Mandala Garden At Harvester Gallery

Mandala Garden an interactive art piece by Sontia Mason

Mandala Garden, an interactive coloring installation created by Sontia Mason, debuted at Wichita's vibrant Harvester Arts Gallery at The Lux in January 2025. This innovative piece invited art enthusiasts from across the city to engage in a once-taboo activity: writing on the walls.

Spanning an impressive 18-foot wall, the installation celebrates a woman's triumph, showcasing the beauty of her earned flowers as symbols of resilience and growth.

Designed to encourage visitors to pause and engage creatively, the Mandala Garden offers participants the freedom to interact and continuously create unique expressions. By layering colors and patterns onto the floral designs, each contributor adds a personal touch that reflects their individual journey. The Mandala Garden has evolved into a living testament to the community's shared artistic spirit, with each new addition enriching the mural.

Visitors found joy and introspection in the act of coloring, transforming the gallery into a sanctuary of color and creativity. The interactive essence of the Mandala Garden fostered connections not only with the art but also among individuals, cultivating a sense of camaraderie and shared experience. The vibrant hues and intricate details of the mural served as a reminder of art's power to heal, inspire, and unite people from diverse backgrounds.

Located in the heart of downtown Wichita, the Mandala Garden stands as a beacon of hope and creativity, inviting all to partake in the simple yet profound act of coloring. As the months progressed, the project flourished, with each visitor contributing new layers of color and meaning, transforming the once-plain wall into a radiant tapestry of collective expression and resilience.