 Last night's sunset after weeks of storms. As I savored this beauty from my front door during yesterday's sunset I could not help noticing how the grandeur of nature outdoes anything we can do. And how much it can influence our internal "weather" at times. Ahhhhhhhhhhhh...
"Beautiful sunsets need cloudy skies." --Paulo Coelho  Tangles: a variation of Hollyhock by Jason Lau CZT (variation partially by Annie Reiser CZT and then I added my own take) and ICanToo by Hanny Waldburger CZT. Strathmore paper with graphite and chalk pencils. It's curious, the parallels I often see between meditation and drawing. In meditation, we might call what happened here, "striving." That is such a common issue in meditation--the idea that one has to get somewhere and work harder and harder to get there. It truly doesn't help. At all.
And here in this drawing I did the equivalent. I was using a smooth tile and chalk pencils. The paper, surprisingly, wasn't loving the chalk. It was the combination of the two, not something I could control. But I kept thinking if I continued working, or rather, OVERworking (a form of striving), I could make it better. Well, uh-uh. Instead, it just got muddier. It would have been better if I'd used colored pencils rather than chalk pencils. I realized this at the start of the tile but was having too much fun to make the switch. I like it anyway because it was fun and involved one brand-new tangle and one that I forget to use. I often say this about the drawings i am not enamored of, right after I finish. Sometimes when I look at them later, I really do like them. Often, in fact. And sometimes I don't. But the reasons I'm happy anyway are: 1) just the act of drawing brings joy to me; and 2) learning art--and I most certainly am a learner--is all about quantity. Practice, practice, practice. As I said in my last post, any practice, even practice that produces something "meh," is bound to build skill. Bring it on.  Micron PN black pen on a gray Zendala, with graphite. Tangles are: Swansong, Henna Drum, Damsel, and a few Fescues. Adapted from an Annie Reiser CZT video from quite a few months back. Whew, it's so interesting how after 3 months of not drawing (because I've been obligated to focus on textile projects with deadlines), it takes a while to get back on board. Between 2 major surgeries (all is well) and the need to focus on textile work, I have hardly drawn or tangled for a year. I just cannot believe how great it feels to be working this way again. Beginners Mind, a meditation concept that is vastly useful in all areas of daily life, is helpful here. Begin again. Begin again. Begin again. And above all, practice. Practice is the best of all instructors.
- Publillius Syrus Everything is practice. - Pele Oh my gosh. The last time I got to draw was May 5th. Way, WAY too long for me. Last night I finally got back to it and it felt sooooo good.  Adapted from a video by Romi Marx (Hanamar Star, https://www.youtube.com/c/Tangledyogi333). Prismacolor pencils, Micron PN in black, white gellyroll pen, graphite. Tangles: Hanamar, Toodles, Fescu, gemstone, Oysteroid I am definitely rusty, rusty, rusty. This is overworked, and yet, I just loved every minute of doing it. I couldn't stop after such a long time of no tangling, and that resulted in the overwork (and the lack of sleep since I didn't start the coloring until after 10 pm). But it was worth every second for the pleasure it gave me. Just the same sort of sigh-of-relief as when you finally get to scratch a bothersome itch.  The linework, before color was added, is on the right.
So what caused this long, long drought? I'm teaching rug hooking in the midwest later this summer and I needed to produce multiple samples for the upcoming class. That has been taking up all my time. I will post the samples soon but now that they are done, I just want to get back to regular rug hooking, punching, and DRAWING. There will be another short delay while I finish prepping, traveling and teaching. By September I hope to be back to a regular schedule of drawing and blogging. In the meantime, meditation is keeping me sane and happy throughout this long summer. *** Meditation: Because some answers can only be found on the inner net. – Shira Tamir |
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. 
Certified, 2021
Certified Unified Mindfulness Coach
Certified Zentangle® Teacher, 2013
Certified by AmyOxford.com at The Oxford Rug Hooking School, 2016
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SITES TO WATCH:
Insight Meditation Society Oxford Rug Hooking School Zentangle: The Official Site Green Mountain Rug Hooking Massachusetts Tarot Society 
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