From common toads and turtles to sea horses, cephalopods, and triggerfish, Tim Phelps's mandalas cast an artistic eye on the real and imagined micro-architecture of animals. Vibrant illustrations and an engaging narrative invite the reader to wonder at nature's seemingly endless variety of forms, from the simple to the complex. Using the graphic and symbolic patterns of mandalas, the artist combines color, texture, and fluidity to tell the story of each organism and the role it plays in a healthy ecosystem. These elegant artworks have been shaped by the artist's interest in art nouveau and art deco, the works of Charley Harper and Ernst Haeckel, and Victorian ornamental art, Asian art, batik, hot rod flame painting, swirling tie dye, and iconography. By exploring the how, what, and why of fauna, the book encourages us to look closely at the rich biodiversity in our own backyards.

The meditative mandalas in this coloring book celebrate the amazing biodiversity in nature: the myriad shapes and colors found in animals and the varied habitats and ecosystems in which they live. Explore real and imagined specimens that live in treetops, sweeping grasslands, lush tropical forests, shimmering waters, and colorful reefs in this riff on the natural world. White spaces in each sketch allow artists to be creative, drawing in their own unique dots, dashes, doodles, stripes, and squiggles. Using a variety of markers, watercolors, or gel pens selectively or in any combination, armchair artists are invited to focus their thoughts and unleash their creativity.

The meditative mandalas in this coloring book celebrate the amazing biodiversity in nature: the myriad shapes and colors found in plants and insects and the varied habitats and ecosystems in which they all live. Enter glorious gardens, sweeping grasslands, and lush tropical forests populated with unusual flora and flying creatures in this riff on the natural world. White spaces in each sketch allow artists to be creative, drawing in their own unique dots, dashes, doodles, stripes, and squiggles. Using a variety of markers, watercolors, or gel pens selectively or in any combination, armchair artists are invited to focus their thoughts and unleash their creativity.

From buckeye butterflies to ladybugs, milkweed, and dandelions, Tim Phelps's mandalas cast an artistic eye on the real and imagined micro-architecture of plants and insects. Vibrant illustrations and an engaging narrative invite the reader to wonder at nature's seemingly endless variety of forms, from the simple to the complex. Using the graphic and symbolic patterns of mandalas, the artist combines color, texture, and fluidity to tell the story of each organism and the role it plays in a healthy ecosystem. These elegant artworks have been shaped by the artist's interest in art nouveau and art deco, the works of Charley Harper and Ernst Haeckel, and Victorian ornamental art, Asian art, batik, hot rod flame painting, swirling tie dye, and iconography. By exploring the how, what, and why of garden flora and insects, the book encourages us to look closely at the rich biodiversity in our own backyards.