Nothing Special

I suppose it's time to post something as it's been MONTHS!

I started this blog years ago just to see if I knew how to navigate such things online, and found out that it was lots of fun to share my experience of the art and practice of Zentangle.

In the meantime, a huge project in the form of a beadstore came my way. It's been 1-1/2 years of that, and it's time to step back and take a look at where my time goes, what are the meaningful parts of my day, and who and how am I being asked to serve? I don't think I have answers to any of those questions, but the act of stepping back to review is always appropriate. Being still with what's around you or in front of you (hold that Zentangle tile at arm's length and see what you discover!) will often bring to light the next step.

I've realized that the writing part of the blog is what trips me up and stops me from posting. I often feel like I have nothing 'special' to say these days. I've become a more of a doer than an observer lately. But, I think it's time to Breathe. Look around. Be still for a few more minutes a day than I have been.

I suppose I can post a tile with no words. I don't have to wait for something special to say. I don't wait for something special to occur to do a Zentangle, I just do them. They don't have to be wonderful to look at, or even pleasing to do every time. I just do them to do them with no expectation, no worry about what it will look like, where it will end up, who will like it and who won't. Why did that not occur to me before? Quite busy doing, not much stepping back. So until I step back again to do something different, I am going to try to take some time to post just the art. The words will be there if they are meant to be, I'm sure.

Carried Away

Oh, the plan. Sigh. Why bother?

This week's Diva challenge honors Earth Day. There are so many great organic tangles that conjure up wild vines and full trees, flowing rivers. I was excited to get busy on this one! I was inspired by Laura's Zendala, so I figured I would use that as the string to gather all the earthy tangles I was so excited about. I love the flowing tangles, so planned to use one to start.
   I looked at the selection of Zendala strings in front of me. Instead of choosing a more rounded version, I was drawn to one of the more linear ones. Why? Don't know. I was just in a moment and knew that's where to begin. But wait, that didn't go along with my plan! Oh well, let's go, it's Zentangle, remember.
    What came about was a big surprise to me. I worked on it so long, for one. I usually don't spend more than half an hour on a tile. But this one drew me in and asked me to do all kinds of things that I wasn't used to doing. (When you listen to a tile -- or your own intuition is more like it -- big surprises happen!) This is the photo I took when I THOUGHT it was done and ready to post...

But I kept listening and this is what it said:

Purple? Frills? Really? Earth Day? This tile carried me away to a place I'm not used to. Give me green and mud and I am happy. I probably spent at least two hours on this Zendala, all the while thinking of Earth Day, so I'm betting that my idea of what the earth really feels like to me is somewhere underneath, and it definitely includes the purples and frills.

I love how the Zentangle art form shows me parts of myself that I never knew before.

Thanks, Laura, for a really fun challenge.

Everybody is a Star

This week's Diva challenge is to use any kind of star as a string. I had just one week before posted a new profile picture to my facebook page. It's one of my favorite tiles, and I did it as soon as I learned the tangle, Betweed. When I look at it now, I really don't remember how I did it. I was only having some fun at the time. I rarely try to figure out what a tile will become. Unless I'm teaching, I don't plan any of them. But because the star challenge appeared, and I did know that this favorite tile began as a star, I set out to rediscover what I had done. That was fun for a while, and I might have come close, but sooner than later, fun got the best of me and I veeeeeeered off.
   I love to see all the different ways people respond to the same challenge. It's what I love about this art form: each person gets to play however they want, and discover whatever joy means to them specifically. I sometimes think about all the people sitting and tangling at once in the world... all those joyful lights shining. wow.

The original tile with star highlighted in yellow.

My first try at figuring it out

I think this was a little closer on the outside edges

A try at a Zendala

Then of course, I had to Puf at least one!

Frames!

Funny that the Diva and Maria would be talking frames. A few of us in the Dayton are getting some Zentangle art ready for a local exhibit in the summer. Framing can be a little challenging for most of us, so we've been talking about solutions this past week. Since so many of us work with the official Zentangle tile, we are hoping our local framer/artist will make some frames to fit them.

I had tons of fun doing the Diva Challenge this week. It's been a while since I've done one, but having had the good fortune to be in a Zentangle state of mind all the past weekend, the relaxation and floatiness has not worn off. I am finding that some things just aren't as important as they were way last week before I left. We can sometimes get ourselves on a hamster wheel of 'doing' when many times, just being is all that's required. [Thank you, CZT Hideaway (more photos by Ann Hathaway, CZT)]

Here is the challenge frame, inspired by Laura and Maria... Thanks!

Rejuvenation

When it comes to rejuvenation, the Zentangle® art form is a wonderful tool, even in small doses. Taking a little time each day (even for ten minutes) to do a little tangling can clear your mind like a little reset button.

Imagine a whole (LONG) weekend of nothing but tangling!

I was lucky enough to spend this past Thursday through Sunday at the CZT Hideaway 2013. The retreat was hosted by CZTs Leslie Scott-Gillilan and Angie Gamble, and was designed to provide a little rest, relaxation and rejuvenation to participating CZTs. Seventeen of us packed our tiles and pens and headed to Henryville, Indiana for a stay at Wooded Glen Conference and Retreat Center. This facility is truly beyond compare – peaceful, beautiful, natural, accommodating, nurturing. The owners say they want their guests to feel like they're at 'grandma's house.' And yes, there were cookies and cold milk waiting for us at bedtime. For real. On Saturday at lunch, our table got to talking (a lot) about Red Lobster cheddar biscuits. That night there were cheddar garlic biscuits on the dinner buffet. Someone from another attending group said her friend was going on about crab cakes at lunch and that night they showed up for dinner. Seriously, I can't think of anywhere else (grandma's maybe!) that would happen.

Rear view of the conference center from the path across the pond.

   Anyway, the weekend was filled with lots of fun ideas and we naturally shared little tricks and projects with each other. The schedule, or string as we called it, was a flexible mix of learning and playing, options and choices. Nothing was required, and everything allowed for. Wow. It was a living Zentangle.
   I am so grateful to everyone who participated in this lovely weekend. Angie and Lesley did a great job, and gave us a truly wonderful gift with all their hard work and planning. I can't wait to do it again.

   Here are a few things I played with. Some might be finished, but then again maybe not!

Micron and White Jelly Roll on tan paper.

12 x 14 beginnings of something

We played with Genevieve Crabe's Mandala stencils. I loved them! I started Coaster on one of the 'spokes' but changed my mind. Instead of chucking it, which was my initial thought, I moved forward! I sort of like the "spirit spoke" that's stuck in there.

Snake String: Puffed-out Mooka

"This 2013 year of Snake is meant for steady progress and attention to detail. Focus and discipline will be necessary for you to achieve what you set out to create."

I found the above online after I had finished my Diva challenge yesterday. I had so much fun using the snake as a string. I hadn't worked in my Tangle-a-Day calendar for a couple weeks, so yesterday's Tangle and Tea session at the bead store was the perfect opportunity to be in a tangled flow. One of the great things about our Thursday sessions is all the people who show up! If you're stuck on a decision about what tangle to use next, you can just say "somebody say a tangle", and there you have it! I had already chosen Warped Eggs as my first filler, and was at a loss for the next. Peg Farmer said Mooka, and then I couldn't stop. It covered every remaining spot. Sometimes the tendrils went very far out, sometimes they stayed in their cocoon. This morning I allowed myself some time before my day revved up to do the shading. It was like I was having the same fun all over again! I love to shade, especially if it's very intricate. There is always something to miss, so there is always something to find! I especially love that part.
   This brings me to the above info about the year of the Snake. Some of the tanglers at yesterday's session hadn't seen how this piece started, so when they looked at it finished, a couple were a little daunted. I always say, "one stroke at a time" and with this one: "steady progress and attention to detail. Focus and discipline..."

After I did each Mooka section, I puffed it out where all the corners lined up, as I often like to do with different tangles. So much fun. I think we might do a Mooka-Fest class in the near future. There are so many possibilities with this one!

Tangled Love

Happy Valentine's Day...

Here is a little something fun to try if you are making Valentines this year. I love to tangle hearts with Fengle, Mooka and Pais, although there are tons of other tangles you can use.

1. In pencil, make some overlapping shapes. Find the intersections of the overlaps, and make a short double line at each pencil intersection. Always make your second line either inside or outside of the shapes. These are made on the inside of each shape. Don’t think too hard about what will overlap what. Part of the fun is the surprise of what you find when you connect your lines later.
2. Connect the double lines of one of the shapes.
3. Connect the double lines of one of remainder of the shapes.
4. Fill the spaces with your favorite tangles.
5. Shade the areas of intersected lines along the outer edge of the shape on top.