looking for artists to participate in our 2011 ART SHOW & FUNDRAISER. 

MANDALA HOUSE will be highlighting our programs in april 2011--as it is sexual assault awareness month--via an ART SHOW/FUNDRAISER.  our FIRST SHOW was wildly successful, so we are hoping for a repeat.

artists--using yoga mats as their canvas--created beautiful pieces for the show.  some designs were even chosen for the new KULAE MANDALA BAG.  there were lots of ‘mandala-inspired’ designs, as well as imagery rooted in nature.  what will you create?

once again, KULAE is generously donating yoga mats for the event--so you will have eco-friendly materials to work with. the pieces will then be auctioned off during the course of the evening to help raise money for MH programs.

are you interested?  if so, we have a few guidelines.

   • KULAE yoga mats will be provided and shipped/delivered to you

   • mats must be completed and returned by april 24th, 2011

   • we don't want to inhibit anyone creatively, but we do ask that the mat still be functional        
       (waterproof/non-toxic inks/paints). 

you might be scratching your head at the idea, however, i did reach out to artists who create custom painted mats--they gave me tips on doing it right.  we also will be getting pieces of sample mats for you to "practice" on, should you like.  while some of the artists last year chose to paint the entire surface, don’t feel obligated to do so.  check out this year’s designs on our FB page.

helpful resources:

fabric paint--tulip brand

for those interested in spray paint, i researched and found this non-toxic option....

http://www.krylon.com/products/h2o_latex/

below is the process explanation from a custom yoga mat painter...

  First, I prepare the yoga mat surface to accept acryllic paint by painting my design on the mat with a surface-prep-substance called GESSO ( I use liquitex brand). Most artists will be familiar with Gesso - it goes on like white paint. After letting the Gesso layer thoroughly dry, I paint the design in with various colors on top of the Gesso. The Gesso not only helps the paint adhere to the surface, but also gives me a nice white surface on which to apply my colors. After the acryllic paint dries thoroughly ( I use Golden acryllics), I paint over the designed area with a Gloss Medium &Varnish (I use Liquitex) as a sealer and to make it waterproof. The sealer makes the designed area a little sticky, but the stickiness will go away after use of the mat. The mat can be cleaned with warm water and mild soap or a mild natural-type cleaner.

in addition, i am offering local NYC artists a yoga session in return for your generosity.

for more information, contact lenny directly at:

lenny@mandalahouse.org