MANDALA ARTIST LAURA Newman.
LYNNFIELD — North Shore artist Laura Newman has been named as the Lynnfield Art Guild’s featured artist for the next six weeks.
Newman, the mother of two adult daughters and the registrar at St. Mary’s High School in Lynn, is a mandala artist.
“My love of mandalas started about 20 years ago when I started drawing symmetrical designs to rediscover my life-long love of art,” said Newman. “When my children were young, we would collect rocks at the beach and my designs moved from paper to rocks to glass and have progressed to painting on any surface. Painting mandalas brings me peace and positive energy, which I intentionally pour into every piece of art I create. I also incorporate wood carving or wood burning into some of my designs and especially like to honor my Irish heritage and include carved Celtic knots in many of my designs. My idea to paint mandalas originally comes from seeing the Tibetan monks sand ritual and Native American designs.”
Newman said the mandala represents an imaginary palace that is contemplated during meditation. She said each object in the palace has significance, representing an aspect of wisdom or reminding the meditator of a guiding principle. She said the mandala’s purpose is to help transform ordinary minds into enlightened ones and to assist with healing.
“I find it inspiring that sometimes, the material chooses the mandala: The perfect piece of stone, slate, wood, paper or glass already exudes the mandala’s mystical intention,” said Newman. “I will paint and repaint until this intention is communicated and a sense of peace and happiness resonates.”
TREE RINGS ACRYLIC on wood by Laura Newman
LAG spokeswoman Beth Aaronson agreed.
“The Guild is proud to display Laura’s mandalas and invites the public to visit this gallery on its website at lynnfieldarts.org and lynnfieldarts.org/laura-newman,” said Aaronson. “For additional information on any of her works or to contact her directly, go to mandalamystique.com, Instagram at @mandala.mystique.art and Facebook at Mandala Mystique.”
For 60 years, the Lynnfield Art Guild has been a force for the arts in the greater community with members from over 14 surrounding towns. The LAG provides a platform for over 100 painters, photographers and artisans to network, learn, display and sell their work with a variety of events, including two annual art shows, monthly art demonstrations, a newsletter and member get togethers.
“Membership in the Lynnfield Art Guild is open to artisans, photographers and artists of all levels, with student, supporting and family memberships available,” said Aaronson. “The Guild provides two annual scholarships to graduating LHS seniors. Please visit LAG’s Facebook and Instagram pages (Lynnfieldarts).
COLORS ON SLATE created by Laura Newman.
