Mandalas Art. Yulia Drozdova
offers handmade, one of a kind Mandalas on ceramic to give folks more choices to enlighten their homes and office design and color up their lives.
My Mandalas, Now and Dzen
  • Each mandala dictates its own pattern, rhythm, and color choice. For this reason, each plate is one-of-a-kind; there will not be two mandalas alike

What is a Mandala?
  • Mandala is a Sanskrit term used to describe a geometric pattern that represents the cosmos. According to Jungian psychology, the mandala is a symbol of self-reunification. In short, mandalas remind us that we can find wholeness within ourselves because we are made of the same basic building blocks that everything else in the cosmos is made from. The patterns I create on my plates are a playful performance of elaborate motions, exhilarating action, and radiant fun! These three aspects come together to breathe life into my beloved mandalas.
Themes and Inspiration
  • Within every plate lies the capacity to characterize an energy or feeling in time. My ideas arise from all that surrounds me: architecture, plants, events, museums, travel, people, etc. This is why I do not make copies of my work. Each design is a representation of a unique moment in my life.

  • In humanity's collective search for meaning, it has been a common historical practice to adorn artwork with symbolism. Many embroideries and paintings of our ancestors included ornaments, numbers, and colors that express something more than what meets the eye. These symbols reveal deeper stories: stories of our ancestors' struggles and successes, values and cautionary tales. Every person in the world can find their history within mandalas because the human experience is a universal concept. We are all connected to each other, in some shape or form. Mandalas give people the opportunity to gaze upon- and find pieces of themselves within- the world's many cultures, religions, and philosophies.
    Personal Technique and Approach
    • I use the point-to-point technique to form my mandalas. Hundreds of years ago, this practice was widely utilized in Indonesia, Persia, and India, and it is currently undergoing a modern-day renaissance. This method demands respect, as it calls for a great deal of patience and imagination.

    • Acrylic paints and enamels are my medium of choice because they are quick-drying, non-toxic, vivid, and forgiving. When I start working on a new mandala plate, I may have an idea in my mind, but it will often materialize into something completely different! An expressive design will come to anyone who flows with their current mindset instead of against it. I tune-in, listen to myself, and simply trust my hands to create something beautiful.
    How Much Time Does It Take To Complete a Mandala?
    • This is completely up to the artist and the design they have chosen. I always take small breaks to let one layer or row dry before working on another one. A completed Mandala Plate 20may take as little as 1 hour or as long as 150 hours! But those are happy hours of my life. I sometimes become entirely consumed by the process and, like birthing a baby, the creation will not be stopped until it is complete. Making mandalas demands both concentration and relaxation, simultaneously- I like to consider it a form of meditation.
    Experience
    • Over the past 8 years of creating Mandala Playts professionally, I have produced roughly 150 items. Many of these were purchased online or in-person, at art exhibits.

    • "Create Your Own Unique Mandala" – Workshops for Kids and Adults
      • Greater Houston, TX area (March 2017- Present)

    • "Fantasies in Blue" - Personal Exhibition Russian Cultural Center
      • Houston, TX (August-December 2017)

    • "RAW Artist Show"
      • Houston, TX (November 2017)

    • "Unique Ceramic Mandalas" – Personal Exhibition
      • Degallery in College Station, TX (January-March 2018)