Community Mandala Project
Empowering people, communities & brands since 2004!
Community Mandala Project’s meditative art workshops combine the power of love, nature, personal stories, creativity and wisdom teachings from around the world to inspire, empower and strengthen people, communities and brands. They can restore a sense of wholeness and wellness, connect, support the healing journey and transform. Think yoga and meditation, but with art!
About CMP
Founded in 2004 by Donna Gentile, Community Mandala Project (CMP) is an initiative offering immersive art workshops inspired by sacred geometry, patterns in nature, stories of triumph, positive affirmations and wisdom teachings from around the world. They help participants practice self care, access creativity, take back personal power, turn wounds into wisdom, manifest positive transformations, activate the body’s energy centers, support the healing journey, relax, restore, rejuvenate and more!
History
In 2002, Donna designed and taught “Circle of Life” art workshops inspired by nature and the sacred wheel of life at Holcomb Community Farm School (Granby, CT) and The Cobb School Montessori (Simsbury, CT).
In 2004, The Bushnell of Hartford hired Donna to design a vibrant art program about ‘community’ for second graders at Plainville Community Schools (CT). Donna designed the Community Mandala Collage (pictured here), and Community Mandala Project was born.
After several incredible years of teaching the Community Mandala Collage workshop to second graders in three Plainville Community Schools, it became evident that the workshops were not just for children. Adults in the classroom were loving them too and asking if they could have an extra set of materials to take home for their children and grandchildren.
This inspired Donna to adapt the workshop for adults. Her first clients included Susan Omilian’s Archangel Group for thriving after domestic violence (West Hartford, CT), CureArt’s addiction recovery programs (Collinsville, CT) and CancerCare’s family camp (Pennsylvania) for surviving family members of cancer.
In 2014, Hartford Performs brought CMP onboard with their team of 100+ teaching artists servicing Hartford public and charter schools where CMP workshops were very popular.
Since then, CMP has developed dozens of programs and facilitated hundreds of workshops.
Today, the workshop facilitator is on the road creating art inspired by nature, painting murals and offering creative services to empower people, communities and businesses.
Clients
CMP has worked with incredible people and organizations including Advocacy Unlimited, AIM for a Better Tomorrow, CancerCare, CT Dept. of Mental Health & Addiction Services (DMHAS), Connecticut Women’s Consortium, Dogs Deserve Better, Farmington Valley Health District’s RGH program for veterans and community, Hartford Performs, The Bushnell of Hartford, schools, senior centers, recovery clubs, yoga centers, retreats, festivals, special events, home parties and more.
View full Client List.
We want to work with you! Let’s talk.
About the the Founder
Donna Gentile (pictured with daughter Kira) is a visionary, artist, designer, educator, author, musician, empowerment navigator and the founder of Community Mandala Project. She has taught meditative art workshops since 2002 at incredible organizations and holds a bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design. Mandala art helped Donna heal, take back her power and shine her light after domestic violence. It feeds her passion for freedom and service, and today, she travels America in a minivan with her cat connecting with nature, creating for liberty and working to empower and transform people, communities and businesses.
More about Donna’s Story.