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Linda Farmer, Certified Zentangle Teacher

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Tangle Refresher 147 – Featuring the Zen of Zentangle®

Tangle Refresher!

Way back when in the early-ish days of Zentangle, Ohio CZT® (and my CZT#7 classmate) Carole Ohl posted an article called More Than a Metaphor on her blog.

In it Carole describes her experience and personal process creating a Zentangle. Or more accurately, allowing it to create itself.

Carole’s article is a wonderful piece of philosophy, wisdom and encouragement as she muses on these steps:

First, the act of starting a Zentangle.

Here she writes,

As I draw my string, I have to let go of what I may WANT the Zentangle to look like.

I allow my hand to intuitively (without thinking) make a mark.

I have to use and trust my intuition, no matter what my big left brain is trying to tell me (and it certainly has a lot to say: “that’s not pretty enough, that is too much space, that is not enough space”).

The ACT of using my intuition opens up the “intuition pipeline” a little bit more, and the next time I call on my intuition, there just might be an easier flow.

What an important reminder that Zentangle is not about planning and making pretty pictures. It’s about allowing your intuition to flow, “the awareness of NOW“. I ask you, how can you be in the “state of NOW” when you’re busy figuring out how your tile is going to turn out, what it’s going to “be”??

Carole goes on to reflect on these next steps …

Second, the act of choosing a tangle.

And lastly, the act of doing a tangle.

I encourage you to read (or re-read) Carole’s entire article and enjoy the wisdom and insight she shares. Here is her article, More Than a Metaphor.

BTW, Carole isn’t as active on her blog as she once was (and how I miss her wisdom!) because she opened a new bead store called Bead Stash in Kettering OH. However, she’s still very well known in the Zentangle community because each year she publishes her very popular “Tangle-a-Day Calendar“. Check it out!

And check out the tag caroleo for all of Carole’s tangles on TanglePatterns.com.

 * * *

The Tangle Refresher series, aka Buried Treasure, spotlights hidden tangle gems from the past. It can remind you of tangles you might not have used for a while or introduce you to some you haven’t come across yet.

Here are five more tangle pattern gems and a Tangle Refresher from a year (or two) ago for your tangling pleasure. Remember to check out the “More Good Stuff” links below too.

BTW as you visit these tangles please do leave a comment of thanks and encouragement to show the artists you appreciate them for sharing their creativity to inspire yours. And please share a link to your favorite tangles with your followers on all your social media. Thanks!

Zenful tangling!

Buried Treasure from the tangling past
Zentangle pattern: Yincut. Image © Linda Farmer and TanglePatterns.com. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. You may use this image for your personal non-commercial reference only. The unauthorized pinning, reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Yincut
Zentangle pattern: Test Pattern. Image © Linda Farmer and TanglePatterns.com. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. You may use this image for your personal non-commercial reference only. The unauthorized pinning, reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Test Pattern
Zentangle pattern: Schiefer. Image © Linda Farmer and TanglePatterns.com. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. You may use this image for your personal non-commercial reference only. The unauthorized pinning, reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Schiefer
Zentangle pattern: C-six. Image © Linda Farmer and TanglePatterns.com. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. You may use this image for your personal non-commercial reference only. The unauthorized pinning, reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. C-Six
Zentangle pattern: Slice. Image © Linda Farmer and TanglePatterns.com. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. You may use this image for your personal non-commercial reference only. The unauthorized pinning, reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Slice
Revisit the Tangle Refresher from a year ago Tangle Refresher 119

More good stuff …

.oOo.

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"Absolutely the best Zentangle Book yet! As an accomplished artist I used to think I did not need instruction on this art form. How wrong I was! My tangling improved by leaps and bounds after reading this book. If you think you have Zentangle down then you need this book more than ever!" ~ Kris H

.oOo.

1 comment to Tangle Refresher 147 – Featuring the Zen of Zentangle®

  • Suzanne

    Thank you, Linda! Carole’s article is awesome. It’s comforting to know others have the same left brain thoughts going on while they are tangling.

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