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© 1998 Mary Jacque Benner
HEALING QUILT
These watercolors individually are 24" x 24". The quilt pictured
here is 8' x 8'. There are 16 individual paintings here, and I have
displayed as many as 36 to make a larger quilt. Each watercolor
is a mandala which is a circular drawing or painting which means
center, magic circle or circumference (C. Jung).
Throughout history peoples of all cultures have been fascinated
with the circle. It is in very basic designs and is the most natural,
energetic, ideal and universally meaningful symbol in our lives.
Circular designs have always been a visual aid to meditation, and in
many cases they produce harmony, awe, peace, wholeness, inner
order and healing.
The circle encloses a space, and that which is inside of the circle is
protected and made strong and purposeful. When meditating on circles
one's attention wanders to inner qualities, the sacred and unity of life.
A quilt of circles would be the ultimate healing covering. Quilts
already have a significant history of healing - especially for the women
who spent a great deal of time and energy making them. This was a
liberating process. Quilts possess a mysterious repetition of patterns,
images and shapes. Many of them have, traditionally, been made by
combining circular patterns.
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