Day 1

I never thought I would have my own blog. But I want to use this as a showcase for some of my latest loves - Zentangle (R).

Zentangle is a simple but very soul satisfying artform that is suitable for everyone. It can be done by the young and old alike and each age can find immense satisfaction in creating something beautiful. There are no failures. There is no criticism. There are no erasers. What is better than that?

Zentangle (R) is the brainchild of creators Maria Thomas and Rick Roberts of Whitinsville MA. Maria, a very talented professional calligrapher, was caught relaxing and drawing repetitive shapes and designs when Rick noticed her Zen like state. From there the process began. They began teaching classes with students coming from all over the world. I was in class 4 where there were 2 from Australia, 1 from France, and another from Hong Kong as well as all over the United States. They have just graduated their 5th class. We graduate with the title of CZT (Certified Zentangle Teacher) I think that I am as excited and proud of those three letters behind my name as the BA I got 40+ years ago form Emory University. I am sure that I enjoyed the experience more.

I hope to inspire plain ordinary people like me to create and try something new. But this is not only a satisfying self indulgence. It also serves a very real purpose in relaxation and focus. I decided to do a little experimenting by teaching two 10 year old twins who suffer from pronounced ADHD. Their piano teacher complained that they were very diffuicult to get to focus on their classes and would be up and down and fidgeting throughout class time. I worked with the children for 15 minutes prior to their class, teaching them simple drawing patterns. They would leave me and go to their piano lessons prepared to sit and play. It make a remarkable difference in them. This was not just a one time thing. Every week I worked with them, the results would be repeated. When I was unable to draw with them, disaster at the piano. Doing the Zentangles causes the brain to slow down and focus on the project at hand. This is just my observation but it has made me a believer in the possiblities of the hand and mind working in tandem.