Through a New Lens

We love reading what other people write about Zentangle, particularly when someone encounters it for the first time.

Thanks to Catherine Rogers, CZT, in Shirley, Massachusetts, we just learned about Judith Ferrera's Zentangle inspired creations and got to read about her experience with the Zentangle process. We are happy to share them with you and trust you will enjoy them as much as we did.

Judith has an exhibition opening this month (tomorrow!) which she describes in this blog entry,

This exhibition is dedicated to Catherine Rogers. In May 2009, she conducted a Zentangles workshop in Fitchburg. That day, we learned an exercise in mindful drawing using ink and pencil to create repetitious patterns inside small areas. It was an afternoon that had a profound effect on my art making.

Her gallery show is in Gardner, Massachusetts, September 2 - 29, details are at the above link.

Here are a few excerpts from Judith's July 2010 blog (with emphasis added):

I cannot sit still long enough to doodle. I would rather pace. Zentangles were exactly what I needed to learn, because it is an exercise in mindful drawing. [ . . . ]

[ . . . ] It seemed like the perfect combination of freedom and discipline.

I am hooked on Zentangles in ways that I could have never imagined. Yes, I have brought out my kit while waiting for an appointment. Little children are curious. A little girl said to her mother, "I want to do what she's doing." Yes, I have taught others how to do them. But I also bring out the kit at home when I am really frazzled and losing my balance. Zentangles calm me down. It's good for my blood pressure.

Zentangles have improved my "looking," which is the skill artists need to work on constantly. Now, when I drive along, I notice architectural details such as shingles, railings and fences that escaped me before. I never appreciated how much gorgeous, poetic repetition there is to see in one city block, especially in the older sections. The craftsmen left their work for a whole new audience: Zentangle fanatics!

I used to think that drawing was a little too tied to reality. Not that there is anything wrong with that. However, I enjoyed it when I could riff on a mood and improvise, rather than record what was in front of me. Having serious fun is one of my art making standards and creating Zentangles earns high points.

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You can read more of Judith's comments and see one of her creations at this blog entry.

Maria and I look forward to driving up to Gardner to see Judith's exhibit.

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