Tuesday 4 January 2011

New Year, New Challenge, New Blog

Hello, blog-poppers!  Thank you for stopping into my little corner of the blogosphere.  I have been dared to publish a blog by a friend and hopefully this will lead to more friends, who'll lead to more friends, and so on and so on....you know, just like the commercials used to say (I really hope SOMEONE out there remembers those old shampoo commercials....).

I have been called a bottomless font of useless trivia and a relentless optimist.  I have made art in many forms since I have any memory at all.  At present most of my creative energies go to beading, Zentangling and mixed media.

With the start of 2011, I have been challenged to make a resolution to publish at least one aspect of my artwork on a regular basis.  I have chosen to begin by sharing my Zentangle journey and will bring other elements in as the whim takes me. 

At Christmas a year ago a dear friend introduced me to the art of Zentangle (thanks, Ruth!).  I didn't have time to pursue it immediately, but it resonated with me and about six months later (gee, only six months ago?) I began to make a proper research of this art form.  I began with the official site, http://www.zentangle.com/, and by making a careful study of its pages and following numerous hours online researching the concepts, patterns, CZT sites, etc., began to discover what Zentangle can be for me and my art.  I am attending a workshop in February 2011 after which, if all goes well, I hope to be accredited to teach others this fascinating artform.

In the meantime, to fulfill the challenge posed to create this blog, I have chosen to begin by sharing my own response to a challenge posted by Laura Harms, a CZT from Saskatchewan (hooray for a fellow Canuck!) on her blog, I Am The Diva - CZT at http://www.iamthedivaczt.blogspot.com/.

Her Challenge #3 for Monday January 3, 2011 was to try tangling a string drawn WITH YOUR EYES CLOSED!  I had a chance to check her site only today on my lunch hour and was so intrigued by the idea that I had to give it a go right away.  As a result the design is not on a proper tile and was done with a rather wide (1.0 mm) gel pen shaded in pencil, drawn on a scratch pad.  Despite the most basic of materials, I rather like the result!

What do you think?

29 comments:

  1. Yes, I agree, it is a beautiful result, I am glad you have found Zentangle, you have a wonderful style!

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  2. your tangle is wonderful! I love the tangles you chose!
    Congrats on starting your blog! I hope you find it as freeing as I have...Enjoy the Process!

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  3. This one is beautiful! Love how you tangled HOLLIBAUGH.
    The facility of the whole ZT appeals to me…

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  4. Great start!Have fun!!

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  5. Lovely! Can you please post the site-specific URL to this post on the linkey machine? Then i can delete the one that goes to your home page. If you need help, let me know.

    keep up the great work! Laura

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  6. Very pretty! Love how the top meets and the depth of the inside cirle you achieved with tangles and shading!

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  7. Welcome to the world of blogging! Your Zentangles are fabulous!

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  8. Very pretty, looks like a ring that is upside down. I love the vine like tangle that sprouts out from the bottom. It is so graceful!

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  9. Very, very, nice! I love the ring design and the flow of tangles off to the side!!!

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  10. oh, and i meant to ask you where in canada you are?

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  11. What do I think - I think it's exquisite!

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  12. @Shelly Beauch

    Thank you so much, Shelly. Your own work has been very inspiring for me!

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  13. @leslierahye
    Thanks for your welcome and warm words, Leslie. I am nervous but really looking forward to this new experience.

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  14. @Phine
    Thanks, Phine - I like your work, too!

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  15. @Sue Clark
    Thanks, Sue. It's hard to stop sometimes...

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  16. @Joni
    Thank you, Joni. It's funny, but vine-like growths seem to be as prevalent in my artwork as in the garden!

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  17. @i am the diva
    I live in the balmy south of Ontario... and as my big bro out in Calgary has temperatures almost 40 degrees colder today, I guess it really is the tropics of Canada!

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  18. @Tinkered Art
    What a nice thing to say, and from such a terrific artist yourself!

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  19. @stART - Saskatchewan, colder than a witch's teat. ;)

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  20. Amazing! I love the way your shading has made the white space the focal point of the ZT!

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  21. @MolossusThank you - it was incredibly fun to do.

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  22. So 3D! You're a natural. Keep tangling... I want to see more. ♥Namaste

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  23. @KitThank you so much, Kit. What more encouragement could possibly be needed? Namaste

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  24. @HeatherCherylThank you so much. I'm glad you like it.

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  25. beautifully done!
    i love the way tangles are cherishing and holding the precious "egg"!

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  26. @IldikoThank you, Ildiko! I, too, viewed the open white space as an egg - a motif that recurs in my work quite often.

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