Recent Los Angeles Sketches

Kenneth Hahn

Village Green

Marybeth's House

Processing Emotions: Disappointment and Frustration

I did these pieces in Swami Sivasankariananda's Processing Emotions Class at the Sivananda Los Angeles City Center.

This is about the disappointment and frustration of turning 50 although with the racism that is so visible in the world right now.

This is a closeup of the O and how I feel so frustrated and claustrophobic being locked in.

Swamiji thought it was really important that I transform it

This is me thinking of the positive aspects of all the things I have been doing and making and the peace I feel by not being in the chaos of working in film production and having time for my foot and ankle to heal.  Also how the world is healing with less pollution.

This circle shows how I am in community with my husband and not alone.  And how I have had time to work on my project about the moon.

Ganesha Yantra

I started this Ganesha Yantra with Swami Sivasankarianda through Sivananda Los Angeles City Center but had to finish on my own.

I found the colors in Harish Johari's book "Tools for Tantra"

 Started drinking tea and painting trying not to dip my brushes in the tea cup.

I was painting with acrylics that aren't as precise as gouache.  It turned out well.  I am happy to see it completed. I felt uneasy having the lord of overcoming obstacles unfinished in my office.

Processing Emotions: Longing and Disappointment

This painting is about longing and disappointment.  It's about looking for the answers outside of yourself and not being satisfied.  Not seeing your own beauty and truth.  It's not done yet.

I did it in Swami Sivansakariananda's afternoon workshop at the Sivananda Los Angeles City Center's on Processing Emotions

Processing Emotions; Grief

This painting is not done yet.  It's about the sadness I feel from Covid 19 and the death of my aunt Betty.  It's about trying to hold it together with when feels very dark and difficult.

I did it in one of Swami Sivasankarianda's workshop on processing emotions at Sivananda Los Angeles City Center.  I will work on it more.

Processing Emotions: Fear

Swami Sivasankariananda at Sivananda City Center has been leading workshops on Processing Emotions.  I took this workshop recently on Processing Fear


This is the first step of the exercise.  I see myself as thickening with age, old and gray.  My breasts are heavy and my hips are big. I just turned 50 and someone told me "Welcome to Cronedom" and I didn
t know how I felt about that.  My right bottom foot and ankle and red from the pain of the tears in my plantar fascia and peroneus brevis.

Then I was asked to transform the painting.   I decided that I didn't matter about the ankle I have worked through so many injuries.  I wanted to make this painting more beautiful and I brought the masculine energy of the sun to my feminine side and the feminine energy of the moon to my masculine side.  Making myself a beautiful integrated whole.

Flowering Arrows of Kameshvari

- The first flowering arrow in Kameshvari's quiver is Unmada. in Sanskrit, Unmada means frenzy, madness or mental derangement. What desires have you had that have put you in a state of Unmada (often named maddening)?

- Kameshvari's second flowering arrow is Tapana. The word ‘Tapana’ has Sanskrit origin which means ‘illuminating’ or a ‘burning desire’. What desires are/ or have but you in the state of Tapana (often named longing)?

- Kameshvari's third flowering arrow is Shoshana. Shoshana means to dry up, desiccate, wither away, emaciate, absorb or exhaust. What desires have you had or do you have that put you in the state of Shoshana (often named kindling)?

- Kameshvari's fourth flowering arrow is Stambhana. Stambhana, means paralyzing, stiffening, making rigid or immovable. What desires have you or did you have that have put you in the state of Stambhana (often named wasting)?

- Kameshvari's means flowering arrow is Sammohana. Sammohana means stupefying, infatuating, bewitching, and fascinating. What desires do you or have you had that put you in the state of Stambhana (often named enchanting)?