Mandorla is Italian for the almond nut, to which shape it refers. It may be elliptical or depicted as a vesica (a lens) shape as the intersection of two circles. Rhombic mandorlas are also sometimes depicted. In icons of the Eastern Orthodox Church, the mandorla is used to depict sacred moments that transcend time and space. It is used in in early medieval and Romanesque art, as well as Byzantine art of the same periods and also in ancient Buddhist art.

Learn what a mandorla is, how to draw a double mandala, and explore polarity using this ancient shape in this expressive arts workshop. Sasha provides a safe and nourishing setting using poetry, guided imagery, and music to inspire your process. She combines imagination, personal symbols, and intuition that guide you to create an artwork which taps into your inner genius and perhaps even answers your life’s questions.

The form we will use for the art process is called the Mandorla. It is two overlapping circles, or mandalas, which form an almond shape in the middle. “Mandorla” is an Italian word meaning “almond.” We see it in paintings as the golden halo around saints. In education, this form is known as the Venn Diagram and, in sacred geometry, Vesica Piscis. Working with this form holds great potential for finding something new in the tensions and push-pulls of life. The circles symbolize interacting but complementary polarities. The almond shape in the middle is a “birth” shape, and, in this art process, it holds the possibility of birthing something new. In expressive arts we refer to this space within the overlap the “liminal” space, where you are living on the threshold – a place where transformation occurs.

Sasha views polarity as something that pulls us in two opposite or competing directions. Something that makes us feel unbalanced, going back and forth, that challenges living-from-the-center. It might be two roles we carry, two different ways we spend our time and energy, or two different choices. It is usually something that creates a point of tension, something that feels unresolved.

Sasha finds meaning in the fact that almond flowers (whose six petals are the shape of the mandorla) are the first flowers to bloom after winter, even before the vernation of the leaves of the tree.

No art experience needed – Come as you are! Give the gift of PLAY and REST to your Inner Creative Muse! You can use what materials you have on hand or request a suggested basic materials list from the instructor. The zoom code will be sent after registration.