Student Work in Zentangle

There is nothing more exciting and rewarding to a teacher than to have her student exceed her own capabilities.  That is obviously what is happening with several of my Zentangle students here at Hawthorne. 

Kudos to Sheila (the egg) and to Martha (the other two ZIAs).  At our reunion yesterday afternoon the 8 people who came and shared were just rolling along!  We had a great sharing time. 

I also wanted to share Robert Genn's blog message today (you and google his name and go to the source directly).  Many of you get his blog so this is repeat.  It's just too good to miss.  And it speaks to everyone, not just artists.

Thought for the day: (keep in mind, this is being written by a man diagnosed with pancreatic cancer…who is painting in a horizontal position in a lounge chair wracked with the effects of chemotherapy.  There are times when I read something and I am left bereft of any way to express my total admiration for the courage and amazing outlook of some people.)  

At the risk of once more dividing the world into two main kinds of people, there are two main kinds of people:  those who amuse themselves, and those who require amusement from others. Artists seem to be pretty much of the former kind. Self-amusement prompts creativity.

Mornings are special times for the self-amusing. Curious as to what the day may bring, they often step directly into the amusement area--the studio. What I call "Curious Morning Syndrome" (CMS) is often the simple catalyst for productivity, invention, creativity and success. The blessing, of course, is not always evident to the young. Sleeping-in has ruined many an early career. And some folks must wait until middle or old age for CMS to kick in. Some think it's a gene. It's more likely a learned habit.

One way to activate CMS is to simply set yourself up to be curious about the outcome and potential of yesterday's efforts. A good system is to leave something unfinished when you shut down the studio at night. Better still, leave several things unfinished. The easier, the more enjoyable the task you leave behind, the more the likelihood of an early morning kick-off. At the same time, challenges are often best attacked when you are well rested and fresh. It's amazing what time and a good sleep can do for problematicals. The cold grey light of dawn automatically presents opportunities to the prepared worker. Happy outcomes are uncommonly common to the curious. Curiosity may have killed the cat, but it has been responsible for birthing a lot of lively art. "How is this going to turn out?" is an essential question that an artist asks. Curiosity tramples drudgery and fires up improvisation. Curiosity sets the hands and mind in motion.

Every day is a chance for rebirth. When you think of it, every day is a relentless carousel with a joyous new song and a new view. Curiosity allows your unique "owned processes" to draw you toward creative conclusions. Thus, the miracle of creativity is regularly reborn. It's a blessing to see your world, your studio and your hands within it, first thing, like a child, with baby eyes. It's also a blessing that pervasive private curiosity can be rebooted a thousand times in one beautiful turn of the carousel.  Robert Genn