The Story of the Mandala

A work from July 2024, at the very start of my mandala practice, when I had just begun attending Namiji Inoue’s workshops.

Namiji brings Ainu patterns, Native American motifs and traditional Japanese designs into her mandalas. Back then she told me, “I think you can bring in anything. Just draw freely.” So into the form of yin and yang I put Ryutai characters and the Ainu heart motif, and used every colour I had.

When it was finished, it had somehow become a warm, gentle mandala. I felt in it a tender, generous love that accepts me whoever I am.