Under a Blanket of Stars (I dream of you) Ed. 8 of 100

NOTE: Archival Glicee Fine Art Reproduction.

Through exploration of meditative practices, movement, and sensuality, I have seen my perceptions of the world shift. As such, the dance between these physical, emotional and spiritual forms has profoundly influenced my work.

During my process, I use form, line, shape, and colour to re-examine and reaffirm who I am when external constructs slip away. This study allows me to express deep stirrings to which I can’t place words.

I have a deep fascination for how an individual’s personal and collective experience shapes their perceptions of the world to create a lens through which they define themselves. We keep stories hidden in the pockets of our bodies— soft, secretive folds and rolls that share a colourful song in the language of flesh. It is time that we acknowledge these stories.

It is my hope that each person that encounters my work feels called to explore their own perceptions with the same sense of curiosity.

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Kara Mandel is an artist and yogi living in Melbourne. What began as a therapeutic art practice years ago has evolved into an intimate platform of self-inquiry and devotion to conscious expression. Through a curious exploration of meditative practices, movement, and sensuality she has seen her inner and outer landscapes shift and as such, her work is deeply influenced by these moments.

She has long held a deep fascination for the physical/emotional/spiritual body, and how each individual’s personal and collective experience shapes their perceptions of the world, creating the lens through which they define themselves.

The parallels between physical gestation and the incubation of ideas permeate her work, as well as themes of release, collective identity and creation.

In 2014, she completed a Bachelor of the Arts degree in Painting and Printmaking at California State University, Chico. Since moving to Melbourne, Kara has participated in several solo and group exhibitions around the city. Her works are in public spaces and private collections in the United States and Australia.