new work: mandala inspired glass mosaic table for benefit auction!

glass mosaic mandala table "Alice's Wonderland"

inspired by my recently completed mandala painting, i decided to do a mandala design, of course much simplified for a table renovation to be donated to Community Warehouse table and Chair Affair. my intention to use my beloved mother alice's fused glass scraps and beads for the mosaic, thus the title of the piece!

here's my table just posted on the community warehouse website along with other invited artists who take old tables and chairs and make them into a work of art, showing the before of my broken little wicker table. the community warehouse is a marvelous organization that donates home furnishings to the poor in portland. a great alternative place to donate what you no longer need that can be used by others.

their Chair affair takes place on april 5, 2014 in portland. you can bid on this table and bring it home if you can get to their event and auction! hooray for the lucky winner. this piece took hours and hours of work, and was certainly a labor of love. and i learned so much in the process and had some great people from all overe giving me advice including carol hegedus, carole choucair, lynn bridge, and my dear friends artist linda vogel and her fabulous husband, steve in the bay area! in addition to mama's precious glass, i used some favorite broken glass that i saved up. 

just so happy with the result, and a thank you to my mama for creating all these beautiful pieces!

here's the table in my living room

the little broken table before it's renaissance!

mandala completed! final process photos of gouache on paper mandala by linda dalal sawaya 2014

detail

entering the threshold

completion of the center: bliss!

final binding ring added and voila, it is done!

this has been a marvelous process that i am so grateful to have been taught by a friend about 10 years ago. happily i ran into her recently and was able to share this new one with her. 

i am filled with total gratitude and feel so blessed. will begin another one soon! it is all drawn out 

so stay tuned for more photos!

detail of mandala in progress: gouache on paper © linda dalal sawaya 2014

 this is a detail of my mandala painting in progress! just love this process—it is a spontaneous  process within a defined structure with particular steps along the way, and areas of contemplation to allow the images to emerge.

 

this is my third mandala done in this way, since a friend taught me in 2004. i painted two and then there has been a long dry time. i am so grateful to be back in the experience of creating this new one. it is very energizing and surprising! such a blessing and a creative expression.

art saves lives! peace, love, and blessings to you in the new year! do what you love...this is all we have, this moment.

abstract small oil painting on canvas by linda dalal sawaya

 

this is a makeover of a painting i did last night for the 30 paintings in 30 days challenge! today is day 24 and i must confess that several of them were painted over. 

this is all about practice: it is good practice for me to paint, and good practice to let go of any attachment to them. this one is 6 x 6 inches.

i love this abstract one. do you?

30 paintings in 30 days: baba on the couch: acrylic on canvas by linda dalal sawaya, photo by rima

i have been enjoying leslie saeta's 30 paintings in 30 days challenge this month and have only posted a few of my paintings, as i am mostly working in oils, in which i need practice, so this has been a great way to do that, but not necessarily are they all great paintings.

i am more comfortable and adept in acrylics, and this portrait of baba ghannouj, my little yorkie mix was based on a photo my dear friend rima, visiting from lebanon took a few days ago is painted with acrylics on canvas in two sessions. even though baba has been with us for 5 years, this is my first portrait painting of him! what have i been waiting for?

probably for him to sit still...so this is based on a photo, which is wonderful and truly captures his spirit. what a doll!

thanks to my friend, rima for the great shot!

it is a small canvas 8 x 8" and is not for sale! of course i could sell prints if you love it as much as i do. email me if interested! love my baba!

oil painting: pomegranate from life! by linda dalal sawaya

practice, practice, practice! i am happy that i signed up for 30 paintings in 30 days, as it is forcing me to paint every day. i am working in oils, which i have some experience with but no where near enough to be proficient. so even though this is day 14 and i have done almost that many paintings, this is one i feel happy enough about to post here on my blog.

two issues: i normally work from memory and imagination, and in acrylic or water based media. the "juice-iness" of oils is very appealing, and yet very difficult to work with. i painted this from observation over yesterday's painting of a lotus flower that was not too fabulous...and the oil paint was still wet.

i love pomegranates; this one came from my kitchen—a great subject for a still life, quickie painting: did it in about an hour, as it is a small canvas, about 5 x 5 inches square. maybe this one is a keeper? if i eat the pomegranate tonight, i still have two more in my kitchen to use for upcoming practice paintings. what fun!

painting from life! allaprima portland at studio 30

today i had another opportunity to paint from life with some great painters at studio 30 in st. john's neighborhood of portland.  paintings from today including mine are on view at the allaprima portland blog, which is promptly updated by wonderful artist celeste bergin.

most of the time i love to work from memory and imagination, but painting from life and observation is such good practice. i am grateful to be painting with very talented artists and learning, always learning! this was done in a less than 3 hour session with oil on canvas.  as much as i am happy with it, i  love looking at the other artist's work done today and am inspired.

here is my painting done there two weeks ago.

  

linda sawaya new SoulCollage® cards and workshop update!

 

recently made SoulCollage® cards for my deck: monkey mind, children of the light, the lovers, hand of fatima, and eagle ally. 

delighting in preparing for my upcoming SoulCollage® workshop march 1 and 2 which filled up quickly. 

if you'd like to be notified for the next workshop, please email me! 

 

 

 sending love and creativity and blessings your way!

Intro to SoulCollage® workshop in linda sawaya's studio Dec 7 & 8

My Intro to SoulCollage® Workshop scheduled for October 26 and 27 has been rescheduled to December 7 and 8 in my outer NW Portland studio.

SoulCollage® is a simple but deep process of using collage to tap into your heart and soul. The workshop begins with a Friday night intro from 6:30 to 9:30 pm, followed by all day Saturday from 11 to 4 pm to make cards, read, and write about them. It's a fun and revealing process! My SoulCollage® card, the Clutterer, was made recently as I rejoice in having cleared and cleaned my studio this summer, making it ready to teach classes and workshops again, after a few years of taking time for myself and loved ones. I celebrate this clarity of space and beauty that surrounds me!

The Clutterer is my tribute to my love of things and acknowledges the dark side of having too much stuff! No experience is necessary for this workshop. Anyone can do it, and it is an insightful and affirming process. Please email me with questions or if you'd like to register. There is space for 6 in my beautiful studio. Workshop fee is $85, which includes all materials. I hope you can join me!

linda sawaya featured as ARTIST OF THE MONTH for los angeles' House of Lebanon

what an honor and delight to be featured this month as ARTIST OF THE MONTH for the Los Angeles (my hometown) organization Lebanese American Foundation's House of Lebanon.

here's a link to the March newsletter with my bio and samples of my artwork. when you go to the link, please scroll down to find the story.

the organization hosts an artists' group, which is a great resource for exhibitions in LA and a wonderful networking group; also has a young professionals group. HOL sponsors fundraisers and philanthropic events to benefit hospitals in Lebanon.

the sweets of araby off to press!

the new year has started off with a bang, with my completion of twenty five illustrations for a new Arabic pastry cookbook being published in june by Countryman Press, a division of W.W. Norton & Company, plus the cover design and illustration shown here by yours truly, linda dalal sawaya. 

The Sweets of Araby went to press in early february for june publication! it has been a delight to work on this project, which features stories from the Tales of the 1001 Arabian Nights. the book's authors, Leila Salloum Elias and Muna Salloum are daughters of noted Lebanese-Canadian food author, Habib Salloum.

earlier posts on this project were in august and september. soon i will be posting a few more of the interior illustrations painted with acrylic paint on paper using tiny tiny brushes. would love to hear your comments!