Shades of the Creek

*** For a richer experience, be sure to open the links, seen as high-lighted words, in the blog ***

I have the great privilege of living in one of the most spectacular places on earth. The snow capped Coastal mountains are at my back, my toes dip into the shimmering blue palette of the Pacific Ocean and my belly rests on the green, green mosses of the British Columbian rainforest. Eagles, cougar, bears, wolves, deer, owls, herons, ravens are just a few of the wild beasties in our backyard.

Every autumn, my youngest child, Aria, fills our swimming pool with little rainbow trout she has caught in our mountain fed stream . It’s fun to watch them jump to catch bugs along with the frogs who take residency the moment the temperature drops. Come spring they are released back into the sanguine stream , sleek and silvered.

W W W . M A R D I . C A <<< Stream of Consciousness Collection >>> SCHOOL OF THOUGHTS

Available as Architectural Glass Panel

Custom sizes / Limited Edition

It’s so easy to be in touch with Nature here. Just step outside and breathe.

The sensuous summers here are so very long – but never, never, long enough. I can never take enough walks with my hounds on waterfall-beaded trails. I can never warm myself enough over beach fires of cedar bones umbrellaed by vast luminescent skies. I can never play enough with sun kissed bronzed children or musicians, drizzled with wine. I find myself nostalgic and longing for more – a spoiled child , greedy for yet another golden roasted marshmallow – toasted to sticky fingered perfection and smelling of wood smoke.

I’m just not ready for the Canadian monsoons to begin – but , ah…too late. They have come a pitter-pattering, without my permission. As I fight off the base impulse to collect all the animals and design a retro-funky ark – I decide, instead, to begin this season of rich creativity with a video vignette of a special time of summer we all look forward to – the painting of the Roberts Creek Mandala. I’d like to share it with you – something to feast the senses on while being serenaded by the dulcet tones of Sting, and my favourite trumpeter, Chris Botti. Enjoy.

FYI : My contribution can be seen at 2:10 (…the eye of a beast)

Every summer our little village, along with visitors from around the world, get together and paint a rather huge Mandala that can only be viewed in it’s totality at a Eagle’s nest height. Each person – whether Artist or Electrician, Child or Grandparent, paints their little piece to make up the visually delicious whole. The Whale was this year’s motif, in honour of our global commitment to healthy, clean waters.

We painted from plastic buckets in rainbow hues, heads bowed to the earth – our backs and shoulders bathed in golden light. A supine Grey Whale came to the shore , as close as possible to us without beaching. It was the first time in many years there had been a sighting and, to the delight of all, the Whale visited many times during that week. But for those of us who live in this majikal place, this was no surprise. We’ve come to expect miracles here. When the whale was sighted, we rushed to witness the awesome event. Afterward, there was a lot of exchanging of glowing, smug smiles as we returned to our inspirational works of art – these prayers for a healthy world.

A Mandala is an ancient , often circular , drawing of great symmetry and balance. They can be found the world over in every culture since the dawn of humankind. The Mandala is Nature’s blueprint for flowers and galaxies and everything in between.