Embroidered Mandalas
Embroidery, beadwork, photography, and video. Since 2016

We all need reminders of the bigger truths that underpin our daily effort because the odds can seem stacked against us sometimes and the effort can feel futile. The text on the mandalas are personal sayings that help to integrate the paradox of our lives: we must foster an optimistic attitude while we also need to accept great change and loss.
The phrases "The Universe Provides" and "Reabsorbed by the Universe" are beaded within the embroidery, turning the mandalas into linguistic as well as visual meditations on the bounty and balance of the universe.

The Universe Provides, 10 x 10 inches, hand embroidery and beadwork with glass and semiprecious stones on linen, Magda Wojtyra 2017

Reabsorbed by the Universe, 7 x 7 inches, hand embroidery and beadwork with pearls, and glass and semiprecious stones on linen, 2016
Creative Process and Work-in-Progress

from instagram
Dark Blue Iris Pendulum, 2023
Embroidery thread, vintage lucite and bakelite beads, gunmetal plated bronze chain on silk backed with linen on a wood frame.
#embroideredmandalas
#behindthelacrimarium
#embroidery
#blueeyes
#thread
#art
#blue
#kaleidoscope
#gridintheround
#contemporaryart
#grieving
#crying
#pendulum
#perseverance
May 29

Almost finished! The first Crying Eye is almost completed, one of a pair of matching blue irises that will be
finished with vintage beads for tears.
#embroideredmandalas
#behindthelacrimarium
#workinprogress
#embroidery
#dmc
#dmcthreads #dmcembroidery
#irismandala
#matbematical
#grid
#precise
#purplesilk
#blue
#round
#kaleidoscope
#handembroidery
#meditative
#meditsativeart
#devotion
#devotionalart
Apr 9

Carnelian Eye
Linen, carnelian, onyx, amazonite, crystal, glass, and thread on a wood base.
18cm diameter (6.75")
2023
New artwork finished!
Still needs to be mounted on its final base and cleaned up, which involves some quality time (hour+) with tweezers to pull off textile fluff and lint from the process and polish the beads.
#behindthelacrimarium
#crywithme
#beadwork
#contemporaryart
#contemporaryembroidery
#contemporarycraft
#moderncraft
#finecraft
#linen
#embroideredmandalas
#circular
#contemplativeart
#contemplativeobject
#meditativeart
#meditativeobject
#devotionalart
#devotionalartpractice
#carnelian
#beauty
#smallart
#precious
#sparkling
#satisfaction
Mar 31

#art
#textileart
#embroideredmandalas
#reabsorbedbytheuniverseprovides
#carnelian
#silk
#mandalalove
#beadwork
#beading
#embroidery
#workinprogress
#experiments
#contemporaryart
#contemplative
#contemplativeart
#devotional
#devotionalart
Mar 11

A first smattering of beads randomly placed on a roughly drawn background with pastels for textiles. The cream linen has a metallic sparkle coating and the pastel pigment is heat fused with an iron and then restretched on the embroidery hoop.
A departure from the mathematically precisely placed embroidery stitches in the other #embroideredmandalas
#behindthelacrimarium
#beadwork
#welcomethestrange_r
#everydayimcrying
Feb 17

Embroidered iris, work in progress.
Cotton on linen.
#embroideredmandalas #embroidery
#iris
#art
Jan 8

Work in progress. Metallic gold brushed cream linen, embroidery, crystal, glass pearls, hematite, quartz, and garnet beads. More to come. Pink and gold lavishness. Part of the project, The Universe Provides. More on the website.
#embroidery #beads
#reabsorbedbytheuniverseprovides
#embroideredmandalas
Jan 22

This little beauty is heading off to its new owner soon.
Reabsorbed by the Universe
7 x 7 inches (unframed) and embroidery and beadwork with glass and semiprecious beads on linen, 2017.
#embroideredmandala
#pinkpearls
#theuniverseprovides
#happysleepyart
#reabsorbedbytheuniverseprovides
#embroideredmandalas
May 1
