Milton Keynes Rose designed by Gordon Young

Flags inspired by mandalas in Milton Keynes

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Overview

MK Mandalas was a collaborative project between Kinetika and IF: Milton Keynes International Festival.  Local artists and communities in Milton Keynes worked together to design and create 30 stunning mandala silk flags.

Using the The Milton Keynes Rose as inspiration, Kinetika and local artists held sessions on how to design a mandala, drawing and sketching, composition, and construction.

Community groups then created 30 designs that were turned into the final batik silks. The flags are being displayed as part of IF: MK International Festival this summer.

Thank you to the artists and participant groups who took part:

Artists 

  • Lisa Meehan
  • Jane Charles
  • Ciara Callaghan

Participating Groups: Broughton & Brooklands Community Connectors, Camphill Communities, The Frank Moran Centre, Friends & Families MK, Grand Mentors from Volunteering Matters, The Milton Keynes Hindu Association, MK ACT, MK Collective: Artists & Makers, Sew & Grow and Childcare Pathways, and YMCA Milton Keynes.

See all the final flags in this gallery

Resource Pack Download

This resource pack was designed for the project to inspire everyone to get creative and take part.  It describes the step-by-step process to create flag designs for IF: Milton Keynes International Festival.

nb. Download is 16MB

 

MK Mandala Resource Pack

Milton Keynes Rose designed by Gordon Young

Milton Keynes Rose designed by Gordon Young

Mandala Inspiration: the Milton Keynes Rose by Gordon Young

Kinetika flag artists for MK Mandalas

 

INSPIRATION: WHY MANDALAS?

Designs were inspired by The Milton Keynes Rose.

A set of themes were identified that resonated with the time and gave a starting point for design discussions and creative exercises.

COMING TOGETHER
GETTING OUTDOORS
NATURE
SAYING THANK YOU
MOVING FORWARD

We worked with local groups to design a set of 30 beautiful silk flags that reflected their experiences of the previous year.

Alongside the activities outlined in the resource pack, there was a series of weekly workshops led by Kinetika artist Lisa Meehan, and face-to-face sessions in Milton Keynes with artists Jane Charles and Ciara Callaghan.

Completed designs were sent to the Kinetika Design Studio where the team of artists used the process of batik and silk painting to transform them into beautiful silk artworks

Previous example: Kinetika worked with over 250 participants from five choirs to incorporate their drawings into this mandala design for a silk backdrop for Singing Our Lives. Union Chapel, January 2020.

Presentation of Flags

All 30 flags were presented in public open spaces at Milton Keynes International Festival 2021. All the people involved were invited to view the finished flags.

The flags are now a valued community asset that can be used to decorate future events.

 

Digital Capture

Every flag was photographed and uploaded to an online gallery – see it via the button below.

 

Flag Gallery

RESOURCE LINKS

This section contains links to teaching resources for MK Mandalas participants.
If you are taking part and would like to access these resources, please ask your group leader for the passcode.

Session 1

With Lisa Meehan
Introduction

View Session 1

Session 2

With Lisa Meehan
Drawing and Sketching

View Session 2

Session 3

With Lisa Meehan
Border Pattern, Colour & Design

View Session 3

Session 4

With Lisa Meehan
Design and Construction

View Session 4

 

Session 5

With Lisa Meehan
Completed Designs & Writing

View Session 5

MK MandalasFunders and delivery partners
Funders and partners of MK Mandalas