Ganesh And The Flower Of Life

My latest project is a three headed Ganesh with marigolds.

I started this project in September during Ganesha Chaturthi and spent three months working on it. This is the second Ganesh design I have made. However this design is much different then the single headed full body image of my first Ganesh.


Ganesh is hailed as the mover of obstacles, patron of the arts, and protecter of the downtrodden.

The project required many steps, starting with a large ebru mono-print that covered the paper.


This freeform marbling will become the background.

While normally I save the screen printing for last, this project required a change in process. I needed to screen print at this point of the project so I could have a guide when placing the mask over the four big marigold flowers.


Marigolds are known mostly as a symbol of creativity and passion. However Marigold also helps with herbal healing, and is a botanical protector in the garden.

I glued paper cut-outs down over the screen print. Then I went back to the tray for a second layer of ebru.


The paper mask protects the covered area from the second layer of color.

I remove the mask during the rinse the paper receives after I pull it from the tray. Once the paper dries it's finished




But there is more!

I also finished a second version of the piece.

This second piece took three times longer then the first to produce. The reason being, I decided it is time to take my work up to the next level. I am attempting to do so by embellishing the second layer of ebru with a masked pattern.



I appointed the flower of life pattern for this piece. This popular sacred geometry pattern of unity contains all the fundamental forms of life.


Sri Ganesh!

- In Other News -

I have scheduled a fabric marbling workshop for April 12th 2014 at The Village Gallery Of Arts. *sign-up in advance.

Are you interested in booking an ebru lesson or workshop? Contact me at art@dannyebru.com

Peace & Love,
- Danny

Guanyin and the Triskelion

I wanted to share some of my new embellished ebru pieces with you.

Guanyin Ebru, a double layered acrylic ebru embellished with a Guanyin screen print.


Namah Guan Shih Yin Pusa

The Bodhisattva Guanyin, deliverer of mercy and compassion, is an enlightened being from the Buddhist tradition. Depicted here in the lotus position, with both hands resting on her lap in the meditation mudra. If you where wondering what is in the vase, it's Amrit, otherwise known as immortality nectar or holy water.


Hear our cries.

I have also finished a new mandala.



I call this one the Triskelion Mandala. The triskelion or triskele is a celtic seal for personal development, physical growth, and spiritual expansion. Based around the number 3, the triskele represents the mind, body, spirit connection. I have also placed 3 of the Buddhist Gankyil in this mandala as well. The Gankyil is associated with the primordial energy that spawned the physical and spiritual realms, and the balance between the three to maintain existence. The Gankyil goes by many names, but is most known as the Wheel of Joy, the hub of the Buddhist Dharma Wheel.

The Triskelion Mandala has a strong presence. Both the Triskele and the Gankyil give the illusion of spinning movement, and the ebru art has a very kinetic appearance too. Plus in some light the lines almost look to be glowing.

In other news,
my ebru workshop is about three weeks away and there is only 4 open spots left. If you are around the Portland, Oregon area this is your chance to learn Turkish Paper Marbling from me. Sign up now. http://villagegalleryarts.org

Also, I have been doing really well selling ebru art alongside my partner Chelsea Rose at the Portland Saturday Market. We are out there most Saturdays, come by and say hi.



Peace & Love,
Danny

Bom Shiva!

My latest embellished ebru project is focused on the Hindu deity Lord Shiva.

I have been working on this project for a few months now. Here are some of the process shots.

Hand painting the Sri Shiva screen on the floor while Chelsea Rose paints her tribute to Lakshmi.


Double layer ebru prints ready to be screen printed on.

Some know him as the Destroyer, and others know him as the Transformer. But Shiva spends most of his existence as the sage does, perched high in the mountains in a deep meditation.


original handmade two layer acrylic ebru (turkish paper marbling) mono-print embellished with Sri Shiva screen print on cotton paper. 19" x 24"

Shiva represents truth, wisdom, and humility.

Sitting in the lotus position with hands resting is the traditional gesture of meditation. The trident seen in his right hand represents the trinity of creation, protection, and destruction. While the drum in the left hand is said to be the source of the first sound from which all of creation resonated. Two more of his hands are reaching above his head with the index fingers touching the thumbs in the gesture of the Vitarka Mudra, a seal of knowledge and enlightenment.


The ultimate in self control, Shiva is the Lord of the Yogis.

Shiva is always seen with a cobra wrapped around his neck, showing his mastery over fear and death. The snake is wrapped around his neck three times symbolizing control over mind, body, and ego.

Shiva also has three lines of ash on his forehead which represent the mastery over the three stages of existence, birth, life, and death, and through the mastery of seeing beyond the illusions of this existence, the universe is cleansed of the impurity of desire through Shiva's third eye.

The third eye peering out of his forehead emits a cleansing flame from which the pure is reborn. No evil can escape the flame of the fully opened third eye of shiva.

In the top of his hair lies the goddess Ganga, from which the river Gangas flows down Shivas dreadlocks to the earth, where it purifies the people, as a statement of selfless compassion. Shiva is also associated with the waning moon which is a symbol of healing.


original handmade two layer acrylic ebru (turkish paper marbling) mono-print embellished with Sri Shiva screen print on cotton paper. 19" x 24"

Om Shiva Shankara Hari Hari Ganga! Bom Shiva!

~Other News
• on the topic of transformation, I recently used some ebru in the cover art for the new Bone And All podcast featuring Chelsea Rose's spoken word poetry, CHAOS CREATURE. Listen>>>

Chelsea Rose leads an exploration through consciousness and evolution.

• Also, later this month I will be doing an Ebru demo at OMSI (Oregon Museum of Science and Industry) as part of the monthly "OMSI After Dark" event. If you live in the Portland, OR. area, this is your chance to learn more about ebru first hand. See you there!

Peace & Love,
-Danny

Abstract Expressions and the Buddha

One of my favorite things about ebru, is the mediums ability to capture abstract visual representation of fluid movement. I think this recent piece of mine is a good example of that.

original handmade acrylic ebru mono-print on kozo paper. 8.5"x11" by Danny

Another name given to ebru is water painting. This is partly due to the fluid effect, but is mostly due to the fact that ebru is actually made by floating paint on top of a fluid referred to as size. Size is the name given to water that has a thickening agent, like carrageenan, added to it.

Using the right technique of pushing and pulling the paint across the size creates lines that lead the eye from one point to the next, visually suggesting movement.

original handmade acrylic ebru mono-print on cotton paper. 8"x10" by Danny

I love getting swept up in the movement of the abstract ebru pieces. I find them to be a great way to add life to a room.

I have also been working on embellished ebru pieces featuring a three color screen print of Buddha.

"Abhaya Buddha Ebru", original handmade acrylic ebru mono-print with three color Buddha screen print on cotton paper. 12"x18" by Danny

This is a very positive piece to have around the house or place of work, and will surely bring light into where ever it finds a home.

Every ebru piece I use I make by hand in my home studio. I also make all screen prints by hand too. Not only do I build the frames and stretch screen mesh crossed them, I also hand paint the print design onto the screen/screens. Then I do all the screen printing myself.

thats all for now.

Peace & Love,
-danny

Danny Ebru enters the Blogosphere - Fearless

And so it has begun...

How shall we get acquainted?
Lets start out with showcasing a current project in the works:

My current embellished ebru piece featuring the Abhaya Mudra Buddha:

"Fearless Ebru", original handmade acrylic ebru mono-print on kozo paper with 3 color buddha screen print. 12.5"x19" by Danny (more to come in varying print colors and ebru designs)

The Abhaya mudra is the gesture of the raised right hand with the palm facing outward. Abhaya in sanskrit means fearlessness, and the gesture symbolizes peace, protection, and the dispelling of fear. the Abhaya mudra is very important in Buddhism, it is said that when the Buddha came out of meditation after reaching enlightenment he stood and displayed the Abhaya mudra as a gesture of the absence of fear. The Abhaya mudra is great for warding off fear.

The left hand of the Buddha is portraying the Varada mudra. It also known as the boon granting gesture, symbolizing charity, patience, and compassion. the Varada mudra aids in breaking the delusion of pride.

The combination of the two mudras is also referred to as Segan Semui-in, or in japan its Yogan Semui-in. With both the Abhaya and Varada mudras the Segan Semui-in represents transformation and success.

All and all the "Fearless Ebru" is a very positive piece to have around the house or place of work, and will surely bring light into where ever it finds a home.

In other news, version one of dannyebru.com has gone live.
check out the official Danny Ebru website

More to come shortly.

Peace n Love
-Danny