In a way, artist Karina Herrera-Orozco circled back to a childhood passion when she picked up her acrylic brushes anew during the pandemic.

Coming home after stints in the corporate world and years abroad to help take care of her parents, Karina decided to paint again.

“During the pandemic, what I did since we were on lockdown, I went through my watercolors again — my acrylic paints. Then I started painting again — flowers and all that — and then it came to a point when my friend asked me to do commissioned work for him. Paint my motorcycles, he said. I said I don’t know how to paint motorcycles, but he said, ‘You can do it.’ So anyway, I painted it, and it turned out to be a success,” she recalls.

Her artistic passion sparked, Karina further challenged herself by seeking “something different” she could apply herself to.

“Mandala started in India — it is a form of Buddhist art. The word mandala means ‘circle’ in Sanskrit language and the mandala, if you would notice, forms different patterns — symmetrical geometric patterns. There are patterns that can promote personal and spiritual growth. People say that it brings them connection to their innermost selves or even feelings,” she said in an interview on DAILY TRIBUNE’s digital lifestyle show, Pairfect.

Mandalas are usually depicted in bright, colorful patterns. Designs have been seen in yoga mats or beach blankets in recent years.

The patterns of these circular designs are perceived as symbolic of one’s spiritual journey — “from the outside of oneself inward,” according to a source — and are used across different religions such as Hinduism, Buddhism and Christianity.

Yet Karina has infused a new depth into her mandala art, interpreting the personality or personal meanings defined by her clients into the pieces she creates.

“I’m really fascinated with this type of art. I like the Mediterranean style like the tiles as well, but this one, I said, it’s something different. So when I started looking at YouTube, I thought, I can do this also, and it’s different. The thing is, when I searched online I could hardly find any artist doing this kind of art. It’s mostly landscapes or flowers, for example. So I said okay, it’s my interest and I like it, it’s different.”

She adds, “I started doing it probably two years ago, about January 2023. When I tried it at first I said oh this is kind of easy because each dot and each brush stroke that I made really gave me a calm, peaceful feeling. It’s because it’s a repetition each time I do a piece; it gives me calmness, like a lullaby.”

She adds, “Everyday for me still a learning process so I discover new things… like, for example, last year I started making coasters on bamboo wood, and wooden crosses I made for those asking for what can I give for Christmas.”

The idea of applying her own color combinations appealed to the artist in Karina, and pretty soon, she realized she could create pieces customized for her clients.

“(Some) would specifically for particular colors — for example, her favorite color would be red, or violet, or yellow, etc., then I incorporate that,” Karina says, pointing to a piece she brought with her. “This will go to San Francisco next year when (client) comes to the Philippines. This one is a bit different because what she wanted to do was represent the iris flowers. So I chose the colors of the iris — blue, violet, yellow…and then this one would represent her, the mother, and then the two daughters whose second names are Iris, and then the other girl, the apo (grandchild). Although she doesn’t have Iris as her second name, all the women in the family are here.”

Veering from her usual medium — mainly watercolors, sketching and also pastels — Karina has found that sliding into life’s cycles can bring a kind of fulfillment one may never have imagined.

Art runs in the family, she admits. “From father’s side and also my mother’s side — my father used charcoal and watercolor and he used to do some cartoon sketches, billboards, when he was in the fraternity. My mom was more into crafts, and then three of my siblings, they also draw and paint but not much like how I do it.”

Her dad Willy worked as an assistant scientist at the International Rice Research Institute in Los Baños, Laguna. Her mom Nenita was a University of the Philippines professor in University of the Philippines Los Baños.

It was when she quit the corporate world in 2018 that Karina found her way back to her art. “I took up agriculture and specialized in landscaping so when I graduated from college I did some landscaping on the side, but I was in the agrochemical industry doing marketing operations, business and sales for a long time, and then I also ventured into the human resources industry,” she recalls.

“There were times also that I left the country and worked for a short time in the Middle East and then I came back, looked after my father. My father passed away eight years ago and then my mother, too. She passed away last 2 January, and I was already settled at home and it was during the pandemic. I didn’t want to go back to Manila anymore to work so I decided to stay in Los Baños and paint.”

While her mandalas have brought joy and meaning into her clients’ lives, Karina has also reaped benefits of her own while making it. Each piece can take up to a total of 13 hours to finish, she says, depending on the size.

“This one took me about 42 (referring to her biggest piece thus far). Yes, so hindi biro ‘pag nagkamali (it’s no joke when you make a mistake) I can erase it with cotton buds, let it dry, cover it with the base paint and then start all over again.” Despite the tedious process and the patience required to go with it, Karina dwells on the peace and joy each dot and stroke brings her once she devotes her whole being into a piece.

After all, starting over or starting something new is no strange theme in the artist’s life, from discovering mandala to finding love.

She met her husband during a batch anniversary. They met again when they worked together for his fraternity Upsilon Sigma Phi’s centennial celebration.

Just like there are endless ways to make a mandala, Karina has found that she can create the best version of herself by focusing on what she loves and putting her whole self — mind, body and spirit — into it.

“Doing this made me realize this is something I really want to do. I would say cooking is an art, and photography is an art as well, but though I may have done those, I’m at my happiest now.”