Story Behind "Turtle Island Mandala" series
May 03, 2022
In the west we value freedom which is a good thing, but in Indigenous cultures honor is equally, if not more important. The Hawaiians speak of this as "being pono". This means to be aligned with what is true in yourself and in the world. I hope these paintings convey something of that spirit.
I also framed these in the context of mandalas. Mandalas represent how we organize our human experience according to dualistic reference points of a center and a periphery. This dialectic is held in a larger context of wholeness.
After so many years of painting in my private world, with the start of my art business a few months ago, it is now possible for me to communicate with a larger audience. And for this I am deeply grateful.
May you be strong. May you be kind. May you be tough and tender in these difficult and dark times.
Malama Pono,
~ Robert Althouse