Art Journal - AWE(some)

It's almost Christmas, 2015. Up until now, I've used this blog mostly for Zentangle dare and challenge entries, but I want to begin writing about the rest of the art and creative journeys I'm experiencing. Who would have thought that at 60+ I would be spending so much time enjoying and exploring various artistic venues? and meeting so many new and wonderful people! First a quick summary. In 2011 I discovered Zentangle inadvertently at a quilting show. Long story short, I fell in love with it and got Certified as a Zentangle Teacher in Rhode Island in 2012. I've taught a bit, mostly small groups or individuals (and friends) who reach out to me. I'm retired and so this for love (and pocket money), not as a business. The best part of being Certified though is that it allows me to join in with other CZT's at meetings, get-togethers, focus groups, and conferences. I've met an amazing number of absolutely wonderful people! This is a truly wonderful, creative, supportive, interesting community. I wish I had been blogging about my experiences much earlier. This year alone, I went to a "Tropical Tangled Garden" workshop in Elora, Ontario, hosted by Brenda Shaver-Shahin, and taught by Cherryl Moote; "CanTangle: in Regina, hosted by Lisa Heron, with numerous teachers including Margaret Bremner, Laura Harms, Bette Abdu, Cris Letourneau, Molly Hollibaugh, Lisa Heron, and Brenda Shaver-Shahin; and "Camerida", hosted by Chris Titus and taught by Patti Shaffner, Sonya Yencer, Cherryl Moote, Chris Titus… This workshops were awesome and inspiring, but the people, the swag, the food and accommodation, the energy… that's what makes these experiences life changing. So in 2016 I'm planning on taking this journey a bit further. To start with, I've joined the FB group "Our Tangled Lives 2016" and will be doing my first art journal. There was a pre-prompt for those of us who are anxious to start, to choose a word as an intention for 2016. My word is AWE(some). Awe is a reverential fear or wonder. It's a word I picked painted on a pebble at CanTangle (that pebble travels with me in my Zentangle kit); it's a word that has applied to this years experiences, and it's a word I'm carrying into next year. I'm in AWE of Rick and Maria and the Zentangle world they have introduced and nurtured. I'm in AWE of all the truly wonderful people in the Zentangle Community who keep sharing and giving encouragement! I'm in AWE of the fabulous Zentangle art I see every day! But most, I am in AWE of what I am able to create and open my heart to!

Zentangle Challenge #246 - Guest, Dilip Patel; Monotangle Trees

This week's Zentangle Challenge (www.iamthedivaczt.blogspot.ca) is a guest challenge from Dilip Patel. We are to use one tangle to depict a tree. I chose Kuziem by Diana Schreur, which is one of most recent favourite finds. This does look like I also used Flux, but I'm justifying it because it's an "embellishment", and is used in her step-outs. I quite like my tree!

Zentangle Challenge #244 - Tripoli

Tripoli is an acquaintance that I admire, and am actively trying to make my friend… But I find it difficult, and I stress when dealing with it - not at all Zen-like! As with some friendships, sometimes you have to work at it more than others, and I will be friends with Tripoli… someday. This week's Diva Challenge from Laura at www.iamthedivaczt.blogspot.com is to use the Tangle Tripoli. I'm glad for this "opportunity" to push myself. My most recent tile, which I quite like, is with the word "Awe", which has become my spirit word in Zentangle. I chose a stone with Awe written on it at CanTangle and it travels with me in my pencil case, and I wrote the word on my arrow project from Camerida. I am in AWE of Rick and Maria and the Zentangle world they have introduced and nurtured. I am in AWE of all the truly wonderful people in the Zentangle Community who just keep on sharing and giving. I am in AWE of the fabulous Zentangle art I see every day. But also, I am in AWE of what I have been able to create and open my heart to! This picture with three tiles on it is of my first three attempts - all have aspects I like, and other aspects… not so much.

Zendala Dare #116

I did two Zendala's for this week's Dare from Erin at www.thebrightowl.blogspot.com. Though it doesn't show, the first one was done on a regular Zendala tile, and the second on an 8.5 inch circle. I like the second better because it gave me the opportunity to showcase some tangles that work well in circular spaces. I wanted something to balance the detail of the central orbs and I think Zplode works well. I'm happy with both of these!

Zentangle Challenge #243

This week's Diva Challenge from Erin at www.iamthedivaczt.blogspot.ca is to leave lots of white space. So hard to do! I really wanted to add more… The first time I did Vega was at my CZT12 training, and it's now one of my favourites. I love to tangle on beer coasters, and found some blank ones for sale on Amazon.com but they won't ship them to Canada (sigh), so luckily Chris Titus allowed me to have some stuff shipped to her address in Wyoming, N.Y. and I picked them up when I went to the wonderful meet-up Camerida! I got a box of the round coasters, and a box of the square ones (which just happen to be 3.5 inches! The material is a sort of cardboard but the microns draw beautifully on them - this challenge was my first opportunity to try them out. I foresee some fun classes and gifts with these coasters!

Zendala Dare #115 + use tangles that start with (all or some) letters: THANKS

I wasn't too fond of this week's Zendala Challenge from Erin at www.thebrightowl.blogspot.com, because I thought there were too many spaces and awkward ones at that…. But I try to do all of the Dares, and I was frankly quite surprised and pleased with my end result with this one. Goes to reinforce that you never know where Zentangle is going to take you! I initially wanted to use tangles for all the letters in the word "THANKS" (which was part of this week's dare), but I decided to stop without using an H or an N, and I'm happy that I left the open space! I'm not sure why it looks like the paper is blue - it's not - it's off-white water-colour paper; but I kind of like it blue!

Zendala Dare #114

Another great template this week from Erin at www.thebrightowl.blogspot.com. Not one of my favourite end products, but I had fun with the colour. And at least it's on time; last weeks entry went in late. I've been busy preparing for a new set of Zentangle classes, and finishing up a few of the many projects from Camerida (a wonderful weekend spent at the studio of Chris Titus in Wyoming, N.Y. with 25 Canadian and American CZT's)! I've been using this blog only for Zentangle challenges and Dares, but I'm thinking that I should be writing about the other wonderful Zentangle adventures I've been on this year: Tropical Tangle Garden with Cherryl Moote in Elora, Ontario, CanTangle in Regina, Saskatchewan, and Camerida in Wyoming, N.Y. Stay tuned ….