Welcome to BLOG Zentangle. To learn about Zentangle, visit our website, read our free newsletters, take a class with a local Certified Zentangle Teacher (CZT), and best of all . . . create your own!


Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Can you please give us a hand?


"So, Rick and Maria, where's your book about Zentangle?"

We are working on it. Actually, we've been working on it for . . . well . . . let's just say, we've been working on it for a while. But now, with important help from wonderful people, we are on a regular schedule and we are making great progress.

And, we want you to be part of it.
  • Tell us about you and Zentangle. 
  • What does it mean to you? 
  • What did you discover about yourself? 
  • How did it affect you. . . your life . . . your art?
  • How did it affect others? 
  • Whether it seems quirky or profound, simple or grand, what's your Zentangle story?
We know our perspective, but we don't know yours. We want you to be part of this book because without you, we wouldn't be writing it.

Tell your story in the comments below or email it to us.

And thank you for being part of this adventure!

Fine Print
If you submit your story it means you agree that we are free to use it or not use it and we might edit it. Please include your initials and tell us in which country you live.

About that hand
That hand is one of a pair of bookends that we bought from Sandy Bartholomew, CZT, when we visited her delightful store, Wingdoodle, in Warner, NH (USA). Maria tangled it with a Sakura Pigma Micron Brown 01.

Click image for larger view.

16 comments:

Carole Ohl said...

I can't wait to hear all the stories!!! Love the hand. Your post give a lovely new OPEN meaning to "talk to the hand."

Hil-ink said...

Even though I am not a CZT (yet), I love zentangles because I look at everything differently. When I walk my dog I really look at plants, buildings, fences you name it, for patterns. I especially see a lot of patterns in the succulents around here. Also, my calligraphy has improved, I think because I am more aware of the patterns within the calligraphy or two lines of a letter side by side. So I am very thankful for you guys and your willingness to share and teach this to anybody!

Shelly Beauch said...

Hurray! High five! Clapping hands!

Lois Heinani Stokes said...

It was a serendipitous event that brought me to Zentangle... and so the story starts.

It was really helpful for me to take the time to write my story. It will be a story that I will share with my students as you have shared yours with us. It turned out to be way too long to include here on your blog so I emailed it to you instead.

Aloha
Lois(and Earl)
CZT#3

Terri Brown said...

Ever since I stumbled over the Zentangle website I was hooked! I love looking at the different tangles, their complexity or simplicity. I enjoy coming up with new patterns, and I especially love the calm that comes to you when you are totally engrossed in what you are creating. Although I am not a CZT yet, but a goal I hope to reach, I tell everyone about it, where to find it and to just get into it! Thanks for sharing this wonderful artform with us all! :)

Sadelle said...

I'll try and keep my story short here, but I discovered Zentangle quite accidently while being hosted by a lovely gal near Worcester, MA, who'd just been shown the technique, and had the Totally Tangled book. This all came about re a discussion of spirituality and we were going to attend her church service with her.

My partner and I were immediately drawn to Zentangle's meditative qualities. I came home, bought a book or two, bought the kit, and started tangling. I love the calming effect it has on me, and I try to make a little time for it every day, often after breakfast, as a 'centering' activity that gets me ready for my workday in front of the computer.

What I didn't expect, but really love, is that it's brought back my love for sketching, drawing and doing 2D art, after years of being a mixed-media textile artist.

Sandy Steen Bartholomew said...

At first glance, I thought the hand was a large resin sculpture - like the cows or gnus!! Too funny - althought that WOULD be cool too... hmmm... thanks for mentioning Wingdoodle. :-)

Sandy Steen Bartholomew said...

My Zentangle story... I discovered ZT in 2008, I think. I was surfing the web looking for something to help me relax enough to fall asleep and conquer my panic attacks. I bought the kit and played on my own until R&M taught a quick workshop for the Womens Caucus for Art Spring Meeting. We bugged them to do another workshop to teach us in-depth. There were 5 of us from WCANH at that first CZT training seminar, and 45 others from around the world!

Since then I have tangled journals, a gnu, floors, walls, furniture, sneakers, people, clothes, and a bunch of books.

What does it mean to me? It may be sappy, but ZT changed my life.
I have been an illustrator for 25 years - and I've been sending out manuscripts to publishers for most of that time. I have started and ended so many businesses and never seemed to be able to stick with something or make it really work. The family joke was "Sandy can make anything... except money."

ZT gave me creative confidence. I am so passionate about it that I overcome my introversion and teach it. I convinced Cloth Paper Scissors to let me write an article about it. I self-published the first ZT book with my own savings. Serendipity and my new confidence let me actually approach Suzanne McNeil at the 2nd CZT seminar. And when she asked if I wanted to do a book, I said "Yes!" even though I had no idea what I was doing. And ZT convinced me that I was strong enough to escape my marriage of 18 years and not wither and die. Years ago, after another discouraging bout of freelancing, my ex said, "Sandy, you will never be happy." And I countered, "I will! It's just that the right... job... hasn't been invented yet."

I am happy now. Tired, but happy. :-)

Jaye said...

I stumbled on to Zentangles a few months ago. When I excitedly told all my artsy friends about the concept, they already KNEW!!! Always the late bloomer, I have grasped the creative explosion inspired by the theory and have truly become addicted!!! Zentangling to me has given my obsession for "doodling" validity and has taken me to new heights as an art form. I blog about it; I show what I do to anyone who will look; I carry my little sketchbook everywhere and continue creating in it. I see patterns even more than I did before becoming entranced by Zen..I attribute much of my art work to ZIAs now. I am a fiber artist by "trade" although at an amateur status, and have plans of integrating Zentangling into my fiber arts. Thank you so much for giving me a new direction to channel my creativity....I am seventy years young and this has invigorated me enormously after a lifetime of art exploration!

becky sakovitch said...

I have always doodled but I discovered Zentangle it took my work to a whole different level. I teach art to kids and this is one of the art forms I teach. wish I could get certifide, maybe someday when I have saved enough $

Cookie said...

I always knew how to draw as long as I can remember. The older I got I discovered more crafts, for example; at age 8 I discovered I could embroider and use to go into my mom's sewing stuff. I learned to knit and crochet from my Sister around at age 7, but I kept persueing it and even designed a couple of patterns for myself. I learned to watercolor at age 12 and as an adolescent I learned how to use oils. I discovered needlepoint an how to use an airbrush. At 20 I got interested in quilting and doll making (clay and cloth only) and designing my own t-shirt (since a teenager). I learned knitting and crocheting and how to read patterns in my mid 30's and also tried stain glass. I also learned to spin and weave.
Just last year, July 2010, I discovered Zentangle by accident while window shopping at a local Beverly's Craft Store. It happened to be Zentangle #2 written by Suzanne McNeal. (Love her smile, she's so bubbly and happy all the time and love watching her). I flip thru the pages and liked what I saw and purchased it along with markers and bristol board paper and tried it out. I couldn't stop! I looked up Rick and Maria's website provided in the book and it on. My Zentangles took over my Blog I had since 2006. I open two other blogs for my other crafts. The last few greeting cards, i.e. Christmas, Birthday, Mother's Day, etc. I tangled them and those that got one loved their cards. I designed a couple of t-shirts, one for myself and one for my Husband with a drawing of his bass guitar in the center on my blog of Cookies World of General Crafts.
Next year I'm planning on entering some of my Zentangles in the local craft fairs. I even designed a wooden cigar box I keep my extra pens/ pencils for tangling.
Zentangles made it possible to add an extra touch to my crafts like never before. People I know who never heard of Zentangle before are blown away. I attended a Back Strap Weaving Workshop during the last weekend of April and the Lady that was teaching the workshop who's well known of you weave at all was staying at a mutual friends home who has a nice large building near her home on her property where the workshop took place. I had my Zentangle Journal that I had bookbinded myself. There pictures of this journal in my blog. Lavern is the name of the Lady that was teaching the workshop and she was blown away and asked if she can photograph some of my drawings and post them in her blog and I got a nice comment from someone from South America commenting about my drawings. People that follows Lavern's blog on Wordpress saw my drawings. We follow each other's blogs and anything I posted in my blog, they see. I also discovered a site called Spoonflower.com and I'm using my Zentangle Drawings to design my own Fabric! With Zentangle, I can design anything!

Cookie said...

Good luck with your new book, Rick and Maria.

So far I've collected every book on Zentangle that came out.

loretta cassavant said...

HI, I am an artist and teacher for toooo many years. I have been retired for # years & looked everywhere for something to get my Zing back. I saw a very short demo of zentangle on a site for folk art painting & immediately went to your zentangle site to find a certified teacher here in Florida. Debbie was teaching a class in a library in my neck of the woods. I took an introductory class as soon as I could . I have taken her classes every since that day. I love what she does & who she is. I recommend her to everyone. As an art teacher for at least 30 years, I am back to teaching classes & going to her classes to keep up with her, her partner, & fellow classmates. I will not be able to be certified, but I don't give up my newest inspiration. LoreC

Nana711 said...

I discovered Zentangle the end of 2010. I looked at a lot of on-line info, but didn't really use it until I took a class in March. I was so interested because I take mother to Dr. visits, and often wait 2-4 hours - which caused a lot of agitation for me.

Because of Zengtangle, I no longer care if I have to wait-anywhere. I keep a kit in my purse for such occasions. It has helped so much.

Thank you.

Kate said...

Rick and Maria!
I emailed you a short note about Zentangle and my wonderful father. will you let me know that you have received it when you have a chance? I would prefer not to post the specifics here- if you choose it, I would love it to be a surprise! Love to you! Kate Freeland (kokidokaty@gmail.com)

Bonnie Neubauer said...

A couple months ago I was an author in search of a way to express myself WITHOUT words. I thought I might give drawing a try even though everything I usually draw looks nothing like what my eyes see. While scanning the local night school catalog and contemplating whether 'Drawing for Beginners' was really that or if was for people who really know how to draw but just don't have the confidence, I spotted the word Zentangle. It practically jumped off the page! This one word turned out to be just what I was looking for. I googled it, found your website, read the line "anything is possible one stroke at a time", watched a couple videos and was totally hooked. I signed up for the class! The CZT gave me everything I needed to get started and I now draw all the time. I have even spent many joyous hours trying to invent my own tangle. The one thing I know for sure is that I feel very happy and excited at the thought of putting on some music, picking up my marker and letting loose on the paper. And when there is no paper I feel just as happy merely thinking of Zentangle. It's amazing how one word got me into the place of no words that I have been craving! Thank you for coming up with this!
BN (USA)