Zentangle is...

The Zentangle® Method, created by Maria Thomas and Rick Roberts, is an easy to learn, fun and relaxing way to create beautiful images by drawing structured patterns.

Saturday, April 16, 2016

Joey's Weekly Challenge: VIII

Another "busy" week. April is National Jazz Month. Before you say, "So?", let me explain. I love music--classical, opera, rock, folk, world, you name it!--but jazz? Jazz is one of my vital organs. Durham, my city, is fortunate to have an incredible local jazz station, numerous jazz venues, 3 university jazz studies programs and more. Saturday last, Lar and I heard the Heart of Carolina Jazz Orchestra, with the amazing Stephen Anderson. Yesterday, we caught a free (!) show at the University of North Carolina with guest artist Bobby Floyd on a Hammond organ. Tonight, you'll find us at the Sax Appeal concert with the outstanding North Carolina Central University Jazz Ensemble from the UK! (Last night, Mary Stallings headlined there.) April in North Carolina is good for spring flowers, especially azaleas, and jazz festivals.
All this just to say that I finally sat down this morning to try to meet Joey's requirements for this week. As I am running low on white tiles, I took a crazy colored one and, colored pencils in hand, intensified the color. Out came my black 08 micron, just to embolden things a bit, and voilĂ . (The funky crescent moon came out of the Zentangle Primer. I had never thought to use triangles instead of half moons. Now that I have, I'm thinking it may be another pattern.  But this girl's stickin' to her story.)


Hope your week is filled with springtime or autumnal beauty and the music that makes you vibrate!  If you've got a moment, I'd love to hear what that is! If you need some new tunes, click on the links above.

Tuesday, April 12, 2016

The Diva's Weekly Challenge #263: Globular Grid

A globular grid??? This week, the Diva almost scared me away!!!! But then I remembered all the things that I've learned from her and other amazing artists. "Anything is possible, one stroke at a time." I thank her for teaching me how to make a globular grid. (Mine is pretty wonky, but that's okay!) When I started to fill it in, I saw all these little bits of different shapes and sizes and thought, "This might be an opportunity to try the new concept of reticula and fragments, as put forth by Rick and Maria in the new Zentangle Primer." I see this as mosaic work, as opposed to "color" work. (Maria says that tangles are like colors, right? Well, for me, the reticula and fragments are like little bits of crockery and tiles in a mosaic.)
If that doesn't make a bit of sense, no worries. Here's the finished product.


Thanks for stopping by! I'll be making the rounds of your blogs (a little late!) on this rainy Tuesday and look forward to seeing your work!

Tuesday, April 5, 2016

Joey's Weekly Challenge #107

Waiting to see my doctor this morning, I somewhat self-consciously pulled out my small sketchbook and thought I'd try Joey's Roman numeral VII challenge. I was almost finished with my Eye-Wa, Bubblz and Purk when I heard, "Ms. Sparrow?" Once in the examination room, with a proper desk, I decided to add in Gotcha, which I was practicing a few days ago. A pat on the back: I had almost finished!


When I got back home, I decided to check Joey's challenge again. Oops. I had completely forgotten to include her requested tangles.
Nipa, which I had never used, happened to fit in with what I had already done.
Do you ever tangle in waiting rooms?
Thanks for stopping by! And thanks for the many well wishes for our house! The first company came today to do an estimate. They assured me that we would need at least two good rains before we're sleeping with the fishes ;)

Monday, April 4, 2016

Diva's Weekly Challenge # 262

This week's Diva Challenge was to use Fassett, a fairly easy triangle tangle that looks really architectural when you finish. I sat down to draw while my husband was on the phone trying to save our house from washing down the hill into the creek. I knew this was really stressful for him, so I handed him an albeit fake tile and a ballpoint pen. The Good Wife. I totally zenned out with the blue ink on the renaissance Zendala tile. And I think our house is going to be okay!


Thanks for stopping by! Have a great week!