New Classes for the New Year

Yes, I know its not even Christmas yet, but I have a New Years resolution to make some more time for blogs and facebook so here I am getting back into a good habit and happy to announce some new classes for the new year. I will be teaching weekly Tangle Time classes both at Franklin Art Center (on Sundays 12:30-2pm) and at Norfolk Public Library (Wednesdays, 9:30-10:30am). The calendar to the left of this page has the specific dates. Class themes are listed for Franklin Art Center location while the library classes are drop in classes so content varies according to the preferences of the group.'Like' The Traveling Tangler on Facebook and make suggestions for what tangles and techniques you would like to work on! Full details of classes are on the Class Schedule/Information page of this website. Hope to see you all in the New Year! Happy Holidays :)

Kids Beginner Workshop at Dover Library

I love that Zentangle is suitable for all ages. At Dover Public Library there was just one adult and an older teen in the class; mostly this was a kids class. They produced these amazing pieces of art to take home with them. Great job everyone!

Look what we created... Ensemble

Ensemble means 'together', and together at the Dover Library this week lots of kids brought their parents and grandparents and gathered to 'Make Art on the Green'. It was a beautiful summer afternoon of facepainting and fingerpainting, a henna artist and sandy candy, and freshly popped popcorn... and... Zentangle! Many of the visitors to the event stopped by at the Zentangle table, chose an empty section on one of our nine tiles and filled it with circles ('Tipple') or lines ('Hollibaugh' or 'Static' or 'Diva Dance'), or their own patterns that they already enjoy making, or patterns that they created on the spot! Our youngest contributor was 3 years old, and one visitor was working with her non-dominant hand since her regular writing hand was injured. At the end of the day the last visitors helped me put the nine tiles back together in order, we added some shading on the outside and on the 'big circles'  and we discovered that together we created a one of a kind piece of art work for the library - a community ensemble Zentangle design :) Looking forward to teaching a Beginners Workshop with the Dover community on Thursday...

Tiles from Norfolk workshop and an invitation to join the fun in Dover

It always amazes me how beautiful and creative and wonderfully unique Zentangle images are, and especially wonderful are our very first zentangle tiles. Here are the first tiles created by students during a workshop at Norfolk Public Library earlier this month. Looking forward to to teaching another Beginners Workshop at Dover Town Library next week.CLICK HERE for details and to register. If you are in the neighborhood and looking for some creative fun TODAY(Wednesday July 31st!), stop by at The Dover Town Library for their Make Art on the Green event. Amongst all sorts of other activities, you can add some penstrokes to our community Zentangle design. CLICK HERE for details.

Join The Traveling Tangler at Library Sponsored Zentangle Workshops

Summer is always a great time to visit your local library. Pick up some summer reading. Join the reading programs and explore fun new activities. This summer The Traveling Tangler will be presenting Zentangle Beginner Workshops at Norfolk and Dover Libraries and will also be at the Dover Library 'Art on the Green' event. Here are the dates and times... 

A Taste of Crafts at Norfolk Public Library

Library Sponsored Zentangle Beginners Workshop

Wednesday July 17th, 7-9pm

Norfolk Public Library, Norfolk, MA

$5 Materials charge for a Zentangle Starter Kit which has all you need for class and to continue working with Zentangle at home. Click here for more info and to register.

Make Art on the Green

Wednesday July 31st, 1-3pm, 

Dover Public Library, Dover MA

Join the Traveling Tangler for Zentangle demonstrations and activities. Find the Traveling Tangler at this Community Event in Dover. Click here for more info.

Library Sponsored Zentangle Beginners Workshop

Thursday August 8th, 3-4:30pm

Dover Public Library, Dover, MA

Learn the basics of Zentangle method at this library sponsored workshop. Please call 774-571-8461 for information on registration. Thanks!

Book and Frame Making Workshop

Open Workshop: Book and Frame Making

May 19th, 3:30-6pm

Location: Franklin Art Center

Tell your friends -Open workshop means everyone is welcome - you don't need to know a thing about Zentangle to come to this class!

(although there is a Beginner Workshop at 1-3pm on the same day directly preceding this class for those who would like to make an afternoon of it and learn Zentangle first followed by a short break and then this workshop...) 

So where do you keep all your tiles, where do you display your current favorites? And wouldn't it be nice to have all your personal favorite tangles all together in one place? For non-tangling friends what could you do with your own personally handmade book and frame? Photos, art, journaling?

Using high quality bookmaking materials and papers, this class will teach you bookmaking skills and techniques to make a portfolio frame (see below) and these beautiful little concertina books. Both sides of the concertina pages are usable, so for tangling friends you can put your tangles on one side... 

...and store and display your tiles on the other side...

For display it can also sit on a desktop like this and you can flip through them like a rolodex :)

Our second book structure in this class will be a 'portfolio frame' and we will learn how to make neat  and professional inside corners and how to determine the correct spine width for a book structure.

This two and a half hour workshop is $40 including all materials for making the concertina book and portfolio frame. Places for this workshop will go fast... call or email me to sign up now!

Hiding behind color

Thanks Jean for a wonderful class on Saturday! During our 'Touch of Color' workshop, guest CZT Jean Theurkauf introduced us to color, from choosing colors that work together, through adding color to tangles including colored highlights and shading, to making creative background washes to tangle on.The highlight for me was a technique to make tangles appear to hide behind a veil of color and I couldn't wait to try it out at home. I used a couple of ATC (Artist Trading Card) to put some swatches of color on.

See how the water colors don't mix and seem transparent and overlapping? Here's a second one with its wash of watercolor and dots, borders and strings... ready to tangle!

Here they are with tangles...the way the flux goes under the orange color in the bottom right is the effect I was shooting for.

This photo of the blue and green one doesn't show the effect quite as well, but if you look hard you can see it. We will be exploring these organic tangles and how to mix and layer them in our next tangle time, "Growing a Zentangle Garden: Stirring Tangles Together", this Sunday (April 21st) 4-5:30pm...

I will be posting some of our work from class as soon as I check that the students don't mind sharing online. In the meantime if you like you can check out Jeans art and classes on her website at http://www.artofthetangle.com/

April 13th Touch of Color Workshop with Jean Theurkauf

This month crocuses and other spring flowers are bringing color to our yards and in this special workshop at Franklin Art Center we are exploring the use of color with Zentangle art....

Take your Zentangle art one step further by introducing color. On Saturday April 13th guest CZT, Jean Theurkauf, will present "A Touch of Color" workshop at Franklin Art Center. 

Students will experiment with :

• Using a palette of watercolor pencils to add color washes and highlights to their art pieces. 
• Choosing combinations of colors that work well together 
• Layering colors 
• Using color to play up or down areas of tangles. 

Jean has a Bachelor of Arts in Studio Art and Psychology from Brandeis University. After working for many years in software engineering, she has returned to her passions... art, fiber and teaching. Jean approaches the teaching of Zentangle as a way to help people unlock and expand their natural artistic talents. She also teaches knitting, crochet and weaving techniques, and encourages students not to follow a pattern, but to invent their own.

Hope you can join us!

Date: Saturday April 13th, 1-3pm 

Location: Franklin Art Center, 5 Main Street, Franklin, MA

Fee: $35 (materials included)

The Diva's Weekly Challenge #111: "More-Mooka-Madness Monotangle-Mania"

The Diva's Challenge this week was to create a tile using just the tangle 'Mooka'. Last week the challenge was to try something new. And in a couple of weeks time CZT Jean Theurkauf, CZT will be visiting us at  Franklin Art Center (Franklin MA) to present a 'Touch of Color' workshop to introduce the idea of adding a touch of color to their zentangle designs. So... This week I used Mooka as a tangle and tried out some watercolor pencils. It's not true zentangle, but rather an example of Zentangle Inspired Art otherwise known as a ZIA :)

Zentangle Inspired Art using 'Mooka'

Spring into Zentangle classes this Sunday

It's very nearly spring, but still cold enough that we want activities to do indoors. Decorated eggs can remind us that the season for new beginnings... and warmer weather... are on the way. If you are looking for a new way to decorate your eggs, come in to learn Zentangle this weekend at Franklin Art Center with a special 'Spring into Zentangle' Beginners workshop (1:30-3:30pm). And if you are already familiar with Zentangle, we will also be tangling eggs (and exploring the tangle 'Rick's Paradox') at Sunday's Tangle Time class (4-5:30pm). Participants of the Beginner's class are welcome to stay and join us for Tangle Time. Please call or email me to register for either (or both!) classes.

'Spring Into Zentangle' Beginners Workshop
Sunday March 24th, 2013
1:30-3:30pm
Franklin Art Center, 5 Main Street, Franklin MA

This two hour workshop introduces you to the Zentangle method, explaining concepts, history and applications. You will learn several Zentangle patterns and be guided through the creation of your first Zentangle tiles. To make this class special for spring everyone will receive an (empty) eggshell to start tangling during class and to take home to complete. Participants may wish to consider staying for the Tangle Time class which follows this workshop (see below). Ages 8 and up. No experience necessary. Class fee: $35, materials included. Senior and parent/child discounts available.

Tangle Time: The Paradoxical Egg
Sunday March 24th, 2013
4-5:30pm
Franklin Art Center, 5 Main Street, Franklin MA
Which came first, the chicken or the egg? Not sure if we will be able to answer that question, but during this Tangle Time class we will explore 'Rick's Paradox', a beautiful tangle which, using just a single line repeated again and again, can produce beautiful, delicate, intricate patterns. Learn how to use it to fill spaces of any shape and size and how to create 'fan' and 'twisted column' effects. We will discuss the pros and cons of different pens/pencils for use on eggs, and eggs (not chickens!) and Zentangle tiles will be provided for participants to tangle. Tangle Time classes include 30mins of quiet tangle time to allow students to become absorbed in their work and experience the relaxation benefits of Zentangle. Students are welcome to bring their own tangling projects to work on during our quiet tangling time and may also bring iPods with head phones if they have preferred music they like to listen to during their quiet tangle time. Class fee:$15, Please bring your Zentangle kit; eggs and Zentangle tiles are included in the fee. 

The Diva's Weekly Challenge #109: "Zentangle Quest"

Every week The Diva sets a challenge online for the Zentangle community to participate in. This week's challenge was based on a blog post by Maria Thomas, one of the two founders of Zentangle. The challenge involved parallel lines overlayed by bands. I had so much fun filling in the columns and bands, especially since I love to play with 3D effects, but was not sure what I wanted to do with the open spaces in between. Then I thought of my brown micron pen and remembered Maria's blog post about staining tiles with tea applied with a small paintbrush.I will definitely be working with all these ideas again!

After school class at Art Studio 109

Great class this afternoon at Art Studio 109 in Medfield. Their tiles are posted on my facebook page at www.facebook.com/TheTravelingTangler or you can get there any time by clicking on the Facebook tab at the top of this page! Looking forward to showing them how to create highlights on their tangles next week! 

Tangle Time Class Today

Tangle Time class at Franklin Art Center will be running as scheduled today from 1-3pm. We will be making a paper booklet and filling it with lots of ideas for strings and borders, sharing some tangles and then will have some quiet tangling time to relax and tangle up some cool designs :) Full (new and updated!) details about Tangle Time and other classes on the Class Info/Schedule tab.

The Diva's Challenge #106: "The Year of the Snake"

The Chinese New Year and this time its the Year of the Snake and the basis of this week's Diva's challenge this week.You can find the details of the challenge and see all the wonderful entries by clicking HERE. Below is my entry using Diva Dance and Indy-Rella with some little Zinger's thrown in at the side.

Tangles: Diva Dance, Indy-Rella

Zentangle For Kids after school program

In conjunction with Karen Johnson at Art Studio 109 in Medfield, MA, I will be teaching Zentangle for Kids (kids aged 8-12 years). The program runs on Tuesdays from 3:15-4:15pm. The first class is this coming Tuesday Feb 12. At our one hour demonstration class this week students got to try out using Zentangle... check out the photo of their awesome first zentangle designs at my facebook page at www.facebook.com/TheTravelingTangler There are still places available in this class so let us know if your child would like to join us!

Zendala Class Review

We had a full class for visiting CZT Karen Keefe who came to teach us about incorporating breathing, centering and meditation practices with the Zentangle method to create Zendalas. We picked out a template to work on and Karen demonstrated some tangles for us. Then she showed us some ideas for making all our decisions up front (to get all the thinking out of the way first!) and we settled in for a 30 minute quiet tangle. We all made a good start on our zendalas. Here is a photo of mine at the end of class and after I had spent some time filling and shading at home. Join us at Tangle Time this coming Friday Feb 1st for a review of the basics and use a Zentangle zendala tile to begin a zendala of your own!

The Diva's Challenge #101: Phicops

This week's challenge from The Diva uses a new tangle called 'Phicops'. You can read the story behind this tangle at The Diva's website here. I spent a while tangling my entry sitting in a sunny window seat at my local library :)

First tile for 2013 and the Diva's 100th Challenge

Happy New Year to all! Over the holiday I was playing catch up to complete the 100th Diva Challenge which was to use a new tangle from Maria and Rick called 'Diva Dance'. Here are two tiles I did during the holidays...

And this one I did today... first Zentangle tile of 2013 :)