Floor+Mural=Flooral? Floral? Floor-all? Maybe just floor-mural.

I guess in a way, most mandalas do look like a flower, but that was not the intention. It's that whole radial symmetry thing. This one, however, started with the idea of the biggest most amazing star, the one, the only... sun. (That's the tiny thing in the center. A bit ironic, actually, isn't it?) The reason for this, is that I painted the floor of this yoga studio for my lovely and talented sister-in-law Victoria who has opened Stellar Yoga in New Paltz, NY.

This was a fun project, but definitely one that required yoga afterwards --- painting on the floor is hard on the body!

It was also one that made me a little nervous going into it. Something about the geometry and precise-ness of mandalas that doesn't seem to come naturally to my way of creating. But it was really fun. I do love trying new things and pushing my creative limits. Plus, it meant a lot that one of my family members trusted me to design and paint the floor of their new business.

I was also a tiny bit nervous because we discussed color choices but it was Victoria who picked out the actual colors. When I first saw them I was afraid they were too dark, too muted. But as you can see, they worked out great! Plus, the earthiness of them really works with the vibe of the studio. That's what is so fantastic about collaborations. Different perspectives coming together to make something better than one person could do on their own.

What was that Ted Lasso quote? "If you're not uncomfortable when trying something new, you're not doing it right"? Okay, I looked it up and it's actually "Taking on a challenge is a lot like riding a horse, isn't it? If you're comfortable while you're doing it, you're probably doing it wrong." I may have had the words wrong but the idea is 100% correct. Creativity pushes us out of our comfort zone, into a new, creative zone... which is exactly what's needed to, well, create.

For those who are interested, here was the process:

I of course made some sketches and color studies ahead of time. Then, on Day 1, I used a nail and yarn to make the concentric circles, and sketched out the design. Then I went over all my pencil lines with white paint.

On Day 2, I started painting in the main shapes, working from the center out. I actually filled in the majority of the shapes this day. I hadn't anticipated that I would need two coats on each area... this is the day I needed that yoga session!

Finally, on Day 3, I completed the painting, and added a few details.

Afterwords, Victoria painted a clear coat overtop to protect it.

I hope to paint some more murals soon... but maybe I'll stick with the wall and not the floor.