Mandala Magic is an interactive book, for children from 7-14 years old and their parents, about a universal art form based on a circle. It might be a visual treat for even younger, curious, creative children, inspiring new ways of looking at other cultures, nature and art.
Thirty-two images include mandalas from different cultures including Tibetan and Native American mandalas. Tibetans may spend weeks creating sand mandalas while focusing on a prayer. When it is finished, they destroy it to release its blessing. Native Americans create medicine wheels representing harmony and peace among all living beings on Earth. From something as small as a raindrop, as simple as a bird’s nest, to the greatest cycles of the seasons or the cycle of life, all are circles. All are mandalas.
Many nature mandalas including vegetables, fruit, flowers, spider webs, sea creatures and shells are included in the book. Pictures of food mandalas show artful salads with edible flowers and delicious dessert mandalas. Many examples of the author’s original art inspire new ways of looking at nature to see the essential energy of butterflies, turtles, birds, frost, fire, and zebras. The author shows samples of personal mandalas from the handwriting and colors of different people showing their energy and personalities.
The last section of the book offers a variety of ideas for children to do: finding mandalas to color, using mandalas for self discovery and meditation, and making mandalas from a variety of different materials: pictures, words, flowers, stamps, stones, chalk, magazines, bottle caps, food lids, shells, string, fabric, ribbons, buttons, scraps of colorful paper, scarves, stickers, and sometimes a little glitter to add a finishing touch.
The author, Sara Deutsch is an Arts in Education teacher, multimedia artist, and Creative Arts Therapist who helps children expand their creativity and discover and develop their unique talents.
