Drawing on inspiration from materials used by various artists in our latest online exhibition Greenworld, we're challenging you to create your own nature mandala using whatever natural materials you can find in your garden or on your walk.
A nature mandala is a circular and non-permanent symbol using patterns to represent the circle of life. This nature-based activity is a creative and meditative project that the whole family can do and have fun with together.
Get inspired by visiting our Greenworld exhibition online where artists explore the relationship between an individual and their surroundings and the role nature plays in human consciousness and our wellbeing.
Gather your materials
These might be anything natural you have found such as: twigs, leaves, seed pods, stones, shells, rocks, petals, flowers, grasses- whatever you are drawn to. Think about collecting different textures and colours within your natural materials. Or collect only a certain colour such as only greens or blues for a cohesive colour story.
Find a nice flat surface to work on
It could be concrete, your kitchen table or a patch of grass- just a space that is flat and clear. Your mandala can be as small, or as big as you want. You are only limited by the surface you choose.
Decide what your centre motif will be
This will be the starting point for your mandala. You might like to use a whole flower for a large centre, or you could use a tiny stone. It's completely up to you.
Now start your mandala pattern
You might like to work in rings around your centre piece, perhaps with a repeating pattern such as petal, stone, petal, stone. Or you might like each ring to be made up of all the same materials, such as a single ring of leaves, then a single ring of petals and so on. You might like to create long lines that come out from the centre of you mandala with sticks and flowers. Remember you are creating a circular shape as your finished mandala.
Once your mandala is at the size you are happy with, think about how you might finish off the last ring of materials. Will you have a hard ring around your mandala made of stones or sticks? Will you have a more open pattern that slowly disintegrates outwards? It's completely up to you.
Once you have finished, step back and admire your work. If you would like to share your creation follow us on Instagram @baysidegallery and tag your creation #greenworld #naturemandala
