A unique art workshop offers Goans a chance to turn doodling into a meditative activity
JAY JOSHI
Art and peace have a deep relationship in that practicing art many a time a times brings one’s mind at peace. Given the high-stress situations that we face today, it is important to find some peaceful moments. In order to offer that opportunity to Goans, Hankrafted Studios will be hosting ‘Zendoodle’ and ‘Zen Mandala’ workshops that will give the attendees a chance to experience meditation through art.
“Doodling basically is anything that we scribble on the back of a paper. You do it when you want to take your mind away from something and relex. It’s a form of art therapy. It takes away your stress and improves concentration,” says Tanu Gaikwad, founder of Hankrafted studios. But in that case, if doodling relaxes one’s mind, one could simply sit and doodle randomly. What is the focus of Zendoodling or Zentangling? “Zen is a Japanese word which means ‘meditation’, and Zendoodling looks at doodling as a form of meditative art”, explains Tannu. “Zentangling involves drawing certain complicated patterns. Not everybody can draw these patterns. It requires work and training.” These patterns then come together to form beautiful illusions.
The Studio will also be conducting a workshop on Zen Mandalas.
“Mandala is a Sanskrit word which means circle. Hindu scriptures relate the term Mandala to the Universe. Drawing Mandalas has been an ancient practice. It involves drawing a symmetrical circular design with a central focal point,” says Tanu. “When you compare this to the Universe, you will see that there is the Sun which is the central focal point around which all other planets are evolving.”
It was Buddhism that started drawing Mandalas as a form of meditation and art, and that is how drawing mandalas became a widespread practice, informs the artist. When Buddhist monks draw a mandala, they erase it later to denote that all material things in life are transient. However, this workshop is about art, and the participants will retain what they draw, informs Tanu.
A third workshop will also be conducted on ‘dot-painted mandalas’, which applies the Australian aboriginal style of dot-painting to drawing a Mandala. Aboriginals in Australia use dot painting to depict events in daily life. The workshop will focus on creating a mandala with dots. Mandalas will be drawn with pencils and pens, while dot-painting will be done on canvas using special wooden tools made for the art form.
