“Since childhood, I have always had a strong self belief that I could not draw and there was no point in trying to paint as I knew I couldn't. When the mandalas arrived, in 2005, as a psychic bombardment of geometric patterns and a compulsion to draw, it was a challenge to overcome these old beliefs.

Those early mandalas were drawn on 10cm square card and I coloured them in with felt-tip pen, and after a while they doubled in size. In January 2006 I painted my first larger mandala - 'Renewal'. I was so excited with the result that I started to draw and paint mandalas on 56cm water colour paper.

My biggest anxiety at this time was, would this strange exciting gift disappear as quickly as it had arrived. Whilst meditating on new mandalas I discover the meaning and the message connected to them which has inspired me.

I am constantly amazed by the mandalas I paint and feel extremely blessed to have such a gift. They have challenged me to live outside my comfort zone and to trust in my own abilities.”

- Rosella Longinotti