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.