Fantastic. Fun. Amazing. Relaxing. BAAA members grinned, laughed, and commented on their experience of mandala rock art.
Painting dot mandalas on rocks looked complicated, but Helen Slack-Miller’s clear instructions about mandala art made the process easy and fun. “Be mindful about placements,” she said. “Keep in mind the four directions - North, South, East, and West - and where you want the dots to go.”
Colorful dots blossomed across black rocks. Dot by dot, designs formed. Artists created flowers, bouquets, gardens, planets, starfish and mandala designs.
Once we learned two simple techniques, dots on rocks became versatile, breathtaking, and easy. One guest said, “I can’t do lines, but I can do dots.”
"Oops! I messed up," I said as my arm hit the wet dots of paint. "Easily fixed," Helen jumped in, "Here is the perfect tool for that." She demonstrated the clean-up technique.
Once again, at our BAAA meeting, in that CAM classroom, each participant experienced the awe and magic of creating. “I made this! I transformed a rock into a thing of exquisite beauty.” A feeling of creative pride filled the room.
“I’m going to try this at home—with straws, pencils, toothpicks and whatever else I can find.”
If you missed this glorious experience of dot painting, connect on with fellow member Helen Slack-Miller. She will present workshops at private gatherings and at art venues from Lincoln City to Brookings.
Some artist create entire pictures with dots. Dot art may have its roots in Pointillism and with the storytelling quality of Australian aboriginal dot paintings. https://japingkaaboriginalart.com/articles/aboriginal-dot-painting/
Lost in a million dots, Helen’s business card--an amazing rainbow mandala—looks impossible. However, Helen says, “Dot by dot, anything is possible.”
Written, reviewed and submitted by Shinan Barclay, BAAA Program Chairperson, 2023-2024