Downtown studio joins Third Thursday event

Couple opens Mandala to share their circle art with community

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When Steve "Buck" Bruce and Sophia Andras opened Mandala Studios in downtown Henderson a few weeks ago, they offered art lovers and Third Thursday festival-goers more than just the chance to look at and purchase their paintings.

The couple has opened their studio to community members interested in creating their own mandalas.

"We offer this to anyone who wants to have fun and creativity," Andras said.

The word mandala comes from the Sanskrit word for "circle'' or ''center'' and the paintings at Mandala Studio all stem from the simple shape of a circle.

"These can be created by starting at the outside of the design and working into the center, or by starting at the center and expanding outward," Bruce said. "We're excited about the studio because even a person without experience with art -- even if they are afraid of trying to create art -- if they can draw a circle, they can have fun creating and often they are amazed by the results."

Bruce and Andras said because the mandala is an ancient art and has had a place in many cultures and belief systems, they are excited to see how it will affect the local community.

"The circle is connecting," Andras said. "And we like that because we really like the connecting of cultures rather than the separating."

Mandalas start with circles and patterns and can be embellished in any way the artist chooses.

Andras and Bruce display and sell both their own work and pieces by their teacher, Paul Heussenstamm.

Formerly in the dental business, Andras and Bruce moved from Calgary, Canada to Laughlin about two years ago.

About one year ago, they decided to sell their business and go on a sabbatical, and around that time they discovered mandalas and started taking courses in the art form.

Andras and Bruce had so much fun creating the mandalas, they found they couldn't stop.

"It's an avenue for self-discovery," Bruce said. "When you look at it and feel stuck, you can say 'What's the next step?' Western culture leads such a fast, hectic life, and when you sit down to draw you have quiet time in the moment."

By a stroke of luck, the couple then found studio space at Art a la Cart.

"Really, the studio found us," Bruce said.

The duo was on their way through the valley on a Thursday in September when they decided to stop and check out downtown Henderson.

"We saw a Third Thursday poster up, and wondered about the date, and it was Thursday," Bruce said. "We saw that it started at 5 p.m. and checked the time -- it was five to five. So we walked to the galleries, and we came to Art a la Cart and met the owners, Dick and Karen, and they told us they had space available."

In February Andras and Bruce displayed some of their work at the monthly Third Thursday art event, and about one month ago they moved to Henderson and started getting Mandala Studios ready to open.

"When we came in September, we thought downtown Henderson was going to grow, like our business, and we thought it was something we could grow with," Bruce said.

Both Andras and Bruce said community growth is important, and they are impressed by the city's dedication to expanding its arts scene.

Andras said she looks forward to working with children and their families at Mandala Studios, and she recently donated one of her works to be auctioned at the second annual Create Your Dreams Awards Gala to benefit the Shade Tree shelter in Las Vegas.

The studio will offer themed classes, including Friday night Date and Paint sessions for couples 18 years and older; Saturday morning mandala basics for parents or grandparents and children; Saturday afternoon Teenage Design and Colors for teens; and ongoing design and paint classes for adults on Sunday. Each Thursday night the studio will host a discussion on some aspect of Mandalas in addition to painting time.

Mandala Studios at 10 Water St., will be open from 6 to 9 p.m. on Thursday and Friday, and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Painting session costs from $10 to $35 per person, including supplies.

For more information, call 257-5357.