Artwork Inspired by Sacred Themes

Rohana Darlington is a painter, writer and designer who loves to explore different ways of working creatively. Originally trained in publishing at Chatto & Windus in London, she later trained in Textile and Fashion Design at Central St Martins. After graduating she ran a free-lance design business working with national companies and magazines, lectured in design at Manchester Metropolitan University and her design book IRISH KNITTING published by A & C Black, the result of her Winston Churchill Travelling Fellowship, sold internationally.

After marrying and having her 4 children she qualified in medicine and homeopathy and became a hospital and community-based art therapist in Cheshire. Working with groups of people with severe mental and physical health problems she further developed her love of crafts, painting and creative writing and was delighted to discover how healing these activities could be.

Rohana has recently retired from this work and is currently setting up her own website which will feature her two newly completed craft/recycling books EASY ETHNIC BABYKNITS and BEAUTIFUL BAGS FROM BITS & BOBS.

On her website people can download her designs individually and in addition it will offer a link to her new history mystery novel LADY OF THE ASCENDANT set in 17th Century Cheshire in the English Civil War. She also plans to have a blog where she’ll offer seasonal comments, illustrations, designs, recipes and health hints from garden produce, and would love to interact here with anyone who shares her love of art, design, crafts and rural life. So watch this space for forthcoming attractions! Her website can be visited here.

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A collection of 14 pieces (click to see the gallery in new tab)

 

 

The paintings and textile in the collection below of 4 pieces were inspired by

the 99 Beautiful Names of Allah

1. The Sacred Name: Allah

Media: A wall hanging using colourfast dyes on cotton with batik and tie-dye techniques. Hung on aluminium metal bars. Size: 86cm x 100cm

2. Al-Ali: The Most High. Ya-Ali: He whose faith is low and repeats this name, it will be raised, his destiny will be opened; the traveller will reach his homeland.

Media: Colourfast dyes, gold acrylic paint on watercolour paper. Mounted under cream card, framed under glass in gold metallic frame. Size: 49cm x 60cm.

3. An-Nur: The Light. He who provides divine light to the entire universe, to the faces, minds and hearts of his servants. Ya-Nur: Those who repeat this name will have inner light.

Media: Colourfast dyes, gold acrylic paint, gouaches on watercolour paper. Mounted under cream mount, framed under glass in beech. Size: 45cm x 58cm.

4. As-Salaam: The Source of Peace. He who grants safety and freedom and who welcomes the inhabitants of heaven. Ya-Salaam: Repeat this name to a sick person to invoke Allah’s blessing on their health.

Media: Colourfast dyes, gold acrylic paint and Aquarelle pencils on watercolour paper. Mounted under cream card, and framed under glass in beech. Size: 44cm x 54cm.

 

The paintings, paper mosaics, textiles and prints in the collection below of 10 pieces were

inspired by religious and spiritual symbols, especially by Byzantine sacred art.

5. Choir of Angels: The Heavenly Host.

Media: Acrylic paint on wooden board. Gold painted frame is an integral part of the work, no glass used. Size: 35cm x 42cm.

6. Angel of Music Mosaic

Media: Paper mosaic on paper. Mounted under beige card, framed under glass in a gold frame. Size: 23cm x 28cm.

7. Angel of Prayer Mosaic

Media: Paper mosaic on paper. Framed under glass in a gold frame. Size: 23cm x 28cm.

8. Peace Bird Mosaic

Media: Paper mosaic on paper. Mounted over green paper mount, framed under glass with a gold and greed sprayed frame.

9. Peace Bird Lino Print

Media: Single colour printing ink over cartridge paper, mounted over blue paper and framed under glass with a gold and blue sprayed frame. Size: 17cm x 17cm.

10. Angel of Peace Silk Hanging

Media: Silk paints and dyes on silk, batik and silk painting techniques used, hung on 2 bamboo sticks. Size: 42cm x 36cm.

11. Peace Bird Silk Hanging

Media: Silk paints and dyes on silk, batik and silk painting techniques used , hung on black bamboo sticks . Size: 41cm x 59cm.

12. Woven Peace Birds Hanging

Media: Fine white cotton warp with weft using a variety of spun and unspun cottons. Embroidered Peace Birds are suspended on white cotton threads and are attached to the main hanging so that if hung near a breeze over a window the birds flutter on their strings. The hanging is woven over 2 slender bamboo poles. Size: 55cm x 83cm.

13. Peace Bird Embroidery

Media: Hand dyed cotton with appliquéd cotton motif and chain stitch, lazy daisy and running stitch embroidery. Framed in a gold sprayed wooden frame. Size: 19cm x 19cm.

14. Subud® Symbol Embroidery

Media: Embroidered on linen with gold couch-work and in blue and gold satin stitch using 3 strands of embroidery silks. Mounted under blue card and framed under glass with a gold frame. Size: 27cm x 27cm.