Earth is my Witness & Art of Adventure

At MandalaEarth, we believe in the connectivity of all things, and aim to explore everything related to the synthesis of the natural and spiritual worlds, including music, yoga, philosophy, ancient art, health, photography, environmental activism, and more. We strive to create books that emphasize the importance of seeking spiritual enlightenment, closeness with nature, and caring for ourselves and our planet. Two of our upcoming titles, Earth is my Witness and The Art of Adventure, capture this holistic approach and MandalaEarth's commitment to the marriage of environmentalism and the arts. 

Earth is my Witness is a stunning exercise in appreciation for the world in which we live. In our modern landscape, many of the ancient places, creatures, and cultures are fast disappearing. In this lavish book of photography and commentary, Art Wolfe, acclaimed photographer, and Wade Davis, award winning author, preserve these rare moments and places for generations to come. 

We live in a breathtakingly beautiful world, and while Earth is my Witness is a survey and appreciation of the world, The Art of Adventure is a call to action. The fastest growing form of recreation today, outdoor adventure sports bring us out of our homes, force us to challenge our limits, and allow us to become closer to the spirit of nature. Filled with wisdom and colored by both epic and quiet moments, The Art of Adventure is a gripping reminder of the vast playground awaiting those willing to live on the edge.

Honoring Mother Earth

Vedic Ecology

All around the world, classrooms and families are celebrating Earth Day in their own way. Here in California, students in elementary schools close enough to walk to the beach are heading there for an annual Beach Clean Up field trip, while students in the Midwest are planting trees.

Families are encouraged to carpool, ride their bikes or walk to school or work and the environment and recycling are topics of great discussion while art projects are created with materials that would normally end up in the trash.

Art galleries are cropping up in many design districts to highlight this recycled art concept, such as Re-Gallery in Solana Beach and the Eco-Logical Art Gallery in Los Angeles.

What do you have planned this weekend in honor of Earth Day?

American Legacy: Our National Parks

In 1871, artist Thomas Moran ventured into a Wyoming landscape that tested his ability to capture its rich variations of color and light. His field studies of steaming geysers and paintings of towering falls were instrumental in the creation of Yellowstone, our nation’s first national park. Since then, artists have joined naturalists and preservationists in convincing American presidents and legislators to set aside more than 350 locations as part of our American Legacy.

In the traveling art exhibition, American Legacy: Our National Parks, 38 members and guests of the Plein-Air Painters of America set up their easels in national sites across the country. The artists are among the country’s most respected plein-air painters. The adjective plein-air refers to the philosophical belief that creating art on-location, challenging as it may be, is crucial to successfully documenting a visual and emotional point in time and place.

March 8 – August 26, 2012
Booth Western Art Museum
Cartersville, Georgia

September 23 – December 2, 2012

Washakie Museum and Cultural Center
Worland, Wyoming

The National Parks: Our American Landscape

Photographer Ian Shive has captured stunning images from National Parks over the course of his career and shares them in his recent collection, The National Parks: Our American Landscape, available for purchase from Earth Aware Editiofacebook.com/mandalaearthns.

India's Tale of the Great Flood

With gorgeous illustrations and lyrical text, Emma V. Moore shares this Eastern story of the Great Flood, retold for children.

When good King Manu prays for God Vishnu to protect the world, his prayers are answered in a most unexpected way.

Manu's Ark
Written and Illustrated by Emma V. Moore

Manu's Ark: India's Tale of the Great Flood is an ideal introduction to the universal wisdom tale.

Emma V. Moore attended Stourbridge College of Art before moving to India, where she studied Hindu art and philosophy for five years. She currently teaches classical Indian dance and is working on her next illustrated book. She lives in Hertfordshire, England.