OCEANSIDE — Experience the sacred healing art of a sand mandala at Oceanside Museum of Art.
The Monks of Gaden Shartse Monastery arrived at OMA April 23 to create an intricate sand mandala in the museum lobby to bring positive forces, healing and protection to the museum.
Viewing of the mandala is free and open to the public from during museum hours April 26 and April 27.
Upon completion of the mandala, the monks will purposely destroy the complex work of art to align with Buddhist belief that all things are impermanent and that life is transient. The mandala will be carried to the Oceanside Beach and released at approximately 5 p.m. April 27, following a special free ceremony at OMA.
Mandala means‚ “that which extracts the essence‚” and it is designed in an architectural layout of the entire palace of a specific deity. There are multi-layered symbolic images throughout the piece, where iconography, placement and color all have significance. The mandala is created from sand that is applied very precisely by the gentle tapping of a sand-filled metal cone.
Also enjoy two days of family fun and free art activities on OMA’s terrace April 26 and April 27 during Oceanside Days of Art and North County Earth Festival. We will teach families how to create musical instruments from recycled materials then creatively enhance them with a variety of materials. Participants are encouraged to bring their instrument on April 27 and be a part of the North County Earth Festival parade.
OMA’s Artist Alliance members will also hold painting and ceramics demonstrations April 26 and April 27 on the OMA terrace.
The museum will adopt special hours April 26 and April 27. Admission to OMA is free 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. April 26 and 1 to 4 p.m. April 27. Activities on the patio will coincide with the hours of Oceanside Days of Art. In addition, the museum will keep its doors open April 27 until 5 p.m. for viewing of the closing mandala ceremonies only.
