As Artist in Residence at Lilydale High School I implemented a program entitled The Art of Mandalas. I worked with students from all grades (Years 7 to 12), and used a range of mediums, such as computers, paint, tiles and rice, to create Mandalas.   The program integrates the mandala theme throughout the curriculum to fully explore the topic, ranging from Year 7 students investigating Eastern musical instruments to all Years using dance and movement to accompany mandala projections and explore mandala images.   The activities of the various classes were co-ordinated to create synergies between the work, for example, Year 8 students created Mandala vases (Bhum Pa in Tibetan) which were used in the enactment of the dissolution of Year 9's rice Mandala, with Year 12 photography students capturing the event on film. Read a full description of the Mandala program or the local newspaper's report about its implementation at Lilydale High School.
This Rice Mandala was created by Year 9 S.O.S.E. students using symbols that they chose to represent core values within our society. Each quadrant was made by a team of 6 students. After the Mandala was created the students dissolved it returning the essence of it back into the world - symbolic of their values continuing through to the next generation. The dissolved Mandala was carried in urns that were created by the Year 8 Art students. In pouring the Mandala into the lake a new Mandala was created with the ripples. Afterwards students wrote an essay on the entire process drawing parallels between Tibetan culture and Western culture. Other students produced a video of the event.
I would like to thank the following staff from the School that were involved in the Art of Mandalas:     Denise Roy whose students produced the initial Mandal designs, computer graphic Mandalas and some amazing wind chimes and body ornaments. Jane Attard whose Year 7 graphic students were very interested in the business side of Art. Jacquie Good whose Year 7 music students researched Eastern musical instruments and the rhythm within the Mandala. Julie Byrne whose Year 7s performed a dance on Good and Evit at the opening of the Mandala exhibition. Sue Braim Her Year 7 students produced excellent self-portraits that were presented in Mandalas entitled "A sense of self". Her Year 9's attempted collage Mandalas about stages of growth, which incorporated mask making. Jannette Kimbal whose Year 8 students worked hard at the ceramic tile painting of the wall mural Mandalas. Each group explored a different aspect of a Mandala design and medium used, with very good results. Dinah McCance whose enthusiastic Year 8 students worked on insect and creature themes using texta, producing some intricate masterpieces. Her other Year 8s explored paper mache masks that were put into 1/2 Mandalas, with some masks looked to have real personalities! Sarah Hardy whose Year 8 students created Mandala vases (Bhum Pa in Tibetan) from assorted plastic bottles, sculpture mould and paper mache, producing some exotic and stunning vases, and participated in the dissolution of the rice Mandala. Tina Fiorantino Her bright Year 8s were excited by the theme of "Mythical Beast Mandalas", extending themselves with black paper and pastels. Stunning results! Norelle Smith whose Year 9 S.O.S.E students made the large Mandala from rice, partook in the ceremonial enactment of Mandala dissolution and learned a little of the Tibetan culture. Norelle's Year 10 students acted out the concept of the "Mandala in Personality". Mark Dobeicki His Year 10s tackled the challenge of computer Mandalas, producing some imaginative and outstanding pieces, some of which were entered into a post card competition. Jill Godwin whose Year 12s were around taking photos and keeping up with me during most of the activities. Helen Nicholas whose dance group performed a touching act about American Indian Mandalas.
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