OmandalamamaO

Print & Color my original hand-drawn mandalas. Grab some Dollar Mandala JPG files for just $1 each! Custom mandalas only $12, you own all rights to the design. Great for coloring pages, greeting cards, iron-ons for t-shirts and totes, even quilt and cross-stitch patterns! Visit my shop often for new whimsicle mandala designs, you never know what will show up ... perhaps Cthulhu? Cupcakes? Cocktails? Make a request!

My 7-yr-old daughter, the Bean, came up with this idea, sweet bright little monkey that she is, and she will (eventually) be coloring and selling her own mandalas for $1which includes an extra blank mandala for other kids to color. She says she would love to make a gallery of mandalas with kids from all over the world!

My mandalas are 100% original and hand-drawn by starting with pencil on paper, printed, inked, then I scan them in and refine them (sometimes several times) using my Wacom pen and tablet.. I do not use templates, except for starting each mandala with an 8" circle. I do not use mandala programs or kaleidoscope generators - it's way to easy to generate 100s of gorgeous but soulless designs that way. Hand-drawn art seems so much more satisfying. This art form is sacred to me, as silly as I can get with my designs. Drawing mandalas is a form of mindful meditation for me. I have fibromyalgia, arthritis and a congenital heart condition, and drawing and coloring mandalas has been very relaxing and healing - even my doctor recommends them to her other patients!

I have been coloring and creating mandalas most of my life. I was born at Pi -- 03:14 -- an amazing discovery, explaining my obsession with all things circular, and convincing me that mandalas must be my life's work. I have been blessed to share my mandalas with so many who find hope and healing in the calming, centering designs. I discovered the concept of "sacred geometry" about 18 years ago and began to integrate prayer and meditation into my creations. Finding peace on this spiritual path, mandalas continue to be the ultimate form of creative expression for me.

Sometimes we all need to think outside the box and start to think in circles.

Peace!
=^,^= Meli and the Bean

My history as an artist and crafter:

I was born at Pi. I guesstimate I've drawn at least a million mandalas in my 45 years. I shared this with my daughter - the Bean, all of 6 years old - this morning (9/18/11). She-of-Infinite-Wisdom replied, "You and me should color a million mandalas and if we sell them for a dollar each we'll have a million dollars." Out of the mouths of babes! So here we are, starting with mandalas for a dollar.

Since my early teens, I've been creating good graphics for great causes - the March of Dimes and American Red Cross were my favorites. My mom raised me to have a good work ethic, to do what I love and love what I do. Well, I love love love to create and color mandalas!

Mandalas are so powerfully healing for me. I think they will be for you, too. I find creating and coloring the circular, repetitive designs very calming, centering. Meditating while gazing at mandalas has brought me profound spiritual peace. I even made a mandala to focus on while I was in labor with my daughter! I share mandalas with almost everyone I meet ... we've all created a literal circle of circles around the world.

I am now disabled and hoping to make a living working at home. In my former career I've worked as a graphic artist in media, journalism, advertising and even the military; I owned my own successful graphics and advertising businesses. My most successful venture was artwithaheart.com, where I was honored to be part of the team that won the Smithsonian Institution's "Computerworld Gold Laureate Award" in 2000 for "Innovative Use of Technology" in creating an internet art gallery for survivors of abuse and trauma. My boss got the gold medal, and the second-proudest moment of my life was when she pinned the bronze laurel leaves on me ... I lost my laurels, and the entire award package - in fact, I lost nearly everything in my life, in the mad rush to find safety from domestic violence six years ago, with my daughter.

Of course, I don't ever regret escaping the violence, especially with my child. I've been living in my cave and licking my wounds, just making sure my daughter is thriving. Now, physically disabled but still standing, I'm ready to create for YOU. I'm so excited!

Welcome to our little shop!
Meli & The Bean =^,^=

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