I call myself an accidental mandala artist because I used to draw them decades ago, not knowing they had a name, or that there was any spiritual significance to the shapes, colors, and patterns I was drawing.

In 2012, when my young cousin, Zack, was diagnosed with terminal cancer, I immediately felt an overwhelming need to somehow help him to remember his true eternal self. I meditated on this, and I was led to creating a mandala for him. Since then, I have learned the significance of mandalas - that they are a form of sacred geometry used as focal points in meditation and have been created by cultures from around the world for thousands of years.

The first mandala in this series is the mandala I created for Zack - it was a reminder that he was so much more than his failing physical body - that there was part of him that was vibrant, eternal, and connected with all things. Zack got the message loud and clear - he told me that he felt the mandala's positive energy with him all the time.

Since then, the mandalas have continued coming to me - the experience of creating them is indescribable - and the reactions from people who see them confirm for me that they are meant to be shared.

I opened my shop on Etsy in June 2012, and I LOVE the idea that my mandalas are seen by people from all over the world!