Artist Mara Carlini
How I started painting angels
Hi! I’m Mara. Thank you for being here to connect to angels through art!
I began connecting with angels as a healer, working with my intuition through my acupuncture and TCM practice. I felt angel presence guiding me during healing sessions, and I developed techniques to connect with angels for acupuncture and reiki energy healing.
When I started painting angels, I felt a huge rush of energy flowing through me into my paintings. I could feel powerful, warrior angels like Archangel Michael with a huge message, and I couldn’t put my paintbrush down!
The energy rush from these angels is incredible. I’ve tried to push away the feeling, put my head down, walk a normal life… but it’s like my angels are calling to my soul telling me to keep painting.
Along with warrior angels, I’ve also felt soft, gentle energy angels wanting to make a presence on my canvas too, such as the Archangel Jophiel in the painting Angel of Beauty.
In early 2021, I moved to Clearwater, FL from Pittsburgh, PA and it was because I felt called to move to a coastal area. Was it the angels? I think part of it was!
When I got to FL, I connected with the angels and felt something way different! I felt more than angel presences coming through! I felt that the angels were one with sea animals and nature scenes, and they seemed to vibrate with extraordinary angelic frequency.
I felt the same feelings I would get during energy healing sessions just by being in the presence of crashing waves.
The angels are singing with animals and nature, and these beautiful beings need care from us humans. The angels are asking us for it. The angels are one with animals and nature right now because they are needed, and we are needed too, perhaps more than before.
Each beautiful painting has a specific message to spread awareness about the environment and human nature. The angel messages inspire peace, balance, and connectedness to humankind and our planet.
Bio
Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Mara received her Bachelor of Art in Studio Art with a focus on drawing and painting from Allegheny College in 2011. She studied holistic healing by becoming a Reiki Practitioner in 2008, a Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT) in 2011, and obtaining a Masters of Science in Acupuncture and Oriental medicine in 2015. She has participated in several shows in Pennsylvania in the early 2010s, taking a brief hiatus in 2013-2017 to pursue her acupuncture practice while still creating art on the side. In 2018, Mara began exhibiting art again and is now living in Clearwater Florida with her husband and golden retriever.
Mara continues to practice mindfulness and meditation which she attributes to connecting her to perceive messages from these celestial beings. Mara is inspired by renaissance artists such as Caravaggio and his dramatic contrast and Michelangelo with his narrative art and depictions of angels. She has studied with Italian artists in Italy in 2009 and 2010. She also explores impressionistic art and modern abstract art.
Mara teaches online and in-person mandala classes on connecting mindfulness and creativity through mandalas, which are circle designs created in many cultures including Zen Buddhism to calm the mind and mindfully pursue an intentional activity.
There’s more to my story. Want to know more?
It’s a story of following my heart’s calling.
Becoming an artist was an actual decision. I always knew I was an artist, we all are in some way. In my journey, many things tried to distract me from being an artist. Every day I make the decision that I am an artist, a channel for ideas and inspiration to enter into this world.
I attended Allegheny College in Meadville, PA as a Biology major. Art was my minor, just something on the side. Then I realized that all I did was draw and daydream about my art classes in my Biology classes.
I saw my classmates’ passion for science echoed my true passion for art. On a whim, I switched my major to Art. That day happened to be the last day of the drop period. There was no going back. Looking back now, It was the most freeing decision I ever made.
That decision to switch my major changed my entire life, and it was because I listened to my soul. That moment was the first moment I consciously connected to my divine soul and purpose, listening for once, to my true heart's calling.
Mindfulness.
At age 19, I was introduced to mindfulness and meditation through yoga. My mind was complete “monkey mind” and so scattered. I found that the only place that gave me solace in my mind was at Yoga class. I felt like I could finally settle my mind; all the stress, worry, anxieties, and fears would calm down to a stillness.
The amazing, calming feeling of stillness intrigued me to journey deeper into the web of my mind. Why was I so stressed? Why did I care so much about what others thought of me? Those distractions kept me from peace. Was there ever balance that could be achieved?
These thoughts led me to find stillness and develop intuition through reiki, consistent meditation, and yoga practice. As I fell in love with mindfulness, I began training as a reiki practitioner at age 20, started a meditation club at Allegheny College at age 21, and became a 200 RYT certified yoga instructor at age 22, and immediately began teaching yoga weekly. One year later, I enrolled in acupuncture school and became an acupuncturist and herbalist at age 26 with a private practice for over 5 years, which brought me to further develop my intuition and understanding of energy and natural healing.
Angels and Spirit.
Are you drawn to an angel? One of my paintings, or maybe an angel in your heart?
Angel and spiritual art start with meditations. I feel “guided” on a journey that leads me to bring through beautiful energies of light and love. If you are drawn to her (or him), she may have a message for you. I suggest you listen closely!
Angels, and sometimes dragons and other celestial beings, are winged messengers that I perceive in meditation. They seem to “ask” to be brought to the physical world in the form of my paintings. I hope you enjoy them. While some may seem fantastical, or even sometimes unusual, the message is why you are drawn to the piece. They asked to be channelled into this physical plane for a reason. Perhaps it is you!
If you are indeed drawn to a celestial being, she may truly have a special message that you need to receive. Your intuition led you to her, so pay attention to her song.
Read more in my Artist Statement.
Mandalas appear.
The first mandala I made was the guest book for my zen-themed wedding. It was meant to be a one-time thing. Each petal was where the guests of my wedding signed, so I needed a mandala that would hold over 250 signatures in petals big enough for each name!
The process of this mandala was so meditative. My intention for the mandala was purely of family and to celebrate my relationship with my husband. With the intentions I put in, along with my family's love-infused signatures in all of the petals, I feel the love of family and friends each time I look at it.
Once I finished the wedding mandala, I craved to make more.
Mandalas are where I turn to for peace and organization of my mind. As you know, I continue to make many mandalas from that day in 2015 until now. Each mandala is enriched with the intentions I need at the time. They are all authentically what my soul is yearning for, or what I want reflected back to me to feel at peace.
These are intuitions that bring connection from the divine into the physical world. If you are drawn to a certain mandala, it is meant to be yours.
Learn about Mara’s Mandalas and Mindfulness Classes
Shop Mara’s Mandala Artwork and Mandala Gift Shop
This all brings me to you.
I am here to serve you with what I have learned from my mindfulness and art journey. I believe that my calling to art is not only for my own self-expression.
My art is meant to share the light with you through art so you can see the beauty all around you and connect you to our planet.
When you purchase beautiful art,
You help save our planet.
Let beautiful artwork from Spirit awaken gratitude for the beauty surrounding you.
Mara lives in Clearwater, Florida, and travels often to Robinson Township in Pittsburgh PA with her husband, Brent. She is obsessed with her Golden Retriever Magnus, Tuxedo cat Arya, and Cow-cat Gwennie.
Mara seriously loves being alive for: family, golden retrievers, yoga, meditation, sunshine, running, biking, the ocean, tennis, reading, laughing, chocolate, tea, whole foods cooking, and…art.
Mara is grateful for her supportive friends and family as she lives her dream and purpose on this planet! (Thanks Mom and Dad! You’ve always been there for my dream!)
School, Shows, Awards, and more
School
Bachelor's of the Arts Degree: Studio Art, Allegheny College Masters of Science Degree: Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine, Finger Lakes School of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine in Seneca Falls, NY
Licensed Acupuncturist and Herbalist in the state of Pennsylvania
Registered Yoga Teacher 200 with Yoga Alliance, Reiki Level 1 & II (Usui)
Art Gallery Exhibitions:
Penn State New Kensington Art Gallery 2006, 2007
Allegheny Valley Hospital Gallery 2009
Artforms Gallery and Tattoo 2010, 2011
Allegheny College: Bowman and Penelec Galleries 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011
SACI Gallery in Florence, Italy 2010
New Kensington Art Center Gallery 2015
Northland Public Library Art Gallery 2019
North Hills Art Center Gallery Shows for Students and Members
(8 shows) from 2017-2020
Awards:
Doane Art Award (Allegheny College) 2010
Senior Projects Honorable Mention (Allegheny College) 2011
Art Festivals:
2019: Monroeville PA Spring Fever Arts and Crafts Festival, Greensburg PA Twin Lakes Arts & Heritage Festival, Mind Body Spirit Healing Expo Monroeville, PA.
2020: Mind Body Spirit Healing Expo Monroeville PA, All remaining Festivals Cancelled due to Covid-19.