UPDATED Nov. 11: Following a successful Kickstarter campaign, former longtime Arlington arts-business owner Jan Whitted and her son Drai have launched the Personal Sand Mandala Kit, an at-home art activity, a mindfulness art activity for adults and teens.
A relaxing blend of art, process, and mindfulness inspired by ancient traditions, the kit is available for purchase through www.SandArtMandalas.com and at the Loading Dock Gallery in Lowell.
The Kickstarter campaign for the new product ran through last July, and the finished art sets are to be delivered in time for holiday gift season. The mandala kit, Jan Whitted said in June, “combines the soothing properties of sand with the ancient tradition of mandala-making to create a playful, sensory art experience for individuals, families and groups alike.”
Whitted founded the Artbeat store in Capitol Square in 1996 and ran it until 2019 in the location where environmental-products store YES! is now located. A pop-up studio continued through much of 2020. Whitted is the founder of Creative Adventures, based in Cambridge, her longtime home. Creative Adventures, a family-owned enterprise, says that its mission is to make hands-on art experiences accessible to everyone.
The Kickstarter campaign invited backers to preorder the kit and therefore be among the first to experience its transformative benefits.
Drai and Jan Whitted with mandala kits. / Courtesy photo
Inspired by ancient geometric art (the word “mandala” is Sanskrit for “circle”), the family team of Jan, a mixed-media artist, her son Drai, a graphic designer, and her daughter-in-law Virginia, a yoga instructor and Reiki master, developed the kit with holistic wellness and community connection in mind.
“The kit brings all the tools you need for mindfulness, meditation and connection to your fingertips,” said Drai. “It’s innovative and fun, and a way to deal with the stressors of digital distraction, our siloed work lives and social isolation — and a great activity to share with friends.”
Made in the United States, the kit includes everything needed to create four intricate sand mandalas with 16 vibrant colors of sand, plus illustrated instructions for basic methods, along with YouTube videos highlighting advanced techniques.
“By making the sand mandala experience accessible to everyone, we hope to promote relaxation, joy and community connection,” says Jan. “It’s a tactile way for individuals to express their inner selves and connect with others in a fun and meaningful way.”
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This announcement was published Monday, June 10, 2024, based on a news release from entrepreneur Jan Whitted. It was updated Nov. 11.
