Nature Mandalas

This past week, we were joined by guest artist Kirsten Rickert (Magnesium Blue) for a demonstration of her artistic process and a Q&A. Kirsten, a native of New South Wales Australia and a current resident of Sedgwick Maine, creates beautiful mandalas using materials she finds in nature. The mandala she created for our Nature Links class included sea urchin shells, seaweed, cedar sprigs, pinecones and vinca leaves.

What a gift to be able to witness Kirsten’s process and learn about the materials she uses in her work (which can even include fruit, vegetables and even fire!). The workshop inspired students to talk about the process behind the art they each create (from knitted scarves to sea glass art to dramatic monologues, what a creative group we have!) as well as a fascinating discussion about what natural plants and objects can be found around each of our respective homes.

We are grateful for Kristen’s visit and hope we can invite her back to Nature Links again when students create their own Magnesium Blue-inspired mandalas using materials native to their environments.