Wednesday's Words of Wisdom

Adele Bruno, CZT



If you have ever taken a Zentangle® class you will especially appreciate this insight from John Updike.   

Do you need some space?  Some breathing room for your spirit? 
Use this as motivation and take some time to tangle today.  You will be refreshed!

"It's a String Thing" #9

It's Tuesday, your good news day!

Welcome back and welcome to "It's a String Thing" #9

This week features String 011 submitted to Linda Farmer at Tangle Patterns by Yamit Fridman of Isreal.

 

In honor of Yamin, we will use tangle patterns that begin with the letter 'Y'. 

 

There are seven tangles that begin with the letter 'Y' listed on Tangle Patterns - from very basic to more involved.  You can make this as simple are as complex as you'd like.  This string should be especially fun to work with since it follows last week's loopy one. 

 

 

To Recap: String 011

Tangle Patterns that begin with the letter 'Y'

If this is your first visit, welcome!  If you are new to Zentangle®, welcome! 

This exercise is for beginner and seasoned tanglers alike.  Use it as an excuse to keep up with your art work, take time for yourself, learn new patterns, share your talent...you get the idea! 

 Here are the (Not so) Official Guidelines:

     * Challenges are posted on Tuesdays.          

     *Use the string posted for the week and patterns that begin    

                  with the letter(s) indicated                 

     *Work must be completed on Zentangle tiles or on your 3.5" x 3.5" paper      

     * Submit a photo of your tile saved as jpg or         

                  scan your tile (300 dpi) and save as a jpg    

     *Email your jpg file as an attachment to -  brunoadelem@gmail.com    

     *Entries are to be submitted by Saturday evenings.     

     *Photos and 'Best of Show' are posted on Mondays.       

Send in your photos - you never know who you will inspire!

I look forward to your emails.  

"It's a String Thing" #8 Tiles

This week's assignment posed quite a challenge as Sue Agnew noted, "so many of the 'Z' tangle patterns were grid based and the string is definitely not."

That is very true, but as you will see, these tanglers rose to the challenge. 

The first submissions are from Arizona's Audrie Weisenfelder.

 Audrie uses Zassy in the main section of this tile.  She adds it again in the middle, spiraling it into the center.  By adding thicker solid lines, the swirl appears to rise to a peak.

Audrie uses a really pleasing mix of patterns in this tile.  Zanella and Zedbra used with a straight lines is a nice compliment to the curved lines of Zazzy and Zanzee. 

Brenda Urbanik sent in this pretty tile from South Africa:

 She says that it is full of 'creative opportunities' as we say in the tangled world.  And there in lies the beauty of this art form: there are no mistakes.  This tile is lovely!  Imagine if Brenda stopped drawing because she was not initially pleased with the way a line went, or how her version of a pattern varied from what she wanted it to look like at first.  We wouldn't be able to enjoy this pretty piece.  Thank you Brenda for tangling through and sending this in.

The following tiles were sent in by fellow Floridian, Joan Delony.  There is a dilemma here - is it more exciting that she sent in two beautiful tangles, or that she will be a CZT in June?!

Joan's choice of patterns, combined with her use of light and dark lines, make these tiles stand out.  Her Zinger is just lovely!

Sue Agnew, from the Chicago area, has such a recognizable and beautiful style to her tangles:

She uses sparkle to add highlights to Zedbra and Zazzy - what a pretty touch!  As a unique feature, Sue used Zuan Shi as the background for the entire piece.  What a wonderful idea and a good one for the rest of us to take note of.  Thank you, Sue. 

Speaking of beautiful styles, Mindy - a fellow Floridian as well - is back and here is her submission:

She said that she, "unexpectedly gravitated back to pencil" for shading - after using grey marker for a time.  Since you cannot hold Mindy's tile at arms length, squint your eyes and look at it on your screen.  Her shading is just beautiful. 

The next tiles hail from the south of England:

 

 

Ragged Ray used Zunella along the string line of this one and added darker lines to either side to anchor it. The use of Zuan Shi as a border is a really nice touch.

 

Speaking of really nice touches, here is the tile honored this week:

 

 

Z-Trik is rendered beautifully here.  It is a nice 'back drop' for the swirl of the other tangles.  The loose folds of Zenplosion seem to wrap around the tile.  This is a lovely, lovely piece. 

Thank you so much for sending it in and congratulations!  I have a little something coming in the mail for you.

  

Many thanks to the creative minds behind the 'Z' tangles this week:

 

Zanella by Sandra Strait, CZT

Zazzy by Sue Clark, CZT

Zedbra by Laura Harms and Margaret Bremmer, CZTs

Zen Bud and Zenplosion Folds by Daniele O'Brien, CZT

Zin by Linda Farmer, CZT

Zinger an official Zentangle pattern

Zuan Shi by JJ LaBarbera

Z-Trik by Yamit Fridman

Zanzee by Cathy Cusson

 

AND thank you to Sue Zanker and Linda Farmer for String 009

 

Dear Reader, don't be shy!  Check back tomorrow for the next "It's a String Thing" and send in your tangles.  You never know who you will encourage and inspire.

Happy Anniversary CZT X

Congratulations to the Certified Zentangle Teachers from Seminar X!  Last week marked one year (can you believe it?!) since we gathered in Providence, Rhode Island. 

One year, and countless happy adventures later, I still get a warm and rejuvenating feeling when I recall being there.  I am grateful to have met so many talented tanglers from all walks of life and from all over the world. 

You can click here to view the Zentangle newsletter.  from last Fall.  In this edition, Rick and Maria posted photos of our class, our art work (you may recognize a lamp ;), and a very complimentary write up about the weekend.

While there, I purchased an apron and Maria graciously wrote my name on it - in her beautiful style.

 

In life, it's often the little things that are most meaningful.  This is proof positive.  I cherish this apron and I appreciate the thought, the care, the detail, that Rick and Maria invest in all things Zentangle.

Our class was full of extraordinary people.  Recently, I caught up with one such fabulous woman - Morag Smith.  Morag and I laughed together more than we spoke and believe me, that was an accomplishment!

I was curious to see what she's been doing since becoming a CZT and asked her permission to post her update along with our photo.  She said that I could write anything about her that I cared to defend later - even her emails make me laugh!

 

As it turns out, she has been very busy keeping up with her husband's (Canada's comedian, author, and television personality, Red Green) schedule but still finds time to tangle a few times a week.  Morag has also found time to teach classes in Canada and Florida, her summer and winter homes.  She especially likes when people continue on after taking a class and return to show her their creations.

 

She enjoys drawing, then tangling pictures - baby names for  nurseries, initials for cards, and countless ZIA watercolor pieces.  Morag sells many of them at craft shows and through her husband Steve's website:  www.redgreen.com  Under the SHOP tab, find 'Bernice's Craft Corner'.  Here is the write up from that page:

Bernice (aka Morag Smith), having all the sensitivity and artistic ability so sadly lacking in Red, has started creating delicate works of art and has allowed us to improve our image by offering them here. Each drawing is a one of a kind signed original and comes with a matte suitable for framing. No shipping or handling charges. A great way to add some class to your home or ice fishing shack.

 I love it!  You will have to visit the website to see her beautiful art work - it's sure to put a smile on your face.

 

Thank you, Morag, for the update.  I hope our paths cross again soon.

 

A special shout out to all of our CZT X classmates.  I hope you have had a fabulous, Zentangle filled year!

 

 

 





 

 

 



Shine on, Shine on Crescent Moon...

My husband slipped out of the house before sunrise yesterday to catch a business flight.  He called shortly afterward to tell me about the sliver of a moon in the morning sky. "Make sure you go out and see it," he said.

Well...by the time I packed lunches, rounded up shoes, fixed hair, and sent my children off to school, the moon had slipped away and the sun was up.  Maybe another day...

Mulling over the moon reminded me of Crescent Moon.  I resolved to tangle my own moons...

I liked the idea of using the tangle to fill in spaces on a larger pattern.   For my first tile, I drew Fengle then filled in the negative spaces with Crescent Moon.



Adele Bruno, CZT

Crescent Moon gives this tile the 'weight' it needs and even seems to add more movement to the already wispy Fengle.

Next, inspired by an idea from Maria Thomas,

I drew a string line and then tangled Crescent Moon in each section and the string became the negative space.

Then I referenced Yoga for the Brain (pg.4), where Sandy Bartholomew uses Crescent Moon to illustrate how auras can be used on patterns.

For my next tile, I used these variations:

I began by drawing a border, then I layered rows of the each of the three variations, working toward the center, until the space was filled.

Now that's a happy tile!  I like that you have to study it a bit to even know that it is Crescent Moon. 

If, like me, you missed the moon in the morning - or evening sky - today, tangle a few of your own! 

*Crescent Moon and Fengle are official Zentangle patterns.

Zentangle Spoken Here

Last weekend I had the privilege of visiting my son John, his girlfriend, and their friends in Greenville, South Carolina.   Before leaving for my adventure, I searched the CZT page on Zentangle.com and found a fellow CZT in that 'neck of the woods'.



 

To my delight, she had a beautiful bead shop right in the middle of town.  Meet Heidi Woody, CZT:

 

Heidi's shop, The Beaded Frog, is a bright and inviting space decorated in cheery shades of purple and green.  The back classroom boasts a beautiful wall mural by Heidi's son, just one of the many delightful details in the store.   Along with Heidi's penchant for pretty frogs, the shop overflows with beads and all things bead related.  

Tucked in among the frogs and the beads, is a space where Heidi sells her Zentangle® related things.  As we visited, she pointed out the framed "Zentangle Spoken Here" pictured on the purple wall in the photo above. 

As it turns out - that sign is the original art work of Maria Thomas.  Heidi explained that she originally coined the phrase and Maria sent the painting as a thank you.  How cool is that?!

And now, as Paul Harvey would say, you know the rest of the story!

When I teach a class, I hang a printed copy of that sign on the gallery door - now I know who to thank for the inspiration. 

If you ever find yourself on Main Street in Greenville, South Carolina, stop in and see Heidi at The Beaded Frog.

Thank you, Heidi!

"It's a String Thing" #8

It's Tuesday, your good news day - and the first day of October!

This week's challenge uses String 009 created by Sue Zanker, published on Tangle Patterns.  The string line was drawn without an initial border, as Linda Farmer notes, it hugs the edges of the tile.  Feel free to add a border to your tile before drawing in the string if you want, but it is not necessary.

In honor of Sue Zanker (all the way from Australia by the way!) we will use patterns that begin with the letter Z for Zanker.  Use as few or as many of the 'Z' patterns as you wish - there are twelve listed.

As pictured, this string has nine sections and lots of tangle possibilities.  This will be fun!

Remember that strings are suggestions.  If you find you are tangling away and those lines get pushed around a bit, or even get pushed out all together - all is well!

To Recap:
String 009
Tangle Patterns that begin with the letter 'Z'

If this is your first visit, welcome!  If you are new to Zentangle®, welcome! 

This exercise is for beginner and seasoned tanglers alike.  Use it as an excuse to keep up with your art work, take time for yourself, learn new patterns, share your talent...you get the idea! 

 Here are the (Not so) Official Guidelines:

     * Challenges are posted on Tuesdays.          

     *Use the string posted for the week and patterns that begin    

                  with the letter(s) indicated                 

     *Work must be completed on Zentangle tiles or on your 3.5" x 3.5" paper      

     * Submit a photo of your tile saved as jpg or         

                  scan your tile (300 dpi) and save as a jpg    

     *Email your jpg file as an attachment to -  brunoadelem@gmail.com    

     *Entries are to be submitted by Saturday evenings.     

     *Photos and 'Best of Show' are posted on Mondays.       

Send in your photos - you never know who you will inspire!

I look forward to your emails.