Class: Creating Mandalas for Meditation

Mandalas are an ancient art form found in many cultures around the world. Also called “Energy Circles”, they are a creative and wonderful way to promote relaxation and meditation. The community is invited to start the New Year off right by joining local fiber artist, Bailey Earith at the Farragut Town Hall to learn how to create and use mandalas to decrease stress.

Enjoy the calm and beauty of this Native American and Tibetan art form as you create a decorative paper mandala. Students will learn to create their own unique mandala from decorative papers. This project is the perfect combination of meditation and art. No experience necessary.

When: Thursday, January 12 6:00-8:00pm

Price: $15 plus a $7 materials fee

Register at: Farragut Town Hall

11408 Municipal Center Dr.

Farragut, TN 37922

(865) 966-7057

About the instructor: Bailey Earith is a nationally-known fiber artist whose work can be found in collections around the world. Her work has been published in numerous books. Her mission is to bring peace to the world through art. She loves to help students reach their creative potential regardless of age or skill level.

Class: Creating Mandalas for Meditation

Win This Bowl (as you change the world)

Win This Bowl!!! Find out how at http://baileyfiberart.com/RussiaTrip.aspx

Win This Bowl (as you change the world)

Free Art Event: You're Invited!

Three Knoxville area art groups collaborate to present free performance

Date: October 23^rd at 1:30 pm

Where: On the Krutch Park Extension lawn on Gay street across from the Regal cinema.

Artists involved: Momentum Dance Lab with Bailey Fiber Art and Tin Soldiers Productions

What: "Paint in Motion" improvisational multimedia event

Momentum Dance Lab, Bailey Fiber Art, and Tin Soldiers Productions are collaborating to present a free multimedia event.

On Saturday, October 23^rd at 1:30 pm on the Krutch Park Extension lawn (on Gay street across from the Regal cinema), members of Momentum Dance Lab will present a moving painting project where dancers will paint fabric with their improvisational movement. The painted fabrics are based on color palettes designed by fiber artist, Bailey Earith. Videographer, Tin Soldiers Productions, will be on hand to film the performance. The public is invited to attend this free, community arts event.

After this public event, Bailey Earith will manipulate the painted fabrics in her Farragut studio to create a piece of 3-D wall art. Tin Soldiers Productions will document this process and edit the footage from Krutch Park and Bailey Fiber Art Studio into an art film. This project will culminate in a multi-media performance piece at Momentum Dance Lab’s annual show, “Art Moves” which will be presented at the KMA on March 12th and 13^th, 2011.

Momentum Dance Lab strives for excellence in dance through artistic exploration, professional training and original performances. MDL offers opportunities in most aspects of dance production and arts administration, while creating innovative outreach programs to enhance our community. www.momentumdancelab.com

Bailey Earith is a nationally known fiber artist whose work can be found in collections around the world. Bailey enjoys creating fabric art that has visual and/or actual textural elements. These elements often include beads, vintage buttons, feathers, hand-painted fabric, manipulated fabric, cords, yarns, and found objects. Bailey's art is eco-friendly. She creates with recycled and repurposed items as much as possible. Bailey hopes viewers will experience a sense of joy and well being upon seeing her work. www.BaileyFiberArt.com

Actor, writer, director, producer, videographer Jeff Delaney is founder and operator of Tin Soldiers Productions in Knoxville, TN. Tin Soldiers produces plays, short films and documentaries. Mr. Delaney has an extensive resume of production and performance credits.

Free Art Event: You're Invited!

Free Soothing Audio Sounds From NatureSounds

If you’re breathing, there is probably stress in your life from time to time. One of the ways to get back on track is to listen to something soothing. Some people like white noise or certain music, but if the sounds of nature work best for you here are a few free downloads of nature sounds to help you out. Each is 60 minutes long so in my book, it’s well worth giving your email address so they can send you a download link. Give the recordings a try and see what you think.

Thunder & Rain

Amazon Rainforest

Free Soothing Audio Sounds From NatureSounds

"Lace": Video

I created this video of one of my fabric bowls. Enjoy!

"Lace": Video

Think Different

Think Different

Rain Video: A Gift of Peace

This video is amazing and well worth your time. Turn up your speaker volume and enjoy!

Rain Video: A Gift of Peace

Art Quilt: Mandala Video

Art Quilt: Mandala Video

A Poem by Alice Shapiro (guest Blogger)

Calming

A fast walk,
mad lungs spitting air.
Then rest, leaning
on an oak facade
of a vacant shop.
Sunday for some
is church, then
washday. Others,
stay-in-bed,
read-the-paper day.
Where are the sane?
I walk it off, then
Van Gogh ignites
my basement gallery.
Asperity melts into
a single brushstroke.

-- Alice Shapiro
from Cracked: Timeless Topics of Nature,
Courage and Endurance

Alice has several books available at her web site: http://aliceshapiro.com.

A Poem by Alice Shapiro (guest Blogger)

Mandala #398: Million Mandalas for Peace

I am honored to have been chosen as Mandala #398 on the wonderful site: Million Mandalas for Peace!

http://millionmandalasforpeace.blogspot.com/2009/06/mandala-398-by-bailey-earith.html

Mandala #398: Million Mandalas for Peace

Hope is in the Cards

I just heard about this wonderful program: Hope is in the Cards, a grassroots effort to generate 300 million upbeat messages throughout our country. The idea is simple - get everyone in America to mail one positive card or letter to someone else, right now. How cool is that? Check out http://HopeIsInTheCards.org, but even easier? Send a positive card or letter to someone today, or write the word HOPE on the back of anything you mail. This is really a neat idea. Please spread the word!

Hope is in the Cards

Do amazing things

When you have confidence, you can have a lot of fun. And when you have fun, you can do amazing things.
—Joe Namath

Do amazing things

Affirmations Quilt

This little gem uses jewel-toned hand dyed fabrics. I wanted to experiment with using words in my work. Words are so powerful and the words I chose: "Vibrant", "Spirited", "Yes"...are empowering and uplifting. Add some beads and what's not to love!

Affirmations Quilt

Class Schedule: Intentional Art

I am happy to announce an opportunity for you to work like I work. I love to take an idea and expand on it through variations over a period of time. I find this process to be very fulfilling and highly creative, freeing and pleasurable. I want my students to experience this for themselves. Support your soul and enrich your spirit by expanding your vision over time. I am offering a unique series of art classes that are designed to enable you to maximize your creative experience by building on your skills from week to week. Add a new skill set each week as you grow in an upbeat, supportive environment. If you are unable to commit for all 4 weeks, please join us anyways, as each class can also stand alone for a more condensed art experience.

Where: All classes are held at Migun-TN (in Farragut by Fresh Market) on Wednesdays from 11-1.

Classes:

Journal making 3/4, 3/11, 3/18, 3/25

Dream Catchers 4/1, 4/8, 4/15, 4/22, 4/29

Mandalas 5/6, 5/13, 5/20, 5/27

Price: $35 per class

Special: $25 per class when you register with a friend or when you register and prepay for 4 sessions.

E-mail me at Bailey@BaileyFiberArt.com to register.

Class Schedule: Intentional Art

Guest Blogger: Mel Edwards

For me, art is not an optional choice, it is essential to my personal truth. To deny my creativity is to state that who and what I am is not valued in the world. When I uphold my art, I am validating myself, even when others do not see or hear my creations.

I've had the honor of interviewing nearly 100 artist in the last seven months and my statements above resonate with the stories each of them has shared with me. I believe we're all creators and all have something to share with the world. Oh sure, you'll meet someone who says, "I don't have a creative bone in my body," but they're parents, or whip of dinner every night, or design new projects for their jobs. Just because it isn't art doesn't mean it is a "less than" creation.

I find that art, performance, literary, fine or crafts, supports expression of your deepest values and emotional states. The textures, colors, terminology and verve that shows in your work all are miniature pictures of your soul, much like the mosaic murals and puzzles that are popular in the art world today. Do yourself a favor, let you spirit show, and even if you feel you're not ready to share it with the world, you'll be all the better for it because today you've proven to yourself you're valuable and so are the expressions of your soul

Mel. Edwards
Creative Truth Teller
Founder Votre Vray, Your Truth is Your Way. Always.
Votre Vray Blog
Follow me on Twitter

Guest Blogger: Mel Edwards

"Inspire your Heart with Art" Day

In honor of "Inspire your Heart with Art" Day, I present one of my newer works: "Abundance".  This piece uses a gourd as a foundation.  Mounds of fibers in assorted textures and colors spill forth from the mouth of the gourd.  Nestled in the fibers are assorted crystals.  The movement and energy flow like liquid.  Abundance!

 

"Inspire your Heart with Art" Day

Million Mandala #133

My Rose Window Mandala has been added as #133 to the Million Mandalas for Peace project. http://millionmandalasforpeace.blogspot.com/2009/01/mandala-133-by-bailey.html

Million Mandala #133

Rose Window Mandala

Title: Rose Window

By using hand dyed fabrics in clear colors, this piece glows as if the sun was streaming through.  It was fun to create a circular quilt.  It offers a peaceful calm, just like being in a sanctuary.

Rose Window Mandala

Engaging in Creativity Increases Longevity

Great News!  I will live forever!

"...There's evidence that their (creative) professions, more than any particular lifestyle choice, may have contributed to their longevity. "The very act of engaging one's mind in creative ways directly affects health," says Dr. Gene Cohen, director of the Center on Aging, Health & Humanities at George Washington University. In 2001, Cohen undertook a study of 150 adults ages 65 to 100 to examine the effects of various pursuits on their well-being. The control group was engaged in noncreative community activities and the other group participated in community-based art programs. After one year, Cohen found that the group engaged in creative activities, such as painting or singing in a choir, had started fewer new medications, experienced fewer falls and made fewer doctor's visits than the control group. "Anything that stimulates the brain, reduces stress, and promotes a more balanced emotional response will trigger positive changes in the body," he says..."

http://www.newsweek.com/id/173346

Engaging in Creativity Increases Longevity

Cymatics: the Mandalas of Sound

"Welcome. I'd like to introduce you to the Great, Great, Great Grandmother Goddess of all Mandalas. It is what science calls "Cymatics". It is the study of sound wave vibration and it's affects on physical matter.
In Cymatics, we have two forces at work. We have matter and we have energy/sound vibration.

The photographs above are examples of many experiments of sound vibrational frequencies upon different types of matter, which could be sand, liquid, gel or any number of different powdered substances. Each wave frequency creates another unique pattern in the matter. When the frequency is turned off, the matter falls out of pattern into chaos. You can read a little bit about the history of Cymatics here or in the side bar under "Mandala Sites". 

Prepare for your mind to be blown away :-)

There are questions that come to my mind... If we could discover the vibrational frequency of a plant, animal, person, thing, planet...could we recreate it? Could we discover the vibration of health, of peace, of joy?"

http://millionmandalasforpeace.blogspot.com/2008/12/cymatics-mandalas-of-sound.html

Cymatics: the Mandalas of Sound