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about amanda marko // modern art + meditation
Creating art is meditative. Experiencing art is meditative. My paintings are the intersection of my interests in living a yoga lifestyle and encouraging creativity.
A few years ago when I was learning the technique of cold wax medium for oil painting, I was struck by the process, which entails applying layer upon layer of paint. With each layer, plus the addition of textures and collage, the piece transforms before your eyes. Again and again, the colors, textures, mood, and composition of the painting shifts.
This artform is truly an exercise in the Zen practice of non-attachment.
As I began to paint in this way, I found myself using mantras to guide me and keep me focused. As the connection between creating artwork and my yoga + meditation practices became apparent, I understood that the energy of the mantra was shaping the painting. Soon I began to purposefully embed the mantra into the painting with each layer and to further explore the visual representation of the internal processes of meditation.
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Layering the mantra into the work takes many forms. The mantra is written on the blank canvas, it's scratch into dried paint, it's reverse inscribed through transfer methods, it's scribbled in oil pastels, it's pasted on via collage. My methods for attaching the mantra to the painting are endless and all the while, I work in silence as I repeat the mantra in my own head. The result is that the piece is filled with the energy of the mantra.
My other works in the Rock Garden, Intention Stone, and Pop Rocks series share the same purpose of encouraging meditation and introspection.
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As a yoga teacher, I know that yoga isn't just practiced on the mat. Instead of only teaching yoga classes, I created Smash Yoga to design events and experiences that foster a yoga-infused lifestyle.
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It is my hope that having my paintings in your home inspires your meditation practice and reminds you to breathe while focusing on living a balanced, positive, and peaceful life.
