This is the story of my new sketchbook for my self-exploration mandala journey.
I ordered a very nice Stillman and Birn Zeta Series A4 Hardbound Sketchbook which I decided I wanted to personalized as I've done before.
This morning a drew a mandala on its cover, using my usual technique of dip pen and acrylic ink.
Normally, after drawing on a book cover, I apply a layer or two of Acrylic Matte Medium to protect my mandala. I was very impatient to finish so I used a hair dryer to speed up the process. It wasn't enough, it wasn't completely dry, I should have waited...
DISASTER!!!!
When I applied the acrylic medium the white ink went all over the place.
I ruined it...
After many failed attempts to fix it, including covering it with white acrylic paint, then black acrylic paint, I started to remove all the layers with sand paper.
Slowly, my mandala started to appear like a lost buried ancient treasure.
It reminded me of the process I'm embarking on, my journey of self discovery through The Great Round of the Mandala.
The process is the same, its excavating what is hidden in my unconscious, like removing layers I've been applying through out my life, may be to protect myself...
There will be beautiful things, not so beautiful things and ugly things. They are all part of me, they are the whole, they are MY SELF... They are the treasure...
With much love and care I cleaned it and drew the lines and dots again.
I embrace my journal as it is now, as I embrace my self, I embrace the beauty and the beast.
Wow! And I thought I had a wonky day! But this turned out beautiful in the end! It's so incredible what we are learning thru' our mandalas! Now when you look at your book, you will see that you are unearthing the treasures within! I love it! ♥
ReplyDeleteI was a great experience Minerva, with a good lesson and a happy ending due to a change in perspective. Thank you! <3
DeleteWhat a fantastic and beautiful story. Thank you for sharing it. I love this metaphor of Beauty and the Beast to describe the mandala process we'll be going through.
ReplyDeleteThank you very much ! It is a beautiful story and I'm glad it happened :)
DeleteLove how you turned a "disaster" in a great lesson! and I should add I like it more now it seems more complete and better space centered... you are expanding your awareness and the surface most be bigger ;)
ReplyDeleteGreat lesson indeed Susana! and I love my journal as it is now. Love your words about my awareness, thank you ;)
DeleteWhat a beautiful, inspiring story, Maria. Thank you for sharing your 'disaster'. I think the end-result is absolutely gorgeous! You wrote of your impatience.
ReplyDeleteMy perfectionism has caused me problems many times--for example, correcting a small flaw on a piece of watercolour paper that probably no one would have noticed and making it worse. I did that this week. I am embracing your lesson.
Aww Kathleen, thank you very much! It was a a disaster and it all changed because I changed my point of view and I embraced the outcome. It felt like a disaster and had a happy ending. It was a good experience and I'm happy for that.
DeleteLove this post, love the outcome.
ReplyDeleteThank you very much for your words!!!
DeleteWhat a fascinating post! So glad you kept going...
ReplyDeleteOh Kate, thank you very much for reading my post and for your words!!! It was a great lesson.
DeleteWe are perfect in our imperfections. A lovely post!
ReplyDeleteWe are Roxanne! Thank you :)
DeleteWabi sabi! Your mandala is amazing. I love the way it looks now...beautiful in its imperfections.
ReplyDeleteAww Pattie you are very kind, thank you!
DeleteI liked your journal cover the day before, now I LOVE it! Coincidentally, I have signed up for the Mandala Course, too! Thanks for posting this.
ReplyDeleteThank you, thank you Barbara! It will be a great journey :)
DeleteI love the story and can feel for you as you saw it come to ruin as I've been there myself but I truly love how it looks now so much better than the first edition. This one is a bit roughened but soft around the edges and it settles into the background rather than standing out as sharply against it. Wow!
ReplyDeleteThank you Timaree! Your description is perfect. I love it now, it was a great experience with a nice lesson at the end.
Deletewow, that's incredibly amazing that you were able to get something so beautiful from a mistake!! Good for you and your journey. Looking forward to seeing more. Thank you for sharing
ReplyDeleteThank you very much :) I was really surprised too Ruth!
DeleteI love your self reflection here. I often find myself traveling to that messy middle and I don't like my mandalas. When I stick with it and surrender, my favorite work emerges. Thank you for sharing. The final design is far more interesting both in style and meaning. Thank you for sharing your story.
ReplyDeleteThank you Kathryn! I was upset when it happened but the whole experience was not only a great lesson but healing. Thank you for your words :)
DeleteI love it better as the "mistake" version! Your analogy about "unearthing" is very appropriate too. I love how art process teaches us so much about life and how to live it. Thank you for sharing your vulnerability, your beautiful work, and your beautiful "mistake."
ReplyDeleteCheers,
Amy
Thanks lot Amy! I like it better now too, it was great seeing it was better even if I didn't believe it could happen that way ;)
DeleteCheers!
Turned out beautiful! I often times find myself obsessing over mistakes. This post has been a great reminder to embrace them and move forward.
ReplyDeleteThank you very much Lakeshia! This was a great lesson for me ;)
DeleteI'm am honored to have stumbled upon your beautiful work! I'm en route to your Etsy page now!
ReplyDeleteThank you for being so kind!!
DeleteOh, no! Now I'm sad. Your work isn't for sale on Etsy at the moment. Anywhere else I can shop?
ReplyDeleteMy shop will be open next week ;)
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