September 16, 23 and October 7 from 11:30-2:30, artist Susan Togut will teach workshops to people aged ages 12-18 on creating two-sided mandalas. Acrylic paint and diverse mixed-media such as shells, beads and glass will be incorporated into the mandalas.

The finished artworks will be installed along pathways surrounding Ms. Togut’s public art environment, “Wisdom Trees: Embracing the Cycles of Life” located at the CIC along Route 28.

There will be a lunch break.  (Participants should bring their own lunches.)   

No previous art experience is required, but the workshop needs eight attendees to happen, if you plan to participate, please RSVP. 

Mandala, the ancient Sanskrit word for circle, represents wholeness.  Mandalas are sacred circles used over the centuries by cultures around the globe as symbols of unity and wellness.  The mandala can be seen as an organizational structure of life, reminding us of our relationship to the infinite.  They are often used for spiritual transformation, self-expression and personal or communal growth and healing.  The sacred center emanates outward towards the periphery, uniting the inner with the outer, the individual with his or her community.

Mandalas may be inspired by patterns in nature such as flowers, shells, birds’ nests, and spider webs.  They have a calming effect on the body and mind, opening the heart to unconditional love.  The architecture and landscape design of temples, churches, and sacred places are examples of mandalas.  The Tibetans view them as an ideal diagram of the cosmos, an object of meditation that can lead to enlightenment.  The labyrinth, often found in Christian cathedrals and gardens, is a mandalic pattern.  Chartres Cathedral in France and Borobudur, Java are examples of mandalic spiritual places.  Above all, mandalas are beautiful works of art that bring joy, peace, protection, grounding and renewal to both viewers and creators.    

Susan Togut; MFA, Public Artist, Educator, and Therapeutic Facilitator, creates mixed-media, public art and gallery works focused on the cycles of nature, the fragility of life and regeneration with a consciousness of both individual and community wellness.  Over the years she has facilitated and taught people of all ages, backgrounds and abilities.  She believes that all people are inherently artists and that the arts should be woven into the fabric of daily life.