IMAGE - IN

Magis Pray to the Light of Inner Knowing - (Circles of Light series) - © Sue O'Kieffe 2007

I enjoyed the evolution of this piece. First I took this picture of succulents that grow outside my apartment. I've taken lots of pictures of these plants over the past couple of years. This is one of my favorites.

When I create a mandala, I dont really have an inner vision of a possible ending; I just let it take me wherever it wants to go. I suppose that is true of other art forms; I have experienced it with collage at times, but really I do have a greater sense of the mandalas, in their early stages, guiding me to their end. Then, when the circle is complete, I finish editing it in Photoshop (levels, curves, hue/saturation, sharpening) add more layers, play with filters, finish with circles of outer/inner light -- voila!

With this particular mandala, about halfway through, the figures began to emerge. They struck me as monk-like and wise, perhaps more like spiritual magicians. Recently I finished reading Christopher Moore's novel, Lamb, in which Moore imagines Jesus finding each of the Magis, during the years of his life not mentioned in the bible, who taught him the needed skills to become the messiah. It was, in fact, a fun and fascinating read. With this mandala, I image-in access to that same inner light that I think Jesus both knew we all have and taught us to embrace.

Let your Light shine!

Hey, I sure would like to read your thoughts about my work.