Tangled Ink Art

I finally got a chance to take a class with my fellow CZT, the lovely and talented Bonnie Pewterbaugh of Emerald City Tangles. I had so much fun! Can't wait to teach a Tangled Ink Art Class of my own!

Watch here for an announcement!

"Church Tree"

I'm In!

I've only done the Diva's Challenge one other time in over three years of tangling. I love looking at all the entries, but am often intimidated into...silence. This week's challenge appealed to me in its simplicity. Just use one of the strings from Linda Farmer's marvelous blog Tanglepatterns.com, String 004. So I did it.

Sand Swirl variation, Mooka, Auraknot variation, Betweed, Paradox, Pearlz

And it was fun! I so seldom actually do the traditional Zentangle Method on a lovely Zentangle tile - I've been doing more ZIA (Zentangle Inspired Art). Fun, fun, fun. Man, I love this art form! :)

In other news...

I'm offering a new class!

Tangled Garden Classes August 10 & 31

10:00-noon HOBBY LOBBY EAST

I am now taking registrations for my new Tangled Garden Classes! I've been really loving drawing the organic tangles on the Strathmore Toned Tan paper, and can't wait to teach YOU how to do it, too! So fun, and the results are so satisfying and lovely. Intro to Zentangle is a prerequisite, but for a small additional charge I'm willing to do a one hour intro for newbies just prior to the class. Email me for more info and details or look here.

The possibilities are endless!

The Keeper of the Plains

This is my ZIA in honor of the masterful Native American artist Black Bear Bosin. It is called "Kansas Keeper", and is a tribute to his magnificent 44 foot sculpture "The Keeper of the Plains", which he magnanimously donated to my hometown, Wichita, Kansas in 1974.

KEEPER OF THE PLAINS

He stands nobly atop a 30 foot raised rock promontory at the confluence of the Big and Little Arkansas Rivers. Wichitans are rightfully very proud of this powerful symbol of our Native American heritage. After all, Wichita is named for the Wichita Indians, and Kansas for the Kansa Indians, "People of the south wind".

I used eighteen different tangles in this Zentangle Inspired Art piece. The first person who can name all eighteen will win an 8"X10" print of my "Kansas Keeper"! 

Getting It Back

I finally feel like I'm getting it back. Coming out of....the shadow - the Black Dog, as Sir Winston so aptly called it.  I've been off my groove for 2-3 months - uninspired, unmotivated, undone. This is a first for me, and I found it very unsettling, very distasteful...but couldn't even care about how the Unhappy World of Un made me feel. There were a number of factors contributing to my state of Un, not the least of which is my age (55) and my health (not the best). I've taken the health thing by the horns and am wrestling it to the ground - making serious lifestyle changes and feeling much better. Other mitigating factors have also changed and improved, as well. Overall, the shadow is lifting.

The hardest part of the World of Un for me was not wanting to draw or create. Anything. It just dried up - like a lovely, sparkling stream gone completely dry and lifeless. That's how I felt.

Even though I knew I shouldn't. Knew I should feel grateful, happy, joyful...because of the profound blessings in my life. 

All that to say, I've finally drawn something. A few things, actually, and I liked them. It's been a process, with fits and starts, but I'm definitely getting it back. It started small, a trickle, with an embellished logo on our church bulletin on Sunday, but I was quite smitten with it! :)

Just a scrawl, unplanned, unthinking, unhindered. The very heart of Zentangle. It whetted my appetite for more. That night, I got out the Strathmore Toned Tan journal I'd bought a while back which had been sitting patiently on my desk, and tangled another sunflower. There it was. That joy, that satisfaction, that pleasure.

Then I decided I wanted to dive all the way in and draw a Tangled Garden of my own. I've been watching with interest for several months the organic tangles and tangled gardens of CZT's all over blogland and FB, drawn on the toned tan and toned gray paper. I just simply could not bring myself to lift my micron! :D Until this week. 

What a pleasant journey from shadow to sunlight. My mind is filled with ideas for more Tangled Gardens and Tangled Garden classes. 

Thank you, Lord, for your sustaining, strengthening, sympathetic love. ♥

"Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and streams in the desert."

Isaiah 43:19

Spring Tangling

March was busy with Zentangle classes! 

This fun group was my Hobby Lobby class. As an added bonus, one of my fabulous students was Darian Leatherman, star of the stage! As it happened, Hubs and I had tickets to the Wichita Community Theater's production of "Doubt" on that very night, and I got to see Darian splendidly perform the role of Mrs. Miller! I also saw Darian's name in the credits as costume designer for the Crown Uptown's wonderful musical "Little Women". What a talent!

                                                                                                          

These industrious ladies made up my March class at the Mulvane Recreation Center. 

Such a fun and enthusiastic group. ♥

 Their class mosaic - beautiful work, you Terrific Tanglers!

                                                                                                           

This lovely lady and I got to spend three glorious hours together for her Private Lesson! She'd already taken my Intro class, so we were able to cover so many tangles and techniques. Private Lessons are so productive and FUN!

This is the "Tangles To Go" kit students receive in the "Beyond The Basics" class. Patti got to try her hand at white on black tangling with the black tiles, as well as putting her newly learned tangles to use in a pre-strung ZENDALA tile! 

                                                                                                       

I also taught two classes at the Derby Senior Center, which were SO much fun! Unfortunately, I didn't take any pics. Drat. It was my largest class yet and they were an absolute hoot. Love them.

And YOU! 

Call me, write me, take a class, tell a friend to take a class! Summertime is the perfect time to learn 

CZT Hideaway 2013!

Just got home Sunday night from the Best Retreat Ever - the CZT Hideaway 2013 held at the Wooded Glen Retreat and Conference Center near Henryville, IN. It surpassed my every hope and expectation in every way. I'm deeply indebted to Lesley Gilliam and Angie Gamble for organizing and executing every single detail of this marvelous event to perfection. It couldn't have been better, and I couldn't thank them enough!

The facility was simply perfect. Tucked snugly in the amazing Indiana hills, Wooded Glen is spacious and accommodating, clearly lovingly cared for and ideally decorated. 

 The conference room was spacious and quiet, and we each had our own large table and fabulous, comfy chair.  It couldn't have been more perfect.

                                                                                         

The meals were freshly prepared and fabulous. Such a treat!

The Snack Bar is dubbed Racoon Run and is snacker's paradise! All the candy, ice cream, fresh baked goodies, nuts, fruit, fountain soft drinks and flavored coffees you could ask for....available all day and night at no extra cost to guests! Plus, table games, pool table, putting green, and an arcade game! 

What fun!

We got to meet so many wonderful CZT's from around the midwest and it was such fun sharing ideas, techniques, and talent. I learned SO much, and made great new friends!

The lovely Peg Farmer taught us her newly created tangle, "Yew-Dee". ♥

The talented Cris Letourneau demonstrated some shading techniques from her new book "Made In The Shade", and I finally got a copy of the darling Carole Ohl's "Tangle A Day". ♥

We got to meet and learn from the creative Billie Lauder as she demonstrated her dear Tangle Folk ♥

We got to see the amazing artistry of Bonnie Browning's tangled quilts. What a talent. 

Angie and Lesley let us play and play with Shrinky Dinks! Seriously, two of the sweetest ladies I've ever met. We made tangled jewelry! ♥

We took an awesome trail hike and tangled all the way. The weather was lovely, and so was the company and the activity! ♥

Our class mosaic:

It was just glorious. I'd had an incredibly stressful week prior to leaving for CZT Hideaway, so getting away, resting, relaxing, rejuvenating...tangling to my heart's content without that nagging feeling I should be "doing something else"...priceless. Thank you Lord, for this blessing. Thank you Lesley and Angie for working so hard to make the weekend so special for us. 

HOPPY EASTER!

CHRIST THE LORD IS RISEN TODAY!

Charles Wesley

Christ the Lord is risen today, Alleluia!                                                             

Sons of men and angels say, Alleluia!

Raise your joys and triumphs high, Alleluia!

Sing, ye heavens, and earth, reply, Alleluia!

Lives again our glorious King, Alleluia!

Where, O Death is now thy sting? Alleluia!

Dying once He all doth save, Alleluia!

Where thy victory, O Grave? Alleluia!

 Love's redeeming work is done, Alleluia!
Fought the fight, the battle won, Alleluia!
Death in vain forbids Him rise, Alleluia!
Christ hath opened Paradise, Alleluia!


Soar we now where Christ has led, Alleluia!
Following our exalted Head, Alleluia!
Made like Him, like Him we rise, Alleluia!
Ours the cross, the grave, the skies, Alleluia!

HE IS RISEN! HE IS RISEN, INDEED!

God bless you as you worship the King of Kings and Lord of Lords on this Resurrection Sunday!

Marvelous Mooka!

The Diva's Challenge this week is a Mooka monotangle. I love Mooka, so I entered a tile this week. I've only done the challenge one other time...for "Phicops", though I always love looking at everybody's work.

I had fun making it...I actually seldom get the chance to tangle for fun at my leisure. But now...there on the page...it looks a little like a tangled mess. Ok... a lot. Too bad. There it is. 

Don't leave me. Come back...I'll post something more interesting very soon!

Faith, Hope, and Love

"And now these three abide...faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love." 1 Corinthian 13:13

I was invited to submit a Zentangle® art piece for the annual art auction benefiting the Women's Initiative Network. This is a local non-profit agency that assists women in abusive and violent situations in finding work, teaching job skills and how to job hunt, acquiring business clothing, etc. Here is the piece I created for this worthy cause. It is entitled, "These Three Abide".

"These Three Abide"

Whenever I hear those three words, I am reminded of a song my sister taught me when we were children.

Faith, hope, and charity
That's the way to live successfully.

How do I know?
The Bible tells me so!

This is the largest piece I have ever done - 11" X 14". I had fun choosing the tangles to fill it, and used several I had never done before...cubine, punzel, striping, and scroll feather. 

I've named this lovely woman Evangeline. She, like her namesake, exemplifies strength and determination, bound together with cords of faith. Indomitable courage in the face of overwhelming adversity.  I like her - she makes me happy. Her face is lifted toward the sun, toward the future...confident, expectant, hopeful. 

...but I'm ready to go back to my little three and a half inch tiles!

THIS JUST IN.....
The The Diva is giving away one of Carole Ohl's wonderful "Tangle A Day Calendar"s!
oooh, ooh, ooh, pick me, pick me, pick me!!!!!

To Infinity...and BEYOND!

I held a Beyond the Basics class last weekend with a Fantastic Foursome! These lovely ladies all attended an Introduction to Zentangle Class held at Hobby Lobby East in December, and decided they wanted more. More Zentangle is my favorite thing! They scheduled a Class Party, and our Hostess With The Mostess, Terrie Parsons, received her class FREE!  Each student received a Tangle To Go case which contained 2 white Zentangle tiles, 2 black Zentangle tiles, a round prestrung Zendala tile, and a white Gelly Roll Pen. These CD size cases are perfect to slip into your purse or pocket to take anywhere.

Working with a group of friends is always fun. They had a blast and so did I!

They requested the Private Lesson package (scroll down on this linked page to read about private lessons), so we tangled away for three hours! They had been practicing, so we were able to cover a lot of ground. I taught them more than a dozen tangles. They learned, Paradox, Betweed, Mooka, Flukes, Zander, Coil, Pokeleaf, Linked, Msst, Sand Swirl, Featherfall, Vertigogh, and XYP. I also showed them how to use pearls (beads) as a beautiful filler, decorative border, or pretty dangles. What fun! 

They all got a chance to try their new Gelly Roll Pens on the marvelous black tiles. You can see Sonja's (far left) beautiful "Featherfall" on the black tile. I love Featherfall...and these great gals!

These ladies are already planning another Class Party to learn Zentangle + Lettering. As always, all supplies are included, and each student takes home a project suitable for framing, displaying, or giving as a gift!

CONTACT ME to schedule your own Class Party, Private Lesson,  or to register for a class at Hobby Lobby East or the Mulvane Recreation Center

A Little More Phicops...

A little more phicops, if you please! I love all the phicops tangles I've been seeing all over Pinterest and Blogland! I took another stab at it and finally feel like I'm getting it. I really love nautical and shell-like tangles. I adore seashells, and would have a houseful if I lived near the sea.

Undah Da Sea!

Thanks B-rad and Laura Harms at the Diva Weekly Challenge on Laura's wildly popular Zentangle® Blog I Am The Diva

Tangle Patterns Guide 2013

The lovely Linda Farmer, of tanglepatterns.com, has completed the Tangle Pattern Guide 2013! For a modest donation of $12 per year, Linda will send you the download for the PDF version and the online version of this invaluable tool.

 There are nearly 500 tangle patterns, with step-out instructions, in this guide. For the online version, simply click on the tangle for which you want to see instructions, and, voila! There they are. Linda's wonderful website, tanglepatterns.com, is the storehouse for all these tangles and their instructions, just a click away.

Many of the tangles found on this site were created by Zentangle® founders Rick Roberts and Maria Thomas, and you will see links to their newsletter - which you can sign up to receive free via email.

Here is my offering for this week's Diva Challenge - "Phicops"

Tangle On!