Saturday Tangling

Fiore, W2, Shard, Striping, Footlites

Roxi, Hako, Maelstrom(v), Mumsy, Dugwud

The top Zentangle (3.5") is a nice one...it is a two-pencil string again (the string is drawn with two pencils held in one hand at the same time.)  For some reason it gives a unique somewhat outside-the-box shape that appeals to me.

The second is just generated randomly and ended up sort of "pointy".  I tried to balance that with Roxi slipping in and out of the tangle.  I see now that I would have done better to find one tangle that had more "fill" in it or darkness.  It's just all too much the same.  

Dark, cool, gloomy most of today in the north woods AGAIN.  Aren't you tired of reading that?  Me too.  Looks like a little bit of sunset on the lake tonight so I am hopeful for more sun tomorrow. This is peak weekend for the tourist coming up and it would be nice to have some nice weather for them too!   

Rainy Day thoughts

Hako, Flux, Fiore, Brix Box (and fuschia Intense Pencil)

This is a prayerful Zentangle.  It is done while saying a prayer for a dear friend having a procedure done this afternoon.  

Many storms passing through Northern Wisconsin on this Thursday afternoon!  Storm after storm after storm.  MUCH lightening and thunder!  One storm around 1 pm had a strike that must have been less than a mile from us.  I jumped about a foot.  SO LOUD.  It rains awhile and then the storm passes and the sun comes out awhile and then it starts all over again!  Sometimes the sun is out before it stops raining. (Must be a rainbow out there somewhere!)

I can hear the mushrooms growing!  Hahaha.  And beautiful golden shelf fungus on the trees.  The birds just ignore it all and come to the feeder in the rain!  

So today was a good day to kind of tidy things up, do some baking, make up guest beds, and do a load of laundry.  Hubby fixed a chair leg, worked in his model train room, and did some banking work.  I also may work on the jigsaw puzzle out on the screen porch for awhile.  70 degrees.

Diva Challenge: Hope in the Face of Adversity

Fiona, Good Joss, Henna Drum

The Diva's challenge this week is a touching and difficult one.  (Have you noticed that she is giving us a lot of think about lately?)  

She is responding to devastating floods in Canada in an area where she used to live.  So she has asked us to "respond to many natural disasters" that we are hearing and seeing on the news...horrible fires, tornadoes and floods here and all over the world.

Zen-like people (like ourselves) are especially sensitive to these things as I think most of us are "introverts" or relatively introverted. I mean that in the best sense of the word.  Read Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can't Stop Talking by Susan Cain.   

So the Diva asks...how can we "show through our zentangles" the power of hope in adversity.  I know that mine is not a true Zentangle but rather is a ZIA.  It has a string that looks like something and it has a right-side up.  But I needed to have something recognizable in mine to send my message.  

Teaching Beginning Watercolor at Clearwater Camp

Continuous line drawing with ink!

Clouds, trees, rocks, water...oh my

This was Day Two of my volunteer teaching at Clearwater Camp for Girls in Minocqua, Wisconsin.

The camp is about 30 minutes from our cabin on another lake.  If you look carefully at the first photo you can see out the window what a wonderful space we have to work in!  The view is to die for!  

The arts and crafts building actually hangs out OVER the lake.  Sailboats drift by.  Behind the girls in the second picture you can see the waterfront where the girls swim.  

On Day two the group went from eight to six girls because two left on a canoe trip.  They are all 13-14 year olds.  Extremely nice gals.  And they did a continuous line drawing of red peppers and lemons. 

We also worked on shadows (ala Brenda Swenson with reflective color in them.)

Then I worked with them on how to make simple clouds, some simple ideas for water and rocks and two kinds of trees.  In the second photo they are using my drawing to practice all these.  

You can see the dates I am planning to teach there under my events to the right of the blog.  Weather was absolutely PERFECT both days...80s and sunny. Isn't it nice not to have me weather-whining!!!?

Roy's Challenge: Betweed Mono-tangle

Betweed

Roy mentioned that many of us have a love-hate relationship with this tangle.  It's sure true of me...as I rarely use this one.  It just does not resonate with me.  But I always like to give challenges a fair try...that is what they are for...sometimes it can turn you around.  Hmmmm, nah.  

Plein-Air Painters of America in Wausau, WI

Woodson Art Museum in Wausau, WI Saturday June 22

on opening day. 

The exhibit will run to August 25.

Free admission.  

Tues-Friday 9-4

Sat/Sun noon to 5.

(Note, Birds in Art, the "flagship exhibit" will open on September 7 and run through

November 10)

Kenn Backhause "Butterflies" in oil (about 12 x 12" I'd say.
One of my favorites.

This is a really nice exhibit and I hope if you are in the area that you will stop in and see it.  Mostly oils, a few pastels and a few watercolors.  

Click here for the museum website.

Diva's Challenge #123

In this challenge the Diva asks us to explore the "zen" in Zentangle.
Maybe not use tangles? Just explore.
But for me the zen comes from THE most relaxing of the tangles...those which no longer require me to look at a "step out" or even think actually..just "be" in the moment. If I am "inventing lines then I am back into the "creation" level again. For me the ZEN comes in the "unthinking" part of the design.

The tangles in this Zentangle are all gentle on my mind. Note there is only one semi-grid one which is a variation of Cubine.

Crescent moon, Paradox, Golven, Jetties, Cubine, Striping, Tipple, Shard. laces. All just gentle Zen tangles for me.



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Japanese Folding Pocket Sketch Moleskin Sketchbook

Japanese Folding Pocket Sketchbook  3x 5 (Moleskin)

So many times I end up somewhere and do not have my sketchbook with me.  This little guy fits right into my purse (along with one Micron #3 pen) and has a built in rubber band that holds it securely closed.  

I do not take any watercolors with me...if I want color I add it later and might take a photo if I need to remind myself on the colors.  Just room for a drawing a small object or two and maybe some notes.  Voila.  I found it at Cheap Joe's catalog.  And the paper is thick enough that I can draw on both sides!  (It does not take watercolor very well...sort of slick finish).  But it is okay.  Fits my needs.  It doesn't take the place of good "travel journal" or a personal journal but just for those times when you are sitting somewhere and you look across the room or out the window and you think "if only..."  :-)

And sometimes I even drop a Zentangle into it.

Auction items for the MAL show in July

Woodland Steps

White Lilacs

From My Garden

I have posted these for Ron to look at to see which one he thinks might be the best painting to donate for the MAL auction in July.  All are acrylic on canvas and all are 16 x 20 with wire hangers.  The last two have no frame (just gallery wrapped) but the first has a slip metal frame.

The idea is to pick the one the will bring in the most money, of course.  Money to go to scholarships for art students.  If you'd like to vote, leave a comment.

But Ron needs to decide this week, I think.

I have listed this size painting at $175 and Ron says the bidding starts at 1/3 the listed price.  So, about $60 I guess for the first bid.  I am leaning toward the first one only because it is the north woods up here...but sometimes florals have more wide appeal.

Roy's Challenge: Hollibaugh Mono-tangle

Hollibaugh Mono-tangle 3 x 5  ZIA

Roy's challenge this week is Hollibaugh and wouldn't you know I just did this tangle for the Diva's challenge but with other tangles added.  Roy, of course, wants a mono-tangle in his (no other tangles included).  So I did this one on a watercolor postcard that had been tinted with watercolor.

I admit to using a sharpie pen for all the fills because otherwise I would still be doing this!  Hahaha.  But fill is very "dramatic" and I do like it.  Now sometimes I do put tangles in behind in this tangle  but not in a mono-tangle, of course.

Weather in the north woods has "moderated" a little.  It is still jeans and flannel shirt weather BUT the sun is shining and temps might get to 73 in town today.  I always have to add "in town" because we have to subtract about 5-7 degrees for here in the forest at the lake shore.  

We are going to the farmer's market this morning (I must remember to take some photos).  I think this would be a great place to sketch too if I had time.  We have some errands to run at WalMart and Ace and I am FINALLY going to get my impatiens plants for my flower boxes!  Yeah!  That will be a good photo too!  

Watercolor sketch of Marywood Center

Watercolor 9 x 11 on Arches 140# paper

This is the second sketch I did yesterday at Marywood Spiritual Center in Arbor Vitae, WI.  Most folks sketched down by the lake but the wind whipping up was VERY cool and even though I was dressed for the weather, I like to be comfortable when I paint.  (see my set up in yesterday's post.)

If you scroll down one post you'll see my first sketch.  After that was finished I moved about 50' from that location and turned toward this sweet little area near the building.  The garden plantings were profuse but it's so early in the spring not much is blooming yet.  I re-arranged the setting (Brenda style) and moved the little wishing well over into the yard from it's location far off to the right. And I cleared some space in the garden (for your eye to have some spaces to travel around in.)  I see now a few compositional things I'd like to change.  I don't like that "straight" line of grass under the wishing well and it will be nicer to make that more uneven and natural.  I plan to tone down the chimney a bit...it sticks out too much right now.  I'll put it more in shadow.  

It was a fun little memory.  I did finish it up in the studio after I got back...since I did two sketches I didn't have time to finish this one.  I put the photo on my iPad so I could look at the scene as I completed it.  That was helpful.  

Continuous Ink Drawing On Location: June 13 En Plein Air

7 x 9: Watercolor and Micron pen on Arches 140# wc paper

Well today the outdoor painters group (about 15 of us) met at Marywood Spiritual Center in Arbor Vitae, WI.  It is a great setting on Trout Lake with lovely gardens, paths, architecture, etc.  What did I sketch?  
A motorcycle.

Well, I found it windy and cold down at the lake shore...so I headed up to the spiritual garden with the statues and wishing well and early spring flowers.    

I settled down with my stuff. (including my thermos of hot coffee which I poured right away while thinking.)

The flowers and the architecture looked inviting.  Then sun came out.  I was up away from the lake it wasn't so windy but enough to keep the mosquitoes off.  Really pleasant.  But then.... I turned around and there it was.  This gorgeous motorcycle.  Could I do a continuous line pen drawing of THIS?  I LOVE a challenge!  This was all free hand and "almost" continuous line.  I did pick up the pen a few times.  

I spent almost an hour on the drawing/wc.  VERY fun.  Then I changed locations and went over to the flowers and did a little pencil sketch (took a photo so I could finish later) and off to lunch with the gang. (I'll post the second sketch later.)  We had a great lunch at the Northern Cafe in Arbor Vitae on Hwy 51.  Home made bread!  Oh yum.  

I'll miss next week as I am headed to southern WI to visit my friend Kendra for a few days.  But I'll take my sketching supplies with me.  Ya never know when a motorcycle will be sitting RIGHT there!  :-)  

Organizing tangles

Organizing Grid tangles

Some of us on the Zentangle challenges have been talking about "organizational" stuff lately.  I mentioned that I had glued my copy of Maria's "grid chart" inside the front cover of my tangle organizer.

I thought I would show how that looks.

I also added a few examples of how I can use one grid to make dozens of different tangles.  Just as a reminder.  I am seeing lots of great examples.. Linda Dawson's "Maelstrom" is beautiful!  You can go to tanglepatterns.com to find that.  

My little home made organizer book is just made up of Strathmore stationary (unfolded card size) with 12 squares per side for the tangles.  Then I take it to Office Depot and they spiral bind it for me.  If I need more pages they can open up the spiral binding and add more.

I keep a 3-ring binder with the "step outs" in another location as it is not as mobile.  

Brushes, Books, and Beatitudes

Cosmo Top Spin Flat Da Vinci #20 MM brush

The Book that is gluing together my spring and summer.

First off...top photo.  That is the beautiful little 6" brush that Brenda Swenson uses.  We all know that all we have to do is BUY the brush an artist uses and we'll instantly start painting just like them.  Right?  Of course.  :-)

This is a real dandy brush though, seriously, and it is the  lightest brush I've ever touched...weighs next to nothing.  Perfect size for outdoor painting for sure.  I got mine at Dick Blick (about $17) but I hear some other art stores carry it.  First thing you do is take clear nail polish and paint all around the top edge of the ferrule.  (You should do that will all your good brushes.)  Keeps the water out of that area.  Another tip is to always dry your brushes laying flat. 

Second off, click here to see what I am doing this summer (among other things).  Scroll down through the "arts" section to find me.  Cool, huh?  

Third off, the other photo is of the book I have been raving about the last week or so. (Laying on those old fall leaves my husband is busy raking up!)  For so many reasons this summer has had a quality of "distraction" about it.  A friend's illness, the weather, another friend sliding into dementia, lots of broken things, etc etc.  This book seemed to appear by magic with simple words and thoughts...like walking a labyrinth in your head.  

Thought for today: "The aspects of things that are most important for us are hidden because of their simplicity and familiarity." 

Ludwig Wittgenstein

Original WC on notecard: Lily of the Valley

WC and pen and ink on Strathmore cream notecard 4 x 6

Our lily of the valley are blooming now and they are so beautiful.  Here in the north woods, flowers are small and delicate and easily overlooked.  Although these are not wild flowers (we brought them up and transplanted them from the house we sold in Elkhorn, WI) they fit into the theme of small and gentle and beautiful.  The little pot was a gift from Jean Morgan who was a dear friend and I think of her whenever I take it out.  

My books on "Wabi Sabi" came in the mail today.  Perfect timing.  The little one by Diane Durston is a real gem. Wabi Sabi: The Art of Everyday Life.

 After a few short chapters about background and meaning...she uses mostly haiku poetry to express this mindfulness.  

In between are short little "stories" from the Japanese tradition that try to express meaning. There are also some photographs (black and white) and quotes.  Lovely.  

This morning around 6:30 am...a big ole round raccoon came waddling onto our property nosing around...trotting over the grandchildren's sandbox and then trundling down the path from the house to the lake.  Not 20 minutes later a beautiful red fox slipped gently by going the opposite direction...big plume of a tale.  I took my coffee down to the lake around 7:30 and sat in the adirondack chair to watch the sun come up behind me and illuminate the shore across the lake.  The lake like glass.  There are some days when I remember why I am here.

Diva's Challenge: Use the Grid squares to tangle

Grid # B-2 and Hollibaugh

Grids: E-3, A-2, D-1, F-4 and Kuke, Striping, Paradox, Bubble Bobble Blup

When ever I do a "two-pencil" string (as in the second Zentangle) my friend Roberta thinks that they look like studies for hats for British royalty to wear to weddings. I think she may have a point!!!  

And in the case of the "grids" chart...I have copied it  and pasted it inside the front cover of my tangle pattern book.  Really a clever way to look at grid designs.  I only used one grid design in the first one and then put 4 of them in the second one.  And of course each grid design as myriads of optional choices.  Boggles the mind.  

Weather is warming slightly in the north woods (for my weather watchers).  We will be in the 70s all week which is a joy.  Sunshine is optional on some days but will appear often enough to keep our spirits up...finally.  Looks like my En Plein Air group WILL get to paint on Thursday morning.  We got pretty much rained out last week but I was in Brenda's class and missed it anyway.  Mosquitoes are a BIG hazard especially right at the beginning of the season.  Then the black flies follow them!  Sigh.  So a big bottle of bug repellent goes with me everywhere.  We are going to a new location this spring called Marywood.  Photos to follow.

 

Zentangle cards

Kuke, Shard, Mumsy, Pavolno

I am putting together some cards now for a sale at our church in Lac du Flambeau on June 29th.  These are on 4 x 6 card stock.  (I know I spelled the last tangle name wrong but I am too lazy to go over to the studio this morning and find the correct spelling.)  I love that tangle and haven't used it for a long time.  You DO have to concentrate when you are doing it!  I've also never done a "Mumsy" that large before.  Kinda fun.  

Did you know that the gal who invented the "Kuke" tangle actually sliced a cucumber and then put it on a light box and copied the pattern from the way it looked with the light shining through the slice?  Are we all crazy or what? 

Although we expect rain again today in the north woods of WI, temps are rising up into the 70s this week.  Whoopie!  And I see sunshine Tuesday-Friday. THAT would be amazing.  Today would be a perfect day to get my art stuff all back in some semblance of order after the two workshops!  Wed I have an art league meeting and then Thursday my en plein air art group is meeting to paint!  I need to go and look up the location!!!  

Diva's Challenge: Birds on a Wire

Birds on a Wire, Orbs La Dee, Neuron (v), Schway, D-1 and B-3 Grids

I thought I'd real quick submit the Diva's Challenge for this week.  Hope I am not too late.  Birds on a Wire is used in 3 places on this Zentangle.  I have never used that tangle before and am not confident with it yet.  Looks like lots of variations possible thought which I like.  The string was a 2-pencil string again (two pencils held in one hand and drawn at one time).  Sometimes it works better than others.  The "grid" tangle patterns are from Marie's grid patterns that she gave us a few days ago.  I have glued them into the front of my pattern book.  Quite fun.  

Zentangle Challenge: Shard

Shard

Gosh I just love this tangle.  Roy's mono-tangle challenge for this week was new to me.  I had not come across this one before and you may be sure it has been "tagged" with a star!  

The End of Brenda Swenson's Watercolor Sketching workshop

Brenda Swenson and me

There is always a champagne reception on the last afternoon of class at Dillman's Resort.  

(Thus the glass in my hand.)  

After a class is over, you are left with such a "swirl of thoughts and ideas" that it is hard to come back down to earth.  In the days just following a good workshop there are important follow-up things to do.  Putting materials away, of course, but also making a list of not only important points and ideas gained in the workshop...and looking through photos and mini-movies taken during the workshop as well as books and DVDs, and making these things accessible again in some organized way.  

I have rarely seen such an organized teacher as Brenda.  She is an inspiration to "getting your act together".  I found the 4 days an "intimate" experience in sharing her attitude not only toward art but toward life in general.  I hope to share some thoughts on my blog in the days ahead and a little of that philosophy as it applies to journals because she really gave us some "insight" into WHY she journals and what art journals can really be about.

I don't generally do a lot of "words" on my blogs ...just share photos and scans and tell about how I did them or their size or materials.  More of a "how to" blog.  But after Brenda's class I am feeling more of a need to share some of the "behind the scenes" thinking involved in art...her's and mine.  You can skip the words, of course...that's the fun of blogs.  Optional reading.  Hahaha.  So here's to a great class and lots of wonderful new ideas ahead.  If you ever have a chance to take one of Brenda's classes I urge you to.  She also teaches wc negative painting and Oriental paper collage in wc.  Both look amazing.  You will find her blog on my favorites off to the right side of this post.  

Working on tinted paper

Not only working on tinted paper but trying out white gouache on tinted paper.

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Brenda's class Day 3 Continued....

In my sketchbook (permanent black ink and watercolor) 9 x 11

Photo reference

Both Joyce and Brenda teach about how to "adapt" photographs so that they do what YOU want them to do.  Do not be a slave to a photo says Joyce.  Brenda says "a camera has no brain.".  

Brenda's assignment here was to pick 3 items and do little thumbnails rearranging the items (in my case the lemonade stand, palm tree and the other tent) and put them in all different spots in the thumbnails until you find one that works best.  Then add some print to help "balance" and enhance the sketch.

Looking at my "sketch" I see it needs some more values (more darks in it).  But otherwise is a pleasing arrangement.  I think I should infer some people in it next time.  It is an outdoor fair scene.  People should be in it.  But for the sake of the quick assignment I just left them out.  

This street scene was from the Leesburg Art Fair the first weekend in March.  Here in Wisconsin cold and rain will continue for at least one more day (Thursday).  

We hope to clear off and have some sunshine on Friday and Sat here in WI north woods with temps "close" to 70.  

At this point I'll settle for that!  Seasonal Affective Disorder in June does not seem fair!!!  

Continuous Contour Drawing: Brenda Swenson's WC Sketching Class Day 3

Working with Print as Part of the Drawing 9x 12 in sketchbook.

We were asked to pick 3 objects first and just draw them separately.  I picked a stuffed bunny about 5" tall, a crocheted carrot and a tin cup.  No real thought about how these might go "together" later except that the carrot seemed nice for the bunny.

Part II of that assignment was to draw the 3 together in a grouping still using continuous line (not lifting the pen from the paper).  You try this...it's quite a feat to plan ahead around things!  

Part III of that assignment was to put in some "decorative" and interesting print that would add to the drawing either as a balance, a frame, or even to add a theme to the drawing. I couldn't help thinking bunny was "asking for a handout" with his tin cup! 

(Incidentally, the participants in the class all brought "stuff" to share for us all to draw.  The table was jam packed with everything from old tools to stuffed animals to pots and candlesticks, etc etc.)  

Using 4 different drawing tools... 9 x 12 sketchbook pages.

So what we have here is another assignment from this morning.  We were to draw the same subject matter (my back pack purse in my case) in 4 different angles or positions.  The practice here was drawing continuously without lifting the pen or pencil off the paper again but also to give us the chance to do this with 4 different drawing tools.

I used a pencil, a Pitt archival permanent pen (black), a micron permanent (brown) and an water-soluable pen (Tombo) in brown.

We are all having a GREAT time in the class and I cannot believe that tomorrow is the last day.  ARGHH.  

Meanwhile we broke cold-weather records for June 5 here today never getting above 50 all day.  And pretty much solid cold rain ALL day.  At 8 pm it is STILL pouring down steadily.   BLAH.  

 

Day 2 in Brenda's class

My little warm up sketch seems to have the title..."Collecting for Poor Homeless Bunnies".



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Contour drawing

Practicing light and shadow in Brenda's class using a contour drawing.



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Brenda Swenson's wc Sketching class begins

Line contour drawing....makes for "wonky" drawings.
We started out with warm ups of objects people brought in Brenda Swenson's class on wc sketching today. A basket and a carrot peeler...overlapping line drawing not lifting the pen.

Retsu Wabi-Sabi Part Two

Remember this is all pretty "experimental" at this stage.  These have been just totally "fun" and pure "escapism".  Remember "retsu" translates sort of "things collected in a line" or a series.  Wabi-Sabi more referring to "imperfect beauty".   

The way I am "planning" on displaying this particular ensemble..is with mat medium glued to a primed, gallery-wrapped canvas.  I have laid them out on the canvas here to you can sort of see how that might look.  I plan to leave the spaces between the tiles.  Just interesting eye-jumps.  

I primed the canvas last night with a coat of Cheap Joe's EXTRA special white gesso and sanded it smooth. And I have lightly sprayed all the tiles with a light coating of clear acrylic to set the graphite shading.  Now comes the experimental part. Part III.  

I will coat the canvas with clear gel medium and put the tiles on top of the medium using it for "bonding". The ticket here is to try hard to get the tiles to glue down flat (on a flexible canvas backing).  I have stuffed the inside of the wrapped canvas with newspaper to help keep it "braced" because I am going to have to lay some heavy books on top of the tiles to keep them from curling.  

IF this works, I'll finish it up by coating everything with at least one more coat of mat (or gloss) medium to completely seal the piece.  If it doesn't work...well then next time I'll frame them under glass...a kind of boring option.  But more secure.  Cross your fingers.  More later.

Tomorrow I start a watercolor sketching class with Brenda Swenson at Dillman's.  Lucky me!!!  Photos to follow.  

Retsu Wabi-Sabi

This ensemble will eventually be nine tiles (3 rows of 3). Each tile is 3.5" square.  One middle square and all top 3 tiles are yet incomplete. And of course, the middle one on the bottom is "under construction". 

I am not sure yet if you can tell that these are "tree-like" tangles?  The tiles "roughly" go together somewhat imperfectly (on purpose).  But hopefully when completed will give you a "thoughtful" view of early spring trees.  In a Zen-like manner, of course.

The early title for this is "Retsu Wabi-Sabi".

Roughly translated as a "series of imperfect beauty".

When you live in a small cabin among a huge forest of trees...the idea of trees permeates your thoughts.  I am reminded of Mary Oliver's lovely poem "When I Am Among the Trees"....."around me the trees stir in their leaves and call out 'Stay Awhile'.  The light flows from their branches.  And they call again, 'It's simple,' they say, 'and you too have come into the world to do this, to go easy, to be filled with light, and to shine.'"

These small images are perfect to work on as a series of wild storms rushes through northern Wisconsin over a period of 4-5 days.  We get hit over and over and over.  Just when you think it's safe to go out...wham another series hits.  Temps have dropped from 77 to 57.  Gray scudding clouds.  Frost is predicted tomorrow night.  Welcome to late spring in Lac du Flambeau!