Pages

Monday, September 20, 2010

Squam-ed!

I'm home! I am so glad to be back in a warm, comfy bed, but I am already so home-sick for Squam.
I have never been to an art retreat that was so exhausting (and cold!), but so mind altering. If you get the chance to attend, please go. I met so many new friends - I wish I could have brought a few home to play with.
Rustic. Just assume that it will be freezing cold and your room will only have open screens on the windows... and you will be fine. Yes, sleeping in a hat and scarf does help.

Oh what a view! (from our cabin's screen porch.)

Squam Lake has lots of little inlets - the camp sprawls around a bunch of them.
"Sticks & Stones" Class - we had a half hour to integrate some clay into the environment.

"Sticks & Stones" - mud creatures.

"Sticks & Stones" - next we had to create something out of sticks. I made a temple for a horned stick god I found in the woods. The pathway is made from chips of mica. It looked much more impressive in real life.

"Sticks & Stones"- close-up of the horned stick god.

"Sticks & Stones" - my big installation was an archway with a pinecone carpet. It seemed like a good idea at the time... but I couldn't feel my fingertips for 2 days after bending down the saplings and tying all those knots.

This is Brandi - she does amazing pet portraits (www.paintedrabbit.com)
"Painting in a Day"- I re-interpreted my mud creatures onto canvas with acrylics and torn paper. Now they are roguish slugbabies.

And one more time. The slugbabies have gone cute. Well, cuter.
The last class was "Three Tools"- I learned to use a jigsaw, a drill and a tape measure (and a hammer!) I decided to make a dining table for my ... ah, my daughter's dolls. I learned to woodburn too!

I brought the table back to the cabin and sat in the sunshine painting it until it was too dark to see anymore. Aah life is good.

Sat. night was the Squam Art Fair. Large blocks of glowing ice lined the walkways.

Jonatha Brooke was selling her albums (and dressed in bottle caps). She is so amazing. She sang us a bunch of songs she wrote with Woody Guthrie. :-)  If you aren't hip to music, ask your kids, she even has a track on "Tinkerbell and the Lost Treasure" - oooh!

The Square Peg Breakfast Club. Funny how the introverts tend to eat near the edges of the dining room. Caryn, Shelly, Carrie, Me, Retta. There were a few others who were fun dining companions, but they didn't survive til Sunday morning.

Thursday, September 9, 2010

A Squidoo Lens of My Book!

Ragged Edge has done a really nice "Lens" with a review of my book, Totally Tangled!
How exciting! And now you are mostly wondering, "What the heck is a lens?" That is best answered by exploring the site. Go look!

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Meanwhile... Back at the Master Class...

Yes, it's a little late, but I finally took some quick pics of what I created at the Zentangle Master Class in Newport, RI in August. I really loved working on the illuminated letter. I did a "Bee" for Bartholomew and, of course, for "Beez Ink Studio".  It took FOREVER to fill in all the sections two days, plus I stayed up until 2am the last night) - this piece is about 13" wide and twice that tall. We were to color in our central letter section with tasteful, muted shades of watercolors... I'm not very good at "tasteful." I like bright and juicy, so I used my Inktense pencils and I really love the way it turned out.
The second piece was even larger, but our tangles were drawn bigger too. I love doing highlights and shadows, so this was a blast. Though I didn't actually... like... my piece until I added the little pile of Jetties at the bottom and the few slipping out of the main design. I think it is my illustrator's nature to need some kind of a "story." Speaking of stories, if you ever get a chance to talk with Rick or Maria, be sure to ask them where the name "Jetties" comes from! You will be very amused.

Yes, it does rather look like a shopping cart! (Unintentional).
Close up detail of Jetties pile

If you are sorry that you couldn't be at the workshop, you are in luck! Suzanne McNeil (from Design Originals) made an incredible video (actually 2 parts) that she posted on YouTube. I'm interviewed in Part A. Most of us spent a few hours being terrified to appear on camera for a few minutes. :-) Yes, I am camera shy. Oh and be sure to watch Part B too as there are lots of actual demos on how to draw some new Tangles, done by the CZTs. If you watch the videos in a hot, humid room, it will feel like you were actually there with us! But seriously, if they offer this Master Class next year, SIGN up ASAP! (Unless you are a "traditionalist" Zentangle fanatic. In which case you would hate it. Tee hee).

Monday, September 6, 2010

Zentangles of Healing

Hey all, I got permission from Mary Ann to reprint her email letter here on my blog. I love the idea of creating Zentangles to help others heal. And I believe that it really does help... and it certainly doesn't HURT! So if you have a moment tomorrow, send healing, protective thoughts to Mary Ann, and if you have two moments ;-D create a tangle for her too. And by the way, Mary Ann is a "Totally Tangled" artist, a really cool lady, and one of my role models. So let's take care of her with our thoughts and prayers. Cheers!

"It's MaryAnn here, from CZT class #1.  I recently found out that I have a couple of nodes growing in 2 sections of my lungs that shouldn’t be there.  It’s been decided that they have to be removed and the date set for that is Sept. 7th.   Since I've had a bit of time to prepare for it, I’ve been using a program called Prepare for Surgery and Heal Faster by Peggy Huddleston (google her name if you want to know more about it, it's excellent for anyone having surgery, big or small).  It endeavors to bring focus on the positive aspects of what’s happening and so I’m trying to come up with some creative approaches to this. 

One of the exercises is to picture yourself first as you are healing and then again already healed, doing something you love to do.  Well, that’s an easy image…. making and teaching Zentangle!  I’m hoping some of you can help me with this.  If you would, pick a date between Sept. 7th and October 7th and on that day send me one of your tangled tiles.  Each day, I plan on feeling better and better, stronger and stronger until I am healed and whole again (this could take a couple of months but I’m being optimistic!  LOL)  And, as each Zentangle arrives, with its love and healing energy stored up in the Tangles, I will be building a mosaic of strength and support from my Zentangle friends and colleagues.  (mailing address is below)

I plan on journaling my journey down this road and hope to use my recovery time to continue to grow personally and professionally.  Maybe by using Zentangle as part of my recovery “tools”, I’ll be able to learn to help others use it too and I’ll share that with y’all.

I’m also having a prayer circle begin praying for me ½ hour before my surgery time.  If you wish to participate, please begin 8am Sept. 7th and while you are praying or just sending postive energy (in whatever fashion you are comfortable with) please imagine that you are wrapping me in a beautiful Southwestern Indian blanket of love.  The actual visualization of that image will help you to focus the energy.  That’s it.  Thank you so much.

As soon as possible after the surgery, I'll send out an email update.

"WHEN LIFE GIVES YOU LEMONS, MAKE LEMONADE!"  (or Zentangles!)

With greatfulness and affection
MaryAnn, CZT (Class #1)"

MaryAnn Scheblein-Dawson
Origami Specialist and Certified Zentangle Teacher
217 Hoffman Street
Franklin Square, NY  11010

LinkWithin

Related Posts with Thumbnails