...kelp mandala mural concept.

Designed to grace a big wall in the outer Sunset District, this concept of the kelp mandala is based upon the mounds of seaweed that sometimes punctuate the shoreline of Ocean Beach here on San Francisco's west side. Kelp forests exist as a vital underwater ecosystem and are usually broken up by surging tides and stormy seas. Once on shore these mounds are fascinating labyrinths of amber and green knots that have captured my imagination since childhood. The shoreline is a daily mecca for me and the kelp mandala represents its spiritual significance.

Kelp Mandala happening.

Mounds of kelp. Sometimes found on Ocean Beach, they are the inspiration behind this artwork in progress. As I paint this third variation I get lost in the labyrinth which, of course, is where I want to be.