Four Elements

Another ZIA for you (Amy, this is a recently-coined short form for Zentangle Inspired Art; I like it as it's so much faster to type!*G*).  After yesterday's post I was feeling really grounded and positive and happy with how things were going.  Then work happened. *sigh*  I needed to find my feet again and my play journal drawings seemed to help.  The early works seem so free when seen after a gap of some months.  I like the patterns and linework.  Even the lack of shading is somehow appealing to me.  Looking backward seems to be soothing.  Hmmmm.... every night I pray - not a traditional prayer, perhaps, but more of a thought conversation.  Invariably when I begin to "talk" about the present stresses, asking for guidance / tolerance / forgiveness, I find myself led by the hand, back to the things of real worth - family, friends, relationships, the absolute wealth of gifts we all overlook every day.  I've called this ZIA "Four Elements" as it seems to embody four precious gifts - Air, Fire, Earth, Water.  I've always been drawn to water and I'm never happier than when I'm near it.  The earth and its many forms is an ongoing fascination - clay, metal, stone... it's endless.  Fire is an atavistic connection to my very soul and I've felt the need to "touch" it as long as I've had a memory.  Air is not only essential, but invigorating or soothing, compelling or repelling and always, always changing.  With these gifts we are able to survive and thrive.  Without them we cannot continue.  And yet, these four elements have been present for aeons prior to us and will exist long after.  Maybe looking back is what provides the perspective to appreciate the now.  Maybe the real appeal of my early tangling efforts is the challenge they represented and how far I've travelled since beginning the struggle to master this new expression of my art.  Maybe it's knowing that the journey has begun and promises to last... I hope you like this drawing, and I hope you enjoy your own journey.

Happy Thursday!