DRAWING FROM THE DAY
  • ...a blog on art, creativity, and mindfulness

On Being Quiet and Other People's Work

1/31/2019

 
Away from home in this very cold midwinter week, I've been doing just a little tangling.  And watching a good friend do her weaving.  While yet another good friend sent me a wonderful photograph.  Below are my latest tangles, my friend's weaving, and my other friend's photo.  Enjoy.
Picture
An experiment on a Strathmore tile. Both tangles are entirely new to me. The border is Qua-Sahnt by HKTangler; the center tangle is Spikor3 by CZT Jutta Gladnigg of Germany. Micron 01, graphite, white chalk.
Picture
Another experiment with the XLNT tangle by Jody Genovese, CZT. Done on a Strathmore tile with Micron 01, graphite, chalk.
Below is my friend's weaving--two "mug rugs" for my coffee cups.  Love the patterns and subtle colors she chose, and I feel lucky to have these gifts!
Picture
Picture
Finally, this wonderful Currier & Ives-type photo taken by a good friend who was out on a walk during a snow squall near our homes last week.  Is this not beautiful?
Picture
"Silence is true wisdom's best reply."
--Euripides

Quick

1/28/2019

 
Picture
This nearly qualifies as what's known as an "inchie," a tiny drawing.  But in fact, it's more like a "two-inchie," since I did it on a Bijou tile (2x2") with a gold gellyroll and shaded it with a Prismacolor yellow pencil.  It's done for the Zenuari2019 project, day 16, "tiny tangle."

I'm away from home again and thus haven't tangled in two days.  Or done anything except knit.  Starting to feel a withdrawal.  I certainly hope I can get to do some textile work or some more  Zentangle® today or tomorrow.

"We first make our habits, and then our habits make us."
--Dryden

Donut Day

1/25/2019

 
PictureMicron 01 and white chalk, graphite.


This is another Zenuary2019 tile, made for day 15.  The theme was "donut."  Somehow my donut ended up with a pearl in the center.  Fine with me, since I am not a fan of eating donuts.

"The pearl principle:  no inner irritation, no pearl."  Surya Das




Idol

1/22/2019

 
In the style of one of my idols, Mori Yuzan, a Japanese artist who lived in the late 19th and early 20th century:
Picture
Gold gellyroll on a black tile.
Picture
Gold gellyroll pen and blue chalk pencil on a black tile.
Yuzan's work has always been irresistible to me because of the linework.  Wave after wave.  and so many tangles (not that he would have thought of them that way).  Both of the above tiles are nearly copies - if not outright copies - of his spectacular work, which fortunately is now int he public domain.  So relaxing to draw these and hopefully learn a bit from him.

Both were done for Zenuari2019 day 14, "idol tangle."  I think I'll be doing a lot more idol tangles!

What I Didn't Listen To.

1/21/2019

 
Picture
tWhat is the use of seeking advice if one doesn't listen?  This was my card for Monday (I love these cards, more info below).  But did I listen?  No.  Instead of cocooning after a tiring week away, I spent the day in 5 degree Farenheit weather running around from event to event.  Now, all the events were good ones.  I'm just lucky, though, that my good friends were able to put up with my grumpy self. 

Because trust me, I was grumpy.  Overtired, overscheduled, and grumpy.  Very bad planning on my part.  Good thing I have long-suffering friends.

The cards (these are not tarot cards, just wonderful little cardboard coaches):
Picture
In case you'd like to get yourself some.

Experiments

1/19/2019

 
Picture
Experimenting with Mimi Lempart's tangle Mi2, using a thin gold pen (sorry, don't know the name) a friend gave me, plus Pokeroot and Pokeleaf tangles.  Colored with Generals Chalk pencils on a black Zentangle® tile.  I hope to do more of these experiments when I have time.

Just got back from a week away and we are having our first serious storm of the winter; it's just begun.

Ginger Ale Thoughts

1/16/2019

 
PictureMicron 01 in black, White Gellyroll Pen #10, and graphite.

Ugh...whatever I ate last night here at the hotel must not have been kind to me; I'm having an "unhappy-camper" stomach experience today.  Nothing awful, just uncomfortable, so it's all ginger ale all the time. 

Blecch.

The tile on the left was done for Zenuari2019 day 12, and the instructions were, "Grid tangles only," so I used the tangles Stricle and Demi and threw in other random lines.

Sleepy Day

1/15/2019

 
Picture
Done for Zenuari2019 day 11, "Use an unusual string." So I traced around my pencil sharpener to create the string. Tangle on the lower left and upper right is Demi. The central tangle is just made randomly. Brown Micron 01, General's green and white chalk pencils. On a Renaissance tile.
The day is bright, sunny, and chllly but I am sleepy anyway.  I'm away from home helping a friend who truly doesn't need much help  We've been having fun tangling.  I did the tile above earlier while she was working on something much larger.  Lovely to have a companion in art.
When I find myself fading, I close my eyes and realize my friends are my energy. --Anonymous

Nametangle

1/11/2019

 
I have been slowly exhausting my stash of Strathmore tiles, thinking I'd use them for tangle practice because I didn't like them.  But they are growing on me.  I may have to get more after I finish my current supply.  They are a very different surface from the traditional Zentangle® tiles (Fabriano Tiepolo printmaking paper), which I truly love.  Much smoother and in a way less forgiving than the Fabriano ones, but I'm learning to like them anyway.
Picture
Done for Zenuari2019, "Nametangles," day 10. Meaning, pick your or someone else's initials and then find a tangle for each letter. I chose D and R and picked D'eneh and Roscoe, two tangles I'd never heard of before and never tried--this is my maiden effort. Lots of errors but I don't care...Black Micron01 and graphite on a Strathmore tile.

This tile captures so many reasons why I love tangling: 
  • it's calming
  • it's a practice that compels us to let go of the quest for perfection
  • it's fun
  • it's almost always a total surprise
  • I even enjoy my worst results, because the process is so pleasant, and that, my friends, is the entire purpose of Zentangle--its meditative nature.  Just as often, though, I rather like the end product  Other tanglers are much better at this, but it delights me that I really don't care and am simply happy for them.  The rewards I get from the practice are all I need.
"Have no fear of perfection.  You'll never reach it."  --Salvador Dali

In the Silence

1/9/2019

 
Two more tangle experiments today.  I am saving the textile work for next week when I think I will have more time to focus on it.  What I love about both Zentangle® and textile art is the deep inner silence I experience when doing either.  Both are highly meditative.

Today I went into that silence with joy and relief.  One of the wonders of Zentangle is that it doesn't matter what the outcome is, bad or good, because the process of creating is where the gift lies, and that in itself is enough.  Often the outcome is wonderful--a bonus.
Picture
Done for the Zenuari2019 project, day 9. "Do a tangle that's new to you." Tangle: Ratoon. I'm not familiar with this one, having done it only once previously. Here is my second try--including errors--done as both a central tangle and as a border. Black Micron 01 and graphite on a Strathmore 3.5" tile.
Picture
Done for the Zenuari2019 Project day 7. "Make a duotangle" (use 2 colors only). Tangles are Knase and Raddox. Blue and Brown Micron 01 pens, blue and brown Prismacolor pencils, General's White Chalk pencil on a Strathmore 3.5" tile.

What Falls Out of the Pen

1/8/2019

 
Tiles from today's work on the Zenuari2019 Project.
Picture
Zenuari2019 Project, day 4, "Biggify." (Take a tangle & enlarge it) Tangle is Shattuck done with a black Micron 01 and a General's white chalk pencil plus graphite on a Strathmore 3.5" tile.
Picture
Zenuari2019 Project, day 5, "A Hint of a Tint." Tangle is a variation of Printemps, done very large. Micron 01 and graphite; the tint comes from rolling my Rainbow Lead Pencil's lead slowly over the surface.
Picture
Zenuari2019 Project, day 6, "Use a Blind String" (a string you draw with your eyes closed). Micron 01, graphite, General's white chalk pencil. There is no purple on this tile--I ran it through a filter on this website and that's what created the tint. The original tile is black and white with gray graphite.
I titled this post "What Falls Out of the Pen" because whether I like the results or not, what ends up on my tiles always surprises me.  As all three of these tiles did.

Hanging In There

1/5/2019

 
For a variety of reasons, today was a hard one for me.  Really, really hard.  I put aside other things and spent the time tangling.  A good night's sleep tonight should help as well.
Picture
Tangles: Squill and Ahh
Picture
Tangle: Ennyshou, with auras.
Picture Tangles: Rixty and Sedgling.



By the time I got to this one, I was truly exhausted.  It shows.  But that's ok.  Practice is always helpful so I'm glad I kept on. 




“Sometimes, only one person is missing, and the whole world seems depopulated.”
–Alphonse de Lamartine, Méditations Poétiques

Choppy

1/2/2019

 
Looks as though the start of 2019 will be choppy for me--I'll be doing some traveling and having visitors when I'm home.  Needing something simple and portable to work on, I spotted another Zentangle® challenge run by CZT Anoeska in Holland called "Zenuari" (there is a private Facebook Group with this information) and thought that might do it.  I won't be trying to complete every day, given how choppy my schedule is going to be, but I'l join in when I can to keep creative juices flowing.

Here is my first entry, for Day 2, with a "star" theme.  I'm playing around with the same tangle from the December 28th post.
Picture
Tangle is Prillium by Barb Mayo. Black Micron 01 and graphite on a Strathmore tile.

    ABOUT ME

     I'm a textile artist (traditional rug hooking, punch needle rug hooking, and other textile arts), a long-time meditator, a certified meditation teacher and coach, and focused on learning about the interplay of art, creativity, and mindfulness every day. 

    I am also a Certified Zentangle® Teacher (CZT 11) and a student of drawing and of the tarot.

      If you enjoy reading this blog, input your email address here to get an every-other-month notice about checking for new posts.

    Subscribe to Newsletter
    Picture
    Certified, 2021
    Certified Unified Mindfulness Coach Level I, 2024
    Picture
    Certified Zentangle® Teacher, 2013
    Picture
    Certified by AmyOxford.com at The Oxford Rug Hooking School, 2016
    Picture

    Categories

    All
    Beads
    Black Tiles
    Bookbinding
    Broken Wrist Tangles
    Clocks
    Colored Pencil
    Creative Inspiration
    Death
    Diva Challenge
    Drawing
    Dyeing Wool Or Yarn
    Fans
    Frederick Franck
    Gellyrolls
    Gesso
    Gratitangles2018
    Gratitangles2020
    Gray Tiles
    Ims
    Inktober
    Inktober 2018
    Inktober 2019
    Inktober2020
    Iphone App On Tangles
    Joey Challenge
    Knitted Knockers
    Knitting
    Knots
    Mandalas
    Map Tangling
    Marathon
    Meditation
    Neurographica
    No Fail No Learn
    Other Peoples Work
    Poetry
    Portrait
    Punch Hooking
    Punch Needle Embroidery
    Quilts And Other Art
    Rainbow Lead Pencil
    Renaissance Tiles
    Rug Hooking
    Scratch Art
    Sketchbook-skool
    String Thing Challenge
    #summertangles2018
    Tangles
    Tarot
    Tarot Rug Project
    Truly Miscellaneous
    Watercolor
    Weather
    Zenagain2018
    Zendala-dare
    Zenuari2019

    Archives

    April 2025
    March 2025
    February 2025
    December 2024
    November 2024
    October 2024
    September 2024
    July 2024
    June 2024
    March 2024
    January 2024
    November 2023
    October 2023
    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014

    SITES TO WATCH:

    Insight Meditation Society

    Oxford Rug Hooking School


    Zentangle:  The Official Site

    Green Mountain Rug Hooking

    Massachusetts Tarot Society


    RSS Feed

    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
Proudly powered by Weebly
  • ...a blog on art, creativity, and mindfulness