Learning from My Student

I love to share the Zentangle® Method with my daughter.  She enthusiastically tells everyone that she loves tangling because there are no mistakes.

Before Christmas, we went to a paint-your-own-pottery place so she could make some holiday gifts.  I felt inspired to try to tangle on one of the ornaments.  I had wanted to create Waybop but didn't have enough room and decided to try the lovely Stella instead.  The paint bottle nozzle wasn't quite as fine as I had hoped, and I thought my ornament came out too blobby.  I was about to go wash it off and start over when my daughter stopped me.

She reminded me that there are no mistakes in Zentangle and that every piece is beautiful in its own way.  She told me that her art teacher says that a true artist knows how to turn a mistake into something new.  I could hear my voice in hers as she mentored me in this moment.  I heard her teach me as I teach her about embracing opportunity, being accepting, and learning from each experience.

I didn't erase my blobby Stella and added some dots and Printemps.  I signed and dated the back.  This piece will be a lovely reminder of how much I learn from my daughter.  She teaches me to live in the moment and to appreciate everything.

We had been watching the Grinch Who Stole Christmas a lot at that time.  I think my art heart grew two sizes that day.

We went back to the pottery place around Valentine's Day to create some new projects.  I had always wanted to make this tree platter and finally found the nerve.  It's not tangly, but it was so much fun to do!  I was proud of myself for attempting something new.

Lost... and Found

Life can be a whirlwind. I feel like 2016 has been a crazy blur of boxes, house hunting, moving trucks, unpacking, and other craziness.  Each new adventure gives us an opportunity to succumb to the chaos or to uncover the adventure.  Sometimes we do a bit of both.

My family loves the new house and is slowly settling in.  We had such a fun summer exploring our new yard, visiting farms, going to the beach, playing with friends, and taking fun outings. Fall continued the same way with pumpkin picking and enjoying nature.  My husband kept telling me that we would unpack the house when the weather was cooler and we wouldn't want to be outdoors. His kind words helped me justify our activities and allowed me to let the other unpacking wait.  Sure, we unpacked our daughter's stuff and the things we needed on a daily basis, but both of our offices remained boxed.  While my craft supplies found their way out of the boxes, finding them in my new craft room has been a bit of a scavenger hunt.  Each time I try to find something, I end up tearing my room apart often to no avail.  This is NOT zen.

Here's a peek at my craft-room-to-be after it was painted.  I agonized about the color until I recalled how much I loved the color I had picked for the old house.  Voila!  I chose the same color for my new room.  I think my choice will be pretty popular next year with Pantone's pick of Greenery.  I'm ahead of the trend!

Fortunately, my tiles, pens, and pencils are all at easy reach.  While I might not always be able to find everything, I can always find the important stuff.  I'm thrilled that tangling supplies are small and portable.  I can bring my art anywhere with me so I can stay calm, focused, and creative even if the room around me looks like a cardboard Tetris game.

Sometimes life gets crazy, and I forget about tangling for a while.  I feel the stress creep back in and can tell when it's been too long between tangles.  Then it's time to...

Untangle My Life

The easiest way to do that is to find a tile and pencil, add four dots, and make my border and string.  When life gets out of control, it's time for me to get back to basics.

I have set a healing resolution for myself for 2017.  I am going to embrace my tangling, explore new ideas and classes, and make sure to share my journey with you.  I am embarking on an experiment to see how my immersion in my art will affect the rest of my life.  I'm hoping to watch my house unfold one box at a time as I find more peace and clarity.  I'm excited to see where this adventure will take me.

I'm going to be sharing some of the art that I've worked on this year as well as what I'm working on currently.  I've been looking through my art and realizing how little of it made it to the blog or even to Facebook.  It's show and tell time!

So I might have felt a little lost this year, but each time I allow myself to breathe and to tangle, I manage to find myself.  Now to stick with it.

Tangler's Block

It happens to many of us.  Tangle, tangle, tangle, block.  Either life gets in the way or we just get stuck. Sometimes it's life stress, and sometimes we can be become blocked about our tangling.

I recently taught an amazing private lesson with a talented tangler who had been feeling stuck.  She has eagerly learned many exciting techniques and patterns and has been exploring larger works in her sketchbooks.  When I visited, she had half of this page completed and kept talking about how she just couldn't finish.  She was stuck, blocked.  She didn't know where to go.  She sounded discouraged.

When tangling becomes frustrating, it's a good time to get back to basics:

• Breathe.  
• Appreciate.  
• Start small.
• Find comfort in dots and a border.
• Hug your canvas with a string.
• Embrace your personal tangle.  Start with the pattern that comes naturally to you.
• Start and enjoy.

Her piece was, in fact, stunning as it was with the portion above the center band tangled.  Throughout the lesson, I offered several options but knew that only she could choose her outcome:

1.  Accept the piece for what is and consider it finished.  White space can be fantastic in a piece!
2.  Turn the page and start again with a clean and less stressful page.
3.  Put it aside for a while and come back to it when ready to try again.
4.  Breathe and dive in by adding tangles below the border.
5.  Add string lines below the border to fill.
6.  Get back to basics by tangling on a tile to get the creative juices flowing again.

She loved what she had created and really wanted to finish the page.  I admired her determination and hoped that I could help her to get unstuck.  After our breathing exercises and playing with tiles, strings, and patterns, I think she felt freer to explore her piece.

We spent a lovely afternoon tangling, talking, and breathing.  Sometimes we just need a reminder of how wonderful this process truly can be.

I was thrilled when she wrote to me later the same day to thank me for the lesson.  She told me that I had made the process much more enjoyable for her.  Tears came to my eyes when I opened the attachment.  She had finished her piece!  In the same day she was stuck, she discovered the key to unlock her creativity and her passion.  I was proud of her and happy to have been a part of her journey.  She's even sent me additional pictures of additional pieces she has created illustrating that she is still tangling.

The amazing thing is just how much my students inspire me each and every day.

Hooray, Diane!

ZIA by Diane Gray

School Stress

I recently had the honor of teaching three mini classes back to back at an area high school for students and faculty as part of a wellness week celebration.  In an abridged lesson, we discussed the benefits of the Zentangle® method and played with several patterns.

This day was very interesting for me in more ways than I had expected.  I always love teaching and am impressed by how much I learn from my students each time.  This day was unusual because I had the shorter classes which took place in a bustling media center.  The room was alive with students coming and going during their lunch period, meeting with groups to discuss projects, and generally going about their day in hurriedness.

The faculty reminded me that the students had a million things they needed to be doing so many wouldn't be able to join us for the classes.  Some stopped by for the five minutes they could spare in their hectic days.

I often think about how crazy adults' lives are, but I forget about the nonstop world of high school.  Teens are swamped with assignments, tests, extracurricular activities, homework, social lives, jobs, family obligations, and more.  I flashed back to my smaller school and recalled the bells that ushered students from room to room, usually with very little time to go to the lockers for different books.  I remember rushing from place to place feeling like I had to cram every bit of knowledge into my head almost simultaneously.  

True, teens are young and energetic, but we place a lot of pressure on them to succeed and to learn a lot before entering adulthood.

I hope that I was able to offer this group a brief respite in the otherwise crazy day!  

They did a fantastic job even with only a short lesson.

Deja Vu?

This week, I had the privilege of teaching two back to back classes at the Amesbury Public Library.  The first class filled up so quickly that we decided to offer a second one on the same night.  It was fun to work with two different groups within the same community.  I'm so pleased that we could make the class work for everyone!  Check out their fantastic tiles at the end of this post.

As I've written before, I always learn so much in the classes that I teach.  I love to hear from my students and to answer their questions.  It was interesting to teach two classes because I realized how many different ways there are to say the same thing.  I taught the same patterns to each group but used different examples from my own life and art to answer questions or to share insights with the new tanglers.  Each class or tangling session is a new opportunity to see things in a new way.

I've had people take my beginner Zentangle® class at least six times.  Before you think that sounds boring, I assure you it isn't.  I try to mix up the content if I know someone is joining me for a repeat visit, but even if I taught the same exact patterns, there is always something new to learn.  Each class brings a new energy, different experiences, vibrant questions, and its own excitement.  My lesson is enhanced by what I feel from the audience.  This must be a bit like what rock stars feel on stage!  A tangler who is in a repeat class benefits from an entirely unique situation each and every time.

Teaching two classes immediately in a row with the same content showed just how different each class can be.  Both were wonderful, and it was great fun to see how each veered in different ways as topics came up or as questions were raised.  

Hmm, maybe this idea isn't true just for classes.  I will have to try to think about how I felt in these classes the next time I feel like I'm in some sort of a rut--with my art, my diet, or just the regularity of life.  If I try to find newness in the day or the task, maybe it won't seem dull or trite.  If I look at everything as a new opportunity, won't I more likely face it in a better mindset?

I'm always looking for ways to incorporate my Zentangle® philosophy into my life, and I'm constantly amazed by how easy it is to transfer my artistic experience into the rest of my days.  What a joy it is to have my life influence my art and to have my art influence my life.

Thank you to my students for giving me this great gift of flexibility, variety, and new points of view.  In exchange, I vow to keep offering fun, relaxing, and creative classes for you!  I think this is going to be a beautiful relationship.

Finding One's Way

A labyrinth can be defined as a maze or passages through which it's hard to find one's way.  It was easy to find my way walking the labyrinth at Kripalu, and it reminded me of the comfort of the Zentangle® method.  With each step of the path, I was invited to relax, breathe, meditate, be pensive, or enjoy the sounds of nature around me.  I had no expectations about where I was heading.  As the path wound around and in or out, I didn't worry about which way to go.  I trusted the path to guide me knowing that I could leave the path and return to the entrance at any time.  The labyrinth, like a string while tangling, gave me choices of staying inside or outside the lines.  There's something truly magical, comforting, and freeing in the simplicity of our Zentangle strings.  

It was a special moment to be able to feel that connection between art, nature, and the world around me while being physically grounded to the earth.  I was mesmerized by the tranquility I felt as I calmly paced the narrow path that many others had visited before me.  I felt a strong sense of community, kinship, and a collective heart as I followed the coil into the center and back out again.  

I highly recommend locating a meditation labyrinth or creating your own path for a unique experience.  Fortunately, we can meditate with a version of a labyrinth on each tile with a simple pencil line, a string.

Kripalu with Rick and Maria!

Maria, Rick, and Me!

Kripalu.
I got to go to Kripalu!
I got to go to Kripalu with Rick and Maria!  Squee!

Okay, I'm over the shock, but I don't think I'll ever be over the amazing adventure.

I spent a lovely, although warm, weekend at Kripalu in the Berkshires for a Zentangle® retreat taught by Maria Thomas and Rick Roberts, the co-creators of the Zentangle Method.  Several sessions were taught by their lovely daughter Molly too.

It was a beautiful weekend filled with visual inspiration, nature, creativity, ideas, and old and new friends.

I enjoyed several Zentangle® classes that brought me back to the beginning and allowed me to refocus my artistic efforts where I am most comfortable.  I have been veering down challenging paths of color and technique and feeling somewhat frustrated when my artistic desires do not match my hand's readiness.

I saw this weekend as a special way for me to reconnect with the art form that I love and to strip away the newly formed barriers that I have allowed to interrupt my flow at times.  I will still admire the amazing artwork I see and strive to be inspired by it, but I will no longer allow this art to diminish my feelings about my talent or my process.  I am an artist, and the Zentangle Method allows me to embrace my individual talent.  I don't have to be anyone else.  I will continue to express what is inside of me!  Even if a tile isn't my favorite, it can be an opportunity to practice further or to try things in a different way.  My journey never ends; it merely takes different directions sometimes.  I love knowing that I can always come back to the center anytime I need to for inspiration, comfort, and revitalization.

I have loved each of the classes I have taken with fellow CZTs as well as every class I have taught.  I learn something every time and am constantly blown away by how amazing this process is.  Still, there's something amazing about hearing something from the heart.  Rick and Maria are truly special people with a passion and inspiration that cannot be duplicated.  It was a joy to hear their love and joy while they taught again.  I learned a variety of new ideas to enhance my art and my teaching.  It was a thrill to be in such a creative room!

If the artistic inspiration weren't enough, the beauty of Kripalu and the Berkshires added to the experience.  Here are just a few shots from the Kripalu grounds.

In addition to the Zentangle® workshops, I enjoyed a Kripalu yoga class, amazing (although sometimes completely bizarre looking) food, and the peace that comes with a weekend away without distractions.  It took a little while for me to get used to the rule about no cell phones, but I did reasonably well.  I was thankful for a few places we were allowed to use devices so I could check in with my family.  It's hard to be completely shut off from the world, although it was nice to take a much needed break from most of the distractions.

For the First Time (in Forever)

I finally understand.

If you know my life (or live with a young child), you probably understand why I'm constantly singing "Let it Go" in my head.  It is impossible not to hear those hauntingly beautiful words and melodies when I'm in the shower, in the car, or just around the house--whether my daughter is with me or not.

Sometimes it can seem haunting to have a Disney song in your head incessantly, but I just love the idea of letting go (skimming over the Frozen plot points of leaving your family, hiding your true nature, and being a recluse).

When we tangle, we choose to breathe, to let go of our cares, and to trust that the Zentangle® method will allow us to enjoy some time to relax while creating interesting artwork.  I am especially reminded of this fact each time I am fortunate enough to teach a class.  It is a nice reminder to me about slowing down and recalling how I felt the first time I tangled.

In a recent class at the Burlington Public Library, I was especially excited to teach an entire class of seventeen first-timers.  This enthusiastic group did an amazing job creating their first Zentangle® tiles.

I love watching the excitement when people figure out how fun and easy this method is to do.  It reminds me of my early days and helps to rekindle my creative spark as well.  There is something truly magical that happens when people combine pen, paper, and pattern.

I love the sense of joy that is generated we people get together with friends and family, put down their devices, and share a little time creating something lovely.  Then we get to add in the beneficial relaxation and the feeling of creative accomplishment for an even greater experience.  We don't need to bottle that experience; we need only take out a tile, a pencil, and a pen to have that feeling all over again.

Whether it's your first time tangling or your 401st, I hope you let the Zentangle® method take you on a wonderfully relaxing journey each and every tile.

When you pick up a tile, you can choose to let everything else go (singing optional).

I Got It!

Even CZTs struggle with patterns sometimes.  After years of tangling and creating countless tiles and ZIAs, I find myself stuck on occasion.  It's not surprising since I continue to learn new techniques, tangle patterns, and ways of exploring my favorite art form.

Enter Quandary.

I have built up a mental block about this pattern and have struggled with it ever since it was released by Zentangle®.  Every time I created it, I'd start out okay, and then my orzo shapes would get all wonky and not line up.  I know, I know, there are no mistakes in Zentangle art.  True, but when a pattern causes me frustration, it becomes a barrier to my creating and enjoyment of the process.  I'm willing to put in effort to make a pattern work for me up to a point.  If I start to get frustrated, I put it aside and come back to try again another time when I'm up to it.  Sometimes it can take a while... like with Quandary.

The Diva posed a real quandary for me this week.  The challenge was to use Quandary in a piece.  I guess if the Diva asked me to use the dreaded pattern, I would try.  I know it's good for me.

I once again practiced the pattern in my Tangle-A-Day calendar first to get a feel for the motion.  I tried creating the triangular seeds in different ways.  I used the Diva's recommendation of creating a single seed first then building out.  That produced better results than usual for me but still didn't feel right.  For me, this pattern is tricky because it seems like the orzo shapes have to line up and be the same length to get the pattern to work.  Of course, it doesn't really matter if they line up.  Collectively, the pattern works beautifully and looks so interesting, but I still wanted to find a way to make it work that felt comfortable to me.

Next I built a six-petaled flower in the center, added the outer ring, then built triangles from there.  I think it looked pretty similar to the first one with more of a gap in between the shapes.

My favorite attempt had the triangular shapes touching at the points.  This seems to be the most consistent and least frustrating way for me to explore this pattern.  So, I think I'll stick with this way for a while.

I think it's wonderful that we get to make tangle patterns our own.  Sometimes the step outs just don't work for me or for my hand, or I build up a mental resistance to the pattern formation for some reason.  I love being able to make a minor alteration to make a pattern work for me.  It's not about doing it the "right" way; it's about doing it in a way that provides me with relaxation, an enhanced sense of focus, and the joy of creating something handmade and unique.  If I have to tweak a pattern to achieve those goals, I think it's worth it.

Here is my tile in response to the Diva challenge.  I used one of the lovely Renaissance tiles with black and brown Microns, white colored pencil for highlights, and woodless graphite pencil for shading.

I started with the brown Quandary in the center panel.  I built my triangles touching each other and was pleased with the result.  I added little circles where some lines didn't quite meet in the center.  Next, I expanded the shapes on the right to form larger seeds.  I created an inner triangular aura with circles to give a different feel along with some heavy shading.  On the far left, I built my seeds in a different way. I created bulbous triangles thinking I'd do a variation of Tripoli.  When I added interior shapes similar to Bales, I noticed that I ended up creating Quandary in a different way.  It looked almost exactly like the center section so I thought it would be fun to fill it in with black and a brown inner triangle.  I can't believe how many ways I explored to make the same pattern!

I can honestly say that I had a great time working on this tile and that I enjoyed exploring Quandary in a way that worked for me.  I think I'll have to keep it up.

If you're struggling with a pattern, maybe you just need to find a way to make it work for you.  Hmm, does that logic apply to other problems in life too?

CZT Mail

CZTs around the world sent tiles, letters, and adorned letters to the CBS Sunday Morning show on April 1 to try to bring the joys of Zentangle® to the show's viewers.  

Wouldn't it be wonderful if more people could learn about this amazing art form?  What would happen if more people learned the many benefits of regular tangling?  Would the world be calmer?  Would we all feel more inspired and more able to tackle the world's problems one step--or one stroke--at a time?  I wish that people could enjoy even a portion of the benefits that I have received from my regular Zentangle practice.

Check out see a sampling of art and letters on Blog Zentangle, and learn more about this idea in a recent Zentangle newsletter.

I'd love to be in the the CBS mailroom to see all the amazing works of handmade art in that mailbag.  I hope the Sunday Morning show wants to tangle with us!

Never Give Up

I've learned that I should never give up on a piece even if I don't like it in the beginning.  One of the joys of the Zentangle® Method is not knowing the end result.  It's an exciting journey to see where your artistic muse will take you.

I try to be open to the process and just create, but sometimes, I feel a bit stuck.  When that happens, I immediately put the piece aside so I don't become bogged down with frustration.  I pick up another tile or paper and start again so I keep the creativity flowing.  I'm always pleasantly surprised when I pick up the piece I had cast aside and I find new inspiration to keep going.  I look back on those pieces fondly because I remember that I need to have a little bit of patience--with myself and with my art.

Since the Diva's challenge using the new official Zentangle® pattern Aquafleur, I've been playing with that a lot too.  This swap is to create a deck of cards, and I toyed with drawing the card suits.  I drew the shamrock/club outline but didn't like how it came out.  I put that ATC aside for a while until I figured out what I wanted to do with it.  I decided it was perfect for some Aquafleur and was thrilled with the end result.

Many of the ATCs I've been working on for my swap have been monotangles, or pieces using primarily one pattern.  Once I discovered the pattern Wheelz by fellow CZT Joyce Block, I had to make several!  I love this pattern and how easy it is to create.  It's a fun, flowing pattern that can fill a variety of spaces.  I enjoyed playing with red and black on these ATCs.

The "D" Word

Thank you to the seven tanglers who joined me for a class in North Chelmsford last night!  We had a fun group ages 11 to adult.

Didn't they do an amazing job on their first tile?  I love how each person interprets patterns differently with his or her scale, vision, and shading.  This art is individual and personal.  It's what you want to make of it and where the artistic journey takes you.  

The "D" word came up last night, as it often does in class.  I don't think of "doodling" as a bad word.  Bad words are the ones that I don't want my daughter using.  In the Zentangle® world, we use terms like "tangling" or "Zentangle® Method" to describe the process of using deliberate and intentional strokes to create beautiful and relaxing art.

Check out this interesting Zentangle® blog post with all of the comments about Zentangle® and Doodling.

I think of doodling as mindless or random scribbles.  If you like doodling, go for it!  There's nothing wrong with doodling at all.  One of the many things I love about the Zentangle® Method is the sense of relaxed focus that I achieve by the intentional strokes and structured patterns that I draw.  When I tangle, my brain tunes out the stresses and dialogue that readily occupy my mind.  I love that I can stop the whirling chaos that often permeates my mind when I'm not paying attention.  I don't get this same sense or this meditative grounding with general doodling.

I have known many people, like the very talented artist in class, who have considered themselves long-time doodlers.  This artist showed me her gorgeous artwork including free-flowing, bold, organic designs.  Each line she drew was clearly intentional.  She wasn't mindlessly letting her pen dictate her next stroke; she let her art inspire her purposefully with each twist and curl of her pattern formation.  While her art did not have the structured patterns that we use with the Zentangle® Method, it was intentional, creative, and certainly beautiful.  Her method could be called doodling if that's the term she likes, but her process was deliberate and not mindless.

I think it's important to find something that you love to do regardless of what you call it.  It is important to nourish your passions.  As an artist, I prefer to focus on the art rather than stress about what it's called.  Sure, as a CZT, Certified Zentangle® Teacher, I follow the official recommendations and wording from Zentangle's founders, Rick and Maria, because I believe in this method.  I also believe that there are many other art forms or artistic methods that bring people joy.  If you love it, please stick with it!

A rose by any other name....

The First Item on My To-Do List

Does your to-do list seem like it will never end?  

Do you feel like you're adding ten items before you can even cross off one?

My head was spinning this morning as I thought about all of the things I had to do today.  The holidays tend to pile up extra projects including shopping, wrapping, cleaning, decorating, and visiting.  While I love all of the items on this list, except for cleaning, I find the extra pressure daunting at times.

I started to make a list of what I had to do and immediately felt overwhelmed.  Rather than give in, I picked up a tangling project and my Micron.  It felt wonderful to slow down, relax, and tangle.  My mind stopped whirring and panicking about all of the little things I should be doing.  Instead, I enjoyed a few quiet, creative minutes with myself.  Here is a small, unshaded part of this ZIA:

I put my Micron down and picked up a regular pen and paper.  I then proceeded to make a realistic to-do list for the week.  

Of course I can't do it all in one day!  Who am I, Santa?  

The simple act of tangling for a few minutes allowed me to put everything into perspective so I could focus on what was important.  I figured out the few things I could manage to complete today and prioritized the rest of the tasks.

I'm smiling.  I feel calmer.  I am able to jump on that list rather than tackling it grumpily.  I love this time of year, and I love preparing for it.  Why should I let a little stress interfere with my seasonal festivities?  Bah humbug!

Next time I start a to-do list, I will remember to write "tangle" at the very top.   

Tangled Craft Fairs

This weekend, I participated in a fun craft fair in Billerica.  It was wonderful to talk with people who had never heard about the Zentangle Method®.  It's always exciting to see eyes light up when people learn about something that might be perfect for them or for a loved one.  I enjoyed having the opportunity to talk about my passion!

Here is my pre-edited booth.  I ended up paring back before the sale opened.

Check out my next craft fair on Saturday, December 7 at First Parish UU in Chelmsford, MA.  The sale runs from 8am-2pm.  Stock up on Zentangle® supplies and gift ideas including handmade magnets and greeting cards featuring my original Zentangle® art.

The highlight of my day was having one of my students stop by specifically to find my booth.  She has been very stressed lately and hasn't tangled in ages.  She has wanted to tangle but didn't feel like she had the time.  I think that if you have the time to think about not having the time, that you probably have enough time to tangle just a bit.

I encouraged her to go home that night and start tangling a piece even if only for a few minutes.  She could work with one pattern--whichever one she likes or feels the most competent with--to eliminate decisions.  The important thing was to start.

I hoped that she could work on a piece a little bit each day even if it took three weeks to finish a tile that she hated.  It wasn't about the end result (it never is!), it was about starting, putting pen to paper, and trying to find a way to cope at this stressful time in her life.

Unless we find a way to relieve it, stress will continue to build.  It will build until we either explode or implode.

It can be hard, especially when we are busy and stressed, to make time for ourselves.  I think that is the most important time to take a break.  I know that when I am stressed, I approach my family, life, and challenges differently than when I am calm.  When I can allow myself a few minutes to breathe and to tangle, I become more focused and centered and better able to handle whatever is thrown at me next.

Taking time for yourself isn't selfish!  It's essential for getting through challenges and stressful times in life.

I wish you all a happy holiday season filled with relaxing moments just for you.  You've earned it, and your loved ones will benefit from your peace of mind.

Take a Few Minutes for Yourself

We all get busy.  

I've been so busy lately that I haven't been able to blog even though the words and art have been eager to jump onto the screen.  Sometimes work, family, the house, and the thousand other things that fill our days take priority over our passions.  Of course we have to pay the bills and feed our children, but we are better able to do all those important things when we are in a better place personally.  

It's like we're instructed on an airplane in case of emergency--put your own oxygen mask on before assisting someone else.  How good are we to others if we're struggling--for air, sanity, or relaxation?

Life takes over easily, and we can forget to take care of ourselves.  When that happens, I try to fit in a little tangling even if it's just for a few minutes.  I may not have been able to blog lately or even turn my computer on much, but I have managed to tangle.

With each breath and line, I become more focused and able to complete the many daily tasks on my to-do list.  Sometimes lists can seem daunting, but with a little perspective achieved from focus and relaxation, I'm able to check off the items happily.

Amid the craziness lately, I taught a wonderful class at Memorial Hall Library.  I enjoyed sharing the Zentangle® Method with about 18 new tanglers.  

We started with a breathing and line exercise inspired by Netherlands artist John Franzen.  Please check out his web site for some truly inspirational and talented videos.  From there, we explored a variety of patterns and shading techniques.

The class marveled at the beautiful mosaic they created at the end.  They commented, praised, noticed the subtle differences, and took lots of pictures.  I love hearing new students admire favorite spots in another person's work while forgetting those areas in their own work that they might not have liked.  

There is something truly special about the shared experience that happens when people come together to learn or to continue their Zentangle® practice.

After class, a woman told me that she didn't think this class would do anything for her.  She was stressed and tired and hesitant about the meditative aspect of the class.  She loved the class and was surprised she was able to let go of her day while relaxing and creating.  I enjoyed watching her explore her art in class and was honored to hear about her experience.   

Sometimes it can be difficult to explain that the Zentangle® Method just works.  You have to try it to see for yourself.  What's the worst that can happen?  You get a few minutes for yourself.

Where do you tangle?

I carry a free cosmetic bag with me everywhere I go. It's a tune up bag rather than a touch up bag.  Filled with tiles and Microns, my bag helps me focus and regain my calm no matter where I am located.

I pull out my tangling bag of tricks in waiting rooms, lunch spots, and the car (as a passenger!).

Recently I found a new place to tangle. It was time for me to renew my license--yes, the dreaded RMV. There seems to be a universal disgust for the Registry of Motor Vehicles. Even in line, I heard complaints from other people about the wait or the general fact of being there.

I had a great time at the RMV!

Am I weird?  Maybe. For this visit, I chose to accept it for what it was--a necessary function to keep me driving. Instead of worrying about the time lost, I enjoyed having some quiet time to myself to tangle.  I worked on three pieces of an ensemble set. I had a great time, felt relaxed, and turned what could be an unpleasant situation into positive me-time.

Surprising I only had to wait thirty minutes. I had expected to be there for two hours so I was a bit disappointed I couldn't sit longer. Yes, maybe I am weird.

We are all busy. There's never enough time. I wonder if life would be easier if we could accept things for what they are and tried to make the most of them.

Here is the finished nine-tile ensemble that I worked on at the RMV.

Do a Zen Check

I've been very busy lately with work, family, and house projects.  I love to be busy, but sometimes it can get a little crazy around here!

When that happens, I try to find ways to be more mindful.  Since it can be easy to get swept away into the chaos, I have to do a zen check.  I take a few moments to think about what I'm doing and how I feel.  If I feel stressed or like I'm having trouble balancing things around me, I know I need to do some zen work stat!

First step, tangle.  

My mind was racing last night, and I was having trouble winding down for bed.  I grabbed my older Tangle-A-Day Calendar by Carole Ohl.  I never quite finished 2012, but I still love to tangle in it. I got into bed, grabbed a pen (02 this time), and I started tangling on one of the blank pages.  I wasn't thinking or planning what came next.  I just allowed Phicops to spread across the page while I began to relax.  After capping my pen, I fell asleep pretty easily.

When I woke up this morning, I already felt much better and more able to face the day.  I even took a few minutes to finish tangling a present for a friend (pictures coming soon).

Second step, assess.

Tangling is a wonderful way for me to relax in the moment and to find a calm sense of focus.  It makes it much easier to assess my world more realistically without a frantic mind.  Today's assessment allowed me to think of a few things that I could just let go.  It is possible to say "no" or "not now" when the things start to feel like obligations.  Phew, my shoulders are already feeling less tense.

Third step, do it.

After assessing, I make an action plan.  I find lists helpful, and I love to see my progress when I start to cross things off the list.  

The most important step, stay mindful.

The more I can stay mindful in my daily life, the easier it is for me to manage stress.  I love tangling, but sometimes I, too, forget that I can just pick up my pen to find my focus.  I think I will start to leave tiles and pens in a few strategic places around my house as a reminder.  

To balance out this text-heavy post, here are some zen postcards I created for a mindful swap.  All of the patterns had to start with the letters M-I-N-D-F-U-L.  I used chipboard letters as a mask and spritzed Glimmer Mist over the paper to create the background before tangling.  These were very relaxing and fun to create!

First Kiss

Do you remember the first time you kissed your true love?  

There's something about firsts.  They're special.  They're unique.  No matter how many times you try, they can't be repeated exactly the same way ever again.  There is something honest and freeing about experiencing something for the first time.

I love the excited enthusiasm I see and hear when I teach the Zentangle® Method to someone for the first time.  From the gasps of realization when people realize how easy a pattern can be to the "wows" when people see their finished pieces, people's first experiences with Zentangle are amazing. 

I had the pleasure of teaching a lovely group of beginner tanglers this past weekend.  Look at the beautiful job they did!  I love watching people discover the joy of Zentangle.  I feel it's an honor to be the person to welcome them into the community of tanglers.  

Do you remember the first time you used the Zentangle® Method?  How did you feel?  Even though my first time was several years ago, I still fall in love with the Method every time I use it.   

How do you feel when you do something you enjoy?  For me, tangling is a way to relax, to let go of life's stresses, and to reconnect to the world as a focused individual.  When the chaos of the world settles in my mind, I love to take a few minutes to myself to practice a pattern, to create a tile, or to explore my art.  Maybe it's my Type A tendencies, but I have difficulty meditating.  It seems selfish to me and is not the best use of my time.  I'm the type of person who multitasks while multitasking, and I often find it difficult to turn off my overly productive mind.  Thanks to the Zentangle® Method, I truly feel like I can bring my thoughts to a peaceful halt while enjoying some quiet and creative time.  I become transformed by the sense of calm and the freedom I feel to try new things with my tangling.  Without all of the thoughts and concerns, I can explore my art without fear or doubt.  I believe that clearing out my mind leaves me open to new ideas and new approaches that I would never have been able to consider while stressed.

How do you feel?

Fun for All Ages

One of the many things I love about the Zentangle® Method is that it's great for all ages.  Tangling with kids is exciting because they're often eager to try something new and are less afraid of making mistakes.  Why is it that we lose some of that enthusiasm and replace it with nervousness as we get older?  Does the world give us too many messages that squash our creativity or our ability to take chances?  Sure, I'm less likely to jump on a crazy roller coaster than when I was a teen, but I understand gravity and pain more now and can weigh the benefits vs. risks of doing something.

Do adults see the whole world as a big roller coaster that might be scary or might have danger associated with it?  Where is the risk in trying something new?  Where is the risk in playing?  As I've asked before, what's the worst that can happen?

I taught a Basics lesson at a home party last night with ten participants.  Most of the new tanglers were 7-17 along with a few adults.  It was fantastic to have five boys in the mix too!

I always love watching how each person approaches a pattern or learning how to tangle, but this class was even more exciting to watch.  Of course adults and tanglers with art backgrounds can bring other experiences into their Zentangle practice.  What I didn't expect, however, was what interesting experiences the young boys would bring to their new practice.  They enjoyed the logic and puzzle-like aspect of tangling.  As I started to describe a pattern we were about to cover, they enjoyed looking for the end result on the sample art I had on the table.  It became a fun game to discover the pattern before I drew it.

Fearlessly, the kids also jumped ahead of me and kept exploring their own designs, which adults are sometimes a little hesitant to do.  The enthusiasm was infectious!

I think everyone had a great time, and several of the boys made a point of coming up to me after to thank me and to tell me they had fun.  I'm sure the chocolate didn't hurt either.  :-)

This was a very memorable and wonderful class for me!  I hope I've inspired the group to continue tangling.  I always think this is a wonderful parent/child activity to share!

Check out the beautiful tiles they created:

Tangling for Focus

I love being able to use the Zentangle® method to increase my focus.  I've been impressed by how clearly I can hear narrators on audiobooks or speakers in meetings while I tangle along with them.  Instead of taking notes, which means I'm tracking data rather than listening, when I tangle, I absorb more of the information.  Tangling lets me shut off the part of my brain that tends to roam into other thoughts.

I attended the Massachusetts Library Association conference on Thursday and was glad I brought my tangling supplies!  I took notes during some of the sessions, and I tangled during others.  I enjoyed being able to create while listening.  When I needed to jot something down in my notebook, I did.  Note to self: put the Micron down, and pick up the regular pen next time!  :-)

Here are the pieces I created while being focused on listening:

This tangled library seemed appropriate to create during a library conference session with area authors.  It was fun to balance these heavy books!  I hope that Indyrella fish can breathe.

Why 18, you ask?  I had learned that morning that I was down 18 pounds due to my healthy new way of eating.  Woohoo!  Yeah, me!  My daughter likes this tile because she loves to point out numbers.

I created a smaller tangled garden to see how it would feel on a tile.  The tiles are nice and portable--perfect for meetings!