we are stabilized and work towards the change we need to make it so in our lives.

I have been contemplating my intentions and the theme I want to embrace for the coming year. Last year I explored Wonder and Mystery a lot in my art. Not only has my digital art grown in depth, but I have also embraced the non-digital world with gusto. I hope you have discovered my doodle blog in your wanderings. Letting go of my fear of drawing has been liberating and given me the courage to be free to explore whatever I want. Possibilities are limitless!
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Well, I had hoped that this would be posted in time to go out with FeedBlitz's Jan 1st mailings, but it didn't and I think it's just as well. As I was thinking and writing upon rising this morning (Happy New Year everyone!), I realized the word I have been looking for is Balance. It has been showing up for a much of this past year with all of my green mandalas. Green is the color of the heart, the fourth chakra, the balance point between mind and body.

When I look at this image, I see the old being swept out and the new being welcomed in.

Balance means

• being willing to step up to myself
• being willing to let go of old stories that no longer serve me
• being willing to change the structures of my life to shift where my life is "out of balance"
• being willing to keep my heart open while maintaining my boundaries and listening to my gut
• being willing to become more transparent
• being willing to share my feelings more honestly
• being willing to include care of the physical and financial body, as well as the emotional, mental, spiritual, and creative bodies; when one of these is out of balance, the rest of me suffers
• being willing to investigate ways of opening up and expanding my art business

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Last night I heard a local DJ read this article on her radio program about the numerological aspects of 2009. It echoed for me the basic feeling I have at the pit of my stomach that we are shifting into a better, more hopeful year. Take the time to read it. It's good stuff.

~Sue O'Kieffe
Sacred Circle Mandalas

Peace on Earth Good Will to Everyone - © Sue O'Kieffe 2008

AEDM 30 - THANKSGIVING IN TALENT

I spent Thanksgiving with my friend Lorlyn who lives in Talent, Oregon. She was already Talented, though, before she moved there. These are photos I took in her backyard.

This also concludes 30 days of creating art in November. My my, that time went by quickly. Wow wow. My intent for these past 30 days had been to focus more on my photography. I feel pretty satisfied with every thing I created this month...for the stretches in pushing past some of my comfort zones and just daring to do something new.

I smiled when I saw the holey stone. Whenever I see those rocks, I am reminded what a friend said to me once..."if water can bore through rock, then we can get through anything!"

I am way grateful for Leah who has managed to create such a cohesive community of creative bloggers, and for giving us all an opportunity to get to know each other a little better during these past 30 days. In my travels around the blogosphere I have seen some amazing work. Thanks to all of YOU for enriching my life.

SACRED CIRCLE MANDALAS CALENDAR 2009

I'm excited to announce the release of Sacred Circle Mandalas Calendar, which can be purchased through LULU. COM, a print- on-demand company.

Back again for another year, Sacred Circle Mandalas Calendar is sure to delight the mind and soothe the spirit. The word mandala comes from Sanskrit and roughly translates to mean containing essence. Each mandala in this calendar was created by photographing images from nature and then digitally transforming their essence into magical new patterns. Each image is accompanied by an inspiring quote by writers such as Rumi, Jung, and Thoreau. It is my desire to capture Nature’s stories in beautiful ways within the wholeness of the mandala circle.

During these challenging times, I believe we all need more positive imagery in our lives to ground us in hope. People who have witnessed my art have called it uplifting, ephemeral, powerful and full of joy.

If you have any questions, please be sure to contact me by scrolling down to the email link posted on the right sidebar.

(For those of you viewing my blog through a feed reader or via email, you will need to come to site to view the slide show of calendar pages)

AEDM 15 - CALIFORNIA RAIN

Drip-Drop - © Sue O'Kieffe 2008

DAY 11 AEDM - DREAMTIME

November Rhodie - © Sue O'Kieffe 2008

A rhododendron bush right outside my apartment generates blooms about two months earlier than others that usually bloom in January. I took a photo last week which I later manipulated in Photoshop. Overall I was pretty pleased with the highlights of color and luminosity derived from some actions I used which were developed by Glenn Mitchell. I'm not really sure what I'm doing when applying these automated scripts to my imagery (shhhh, don't tell, k?), but I have figured them out well enough to add a certain glow to my photos and mandalas.

So today I wondered if I could use this photo as a source image for a mandala.
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Trust in dreams, for in them is the hidden gate to eternity ~Kahlil Gibran

Eclipse Mandala - (Create Every Day series) - © Sue O'Kieffe 2008
source image: November Rhodie

Third Eye Mandala - (Create Every Day Series) - © Sue O'Kieffe 2008
source image: November Rhodie

I wanted to create imagery with a dreamy quality. I think of November as the beginning of a journey into dreamtime. Do you notice the quality of your dreams change during the winter months?


~Sue O'Kieffe
Sacred Circle Mandalas

AEDM 8 - WEAVING A DREAM

Weaving a Dream - (Mandalas for Peace series) - © Sue O'Kieffe 2008
source image - spider web

Spiders are nature's mandala makers, and autumn is a perfect time to witness their beauty. When I googled for spider medicine stories, I discovered in many cultures spiders are considered weavers of magic. They weave a web that remind us of the interconnectedness of life. Did you know that the spider web was believed to give the alphabet to man, so that we could communicate with each other, all over the world? And here we are, doing just that.

Someone who has the power of the spider will see enhanced balance, creative energy, and writing skills. Magic and intuition are also all part of this totem’s medicine.

I like having spiders around me, and it takes a lot for me to remove them from my home.

This mandala is my contribution for the Creativity intent for the Mandalas for Peace project. If you do not know about the project, be sure to read about it here.

I'm enjoying Leah's AEDM project and how much fun it is to challenge myself to try something new (nearly) every day.

DAY 2 - CREATE EVERY DAY MONTH

On my daily walk around the block I often study this particular palm tree behind the local laundromat. (Isn't it amazing the gems we find in such mundane places?) ...


and took some photos of the leaves using various shutter speeds.











Green Mandala - © Sue O'Kieffe 2008

When I took the bottom photo into Photoshop to be mandalized, I used the same basic technique from the photograph in Saturday's post...Photoshop's Find Edges filter set to Multiply and a wee bit of Gaussian blur which gives it that dreamy look. A strong Curves adjustment added boldness and grounding.

I have been craving green in my imagery lately. Even with most of the blooms faded away with the arrival of autumn, I thank goodness for shrubbery and living in a land of evergreens!

EXPERIMENTING

Community Spirit - © Sue O'Kieffe 2008

Created for a digital art journal challenge. Glad to be working in some way with other artists to work in ways that will push me a little past my comfort zone. I've been wanting to experiment with blending my handmade and digital mandalas and see what I could come up with. I was happy with the results here.

Be sure to check out my analog blog SueDooDleS

LIKE SANDS THROUGH THE HOUR GLASS...

Somewhere in my travels in the blogosphere I found this really cool website: this is sand

While I understand the lesson in Tibetan sand mandalas is about the impermanence of nature, I am equally fascinated by the possibility of creating sand mandalas from digital sand. You can read more about the website here

If you go to the website and play, (be warned...it is hugely addictive play), click on the grey square in the upper left hand corner.

The following mandalas were created from my sand drawings (how to? save on a pc using the alt+prtscn buttons, then ctrl+v on a new file in your favorite digital imaging program). Im not sure how to save a screen image on a mac.

Have fun!


Lotus Sunrise - (Sand Mandala series) - © Sue O'Kieffe 2008
source image: digital sand


Mandala Abstraction - (Sand Mandala Series) - © Sue O'Kieffe 2008
source image: digital sand



Joyous Colors Mandala (Sand Mandala Series) - © Sue O'Kieffe 2008
source image: digital sand


Synchronously, I just found an interview on ColourLovers (an amazing blog all on its own) with the creators of the This is Sand website



Sue O'Kieffe
Sacred Circle Mandalas

SUMMER OF LOVE

Summer of Love Mandala - (Summer series) - © Sue O'Kieffe 2008

It was 1967 in San Francisco. In Minneapolis I was naively 16 with no idea of the social changes that would transpire over the years to come. I didn't even really know where San Francisco was. Now I live about 300 miles from "The City." Whenever I see neon orange, green, and yellow, it always takes me back to that time in my life. There was a time in my youth when orange was my favorite color.

And now I think back on that time...the music, the ideas, the philosophy, the revolution...we have made progress (at least women aren't wearing white gloves to work anymore!). The Age of Aquarius and the Information Age have come together, and it is easier to realize..interacting with a cyber community all over the world-... how we really are all One.

May we all be made whole in this Circle of Love.


Sue O'Kieffe
Sacred Circle Mandalas

Hey, for a lighter side of Sue, be sure to visit my sister blog SUE DOODLES!

IT STARTED WITH A BOX OF CRAYONS

OOOOOOOH ... 96 COLORS!!!


which colors should i choose?
first i created a basic mandala with one filter only (guess which one?) using the source image above --- - then created a pattern - (see this tutorial on pattern making) -


and then a patterned painting (using pattern stamp tool) --

from that i birthed two mandalas
this second image uses pattern overlay (see last sunday's photoshop tutorial)


then, another patterned painting
and a third image (using rainbow gradient radial adjustment layer)
boy, that was fun! isn't it amazing what you can do with a box of crayons!?

Crayola Mandalas - (Circles of Wonder) - © Sue O'Kieffe 2008
source image - photograph of crayons

LEARNING NEW SKILLS

Sheer Summer Joy - (Summer series) - © Sue O'Kieffe 2007

Learning new software skills often brings up a multitude of feelings for me. Sometimes, when I look at Photoshop tutorials, I think they are either too involved or not applicable to the work I do or am interested in. Often though, I think it is my own insecurity about my skills and ability to see the subtleties being taught that stops me from pursuing lessons being shown.

I took two semesters in Photoshop at the local community college, and there were a couple of concepts that took me the longest time to comprehend. Others I learned because I had to, but mostly with my eyes closed. My brain told me it was just toooo hard. I have no idea how many hours I have logged in practicing on a daily basis over the past two years. When I meet with my local photoshop users group and they talk about techniques they use, my eyes often glaze over. I approach my work from a different perspective. Sometimes I wonder if we are even using the same program. Photoshop offers so many possibilities that no one will ever learn it all. If I can be proficient in just a few areas, I will be happy.

All of this is to say, for anyone out there just beginning to play with this fascinating, frustrating and often addictive software is -- be brave and have fun! It is all about the process and the journey, and not about the final destination. Learn a little bit more than you knew last week. Try new stuff. Show off. Be proud.

This mandala was created from a photograph of alstroemeria growing in my landlady's garden. I used a new blur filter I found in CS3 . Called a surface blur, I like the soft watercolory effect it produced when blended with the paint daubs filter.

My mandala prints are $20 plus shipping/handling/tax. If you are interested in purchasing my art, please contact me at the email address linked above.

SUMMER DAYS

Dance with Summer Light - (Circles of Light series) - © Sue O'Kieffe 2007

Shadows are lengthening and there is a chill in the air. It seems like the daffodils were just beginning to bloom, and now apple harvest is right around the corner. Two of my favorite flowers, dahlias and gladiolas are blooming in grand profusion right now. Their colors are firey and soft.

I have enjoyed the spirit of play generated by Rima's Digital Art challenges. I sent my contribution directly to Madame Curator. I want to thank Rima as well for showing us how she used Lighting Effects, which I was eager to try, and did with very subtle results in the center of this image.

In the days to come, I hope to post some short tutorials on adjustment layers and layer masks. These nondestructive methods of editing images add a new dimension of flexibility and wonderment to digital art. Stay tuned!

MY DOUBLE BLOG LIFE

Neptune's Dream - © Sue O'Kieffe 2006


I began blogging on Blogger to create what I thought would be my business blog. I still believe that people who do commerce online need a blog, but I don't believe this blog is it for me...at least yet. Developing my business -- the business, marketing, and financial plan parts of it -- is taking much longer (of course my resistance to it isn't helping any), than I expected. I would much rather play in Photoshop and be out taking photos of flowers, and communing with my friends online.

I am delighted by the developing group of fellow artist bloggers I have met in this space. I think it could be the beginning of my online artist's community. I know there are plenty of places to do that on the world wide web. I am enjoying seeing it develop and unfold here.

I have another blog in another space that I consider home. There I am known as Dancing Sun. I speak in a philosophical/spiritual voice there. I post my photography there, play music and have my mandalas in a gallery there, speak more about daily life there, from time to time quote the Universe there. The downside of Xanga is that subscribing to it is more difficult (but not impossible) unless you are a member of the Xanga community. If you want to read DancingSun from your email's inbox, go to FeedBlitz and enter www.xanga.com/dancingsun in the window towards the bottom of the page. And if you come visit, be sure to say hi. You don't have to be a member of Xanga to comment there, either.

Oh, and I do have my other blog linked in the list of other blogs I read. See how easy it is?

GRATITUDE

Gratitude Mandala - (Healing in Circles series) - © Sue O'Kieffe 2007

Everything is made of light; everything is alive. The Great Mystery of life has little to do with intelligence. The universe is not an intellectual process. The intellect is helpful; but our hearts are the wiser part of ourselves.

~ Mellen-Thomas Benedict

I chased this mandala around Photoshop yesterday afternoon and this morning. Usually when I put more than a couple of hours into an image and it just isn't coming together for me, I hit the delete key and move on. But I wanted to get to a place with this mandala where I could at least feel satisfaction. I do like how the peachy tan ties all the different colors in this image together.

I have been experimenting using different colored backgrounds with my mandalas. This is all for the time, of course, when the struggle I have been experiencing with printing practices comes together and I am able to live with an answer that satisfies me. Currently I am researching different inkjet printer possibilities; I suppose I will also contact local printers for price quotes, just so I know.

Mostly what I wanted to talk about in this post, though, was to express my gratitude to Neda Doany and Diane Clancy for bestowing upon me the Thoughful and Inspirational Blogger awards. I have chosen to wait until later to bestow these awards to other bloggers out there, so you just never know when the fairy blogmother might shower you with her goodies.