‘Beyond Mandala’
Like a warm hug on a rainy day, the mandala artworks of Agatha Brenica are filled with tenderness. There’s hope, joy and peace in every little or big dot that forms part of the whole image on the canvas.
Like a whiff of fresh air on a summer day, her mandala paintings have a life all their own — bursting and playful, welcoming and engaging.
At the height of the pandemic, while Agatha was meditating and practicing yoga at home, her passion for painting mandalas was born. A mandala, she explains, is Sanskrit for “circle.”
“A mandala is an artistic representation of higher thought and deeper meaning; it is a symbol used in spiritual, emotional or psychological healing,” says Agatha during her first solo show of 20 mandala paintings, 30 mandala paintings on bags and 50 mandala painting on rocks at The Farm at San Benito in Lipa, Batangas.
Her mandala artwork involves a universe of dots in one painting. The style in Agatha’s works is “dotillism,” a technique of painting in which small, distinct dots of color are applied in patterns to create an image.
Agatha says creating an artwork is therapeutic. Since the basic technique in painting a mandala is by “starting at the center,” Agatha knows that balance of the mind, body and soul is achieved.
“I suffered from anxiety and depression during the many lockdowns during the pandemic. I turned to the artist in me and found myself painting mandalas on stones and empty bottles. The canvases came next. And I couldn’t stop,” says Agatha, an art teacher from Lucena City. She finished her BS Nutrition degree at the University of the Philippines, Los Baños, Laguna. She taught humanities and arts at Sacred Heart College in Lucena City. After obtaining her graduate school degrees, she began teaching graduate students at the University of Perpetual Help Graduate School Dalta in Las Piñas. (Some of her master’s and PhD students all the way from China attended her exhibit at The Farm at San Benito.)
Since her art deals with healing, The Farm at San Benito signed her up right away when the executives from the healing haven found out about her paintings.
“Today marks a truly special occasion, one that invites us to explore the captivating realm of mandala art. We have gathered here not only to admire the intricate beauty of these sacred circles but to delve deep into the profound symbolism and spirituality they embody. Mandalas, originating from ancient cultures across the globe, have transcended the boundaries of time and space to become a universal symbol of harmony and unity,” says The Farm at San Benito general manager Preet Inder Singh of the exhibit titled “Beyond Mandala.”
Preet adds: “Agatha has poured her heart and soul into her work, skillfully weaving intricate patterns, vibrant colors and profound symbolism into each piece. Her creations form a visual symphony that resonates with the very essence of our souls… In the presence of these mandalas, we are reminded that, much like the circles within them, our lives are interconnected.”
An interesting story of interconnection was manifested when Maria Abulencia, founder of Ka-Manlilikha (Samahan ng mga Kababaihan sa Sining) based in Lucban, Quezon, saw Agatha’s works online. She invited her in 2021 to join a group exhibition by women being organized by Teena Maaliw Octaviano for Lucban Artists Guild. The show was called “Bagong Mukha, Bagong Likha” (New Face, New Creation).
The women who participated in this event decided to organize themselves into a sisterhood of artists from different towns and cities of Quezon province. Thus, Ka-Manlilikha was born. It means co-creators. Agatha was elected its first president in January 2022. Her proficiency in mandala artwork has found a solid group, a solid footing. But the most solid of all avenues is inside Agatha — she feels whole and yet connected to what surrounds her when she paints mandalas.
Each colorful dot in Agatha’s artwork is a testament to her resilience. She recalls the days when she was bullied in school and by some people closest to her and says with confidence how truly healing mandala art is in making her reconcile with her past.
Like the little circles on her canvas that give birth to bigger circles, Agatha subscribes to the infinity of life. Each circle in her artwork represents wholeness, totality, infinity, unity, timelessness.
She says a painting of mandala is mainly done for meditation purposes, “to maintain a clear mind.”
“Art heals. It’s therapeutic,” she ends.
Agatha Brenica has come full circle. *
- Latest
