Sharp Mesa Vista Staff Goes Zentangle

Zentangle has been proven to benefit many areas including: anxiety, stress, depression, pain/anger management, bereavement, Cancer therapy, addictions, self confidence, self-esteem, early art development for children and more.

Zentangle is also welcoming for caregivers or those in medical field that help those going thru the above challenges. Todays class was with 17 recreational therapist and staff at Sharp Mesa Vista, San Diego.  Caring for those going thru treatment is can be very stressful.  Caregivers as well as patients benefit from learning the Zentangle Method.

Zentangle is an easy-to-do art method that creates beautiful images by drawing structured patterns.  During the process you relax, focus and get into a state of well-being - healing art.  Who doesn't need 15 minutes to relax and take a moment for yourself.  Yes, it only takes 15-20 minutes to complete a Zentangle tile (that is what we call the paper).

The 17 staff members started their Zentangle journey in Zendergarten (basic Zentangle like Kindergarten).  You start at the beginning to build your knowledge and then you can take the tangles (that is what we call the patterns) to new directions (quilting, journaling, murals, wood, fabric).

Here are some cookies I found while shopping at Traders Joe's.   I noticed that the tangle "Bales" was decorating the cookie.  I bet they didn't know they were using the Zentangle Method.

Class learned how to create a basic Zentangle tile and were taught their first 5 tangles.

Best part of class is putting all the tiles together and see all the different interpretation of my instructions.  All the camera come out to capture the moment.

The lovely lady in pink below after class gave me a beautiful purple beaded bracelet.  I was told she is makes bracelets and give them out to those lucky folks.  I love it.  I have been wearing my purple bracelet since she put it on my wrist.  Thank you.  To me, the bracelets represents the folks I'm helping by teaching them the meditative art - Zentangle.

I asked her if she had heard of BEADS OF COURAGE?  She had not.  This would be a good time to share with anyone that might be interested.

Since 2005, Beads of Courage has been providing innovative arts-in-medicine programs that improve the quality of life for children and teens coping with cancer and other life-threatening illnesses, their families, and the clinicians who care for them. Check out how this amazing idea got started. Click on link below.

https://www.oncologynurseadvisor.com/home/departments/issues-in-cancer-survivorship/beads-of-courage-a-linear-story-of-a-childs-bravery-on-the-journey-to-recovery/

Here is their Facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/BeadsOfCourage/

I encourage you to do the same for any loved one going thru treatment/therapy/recover of an illness or challenge in their life.  

Zentangle Fall and Apple Harvest

We squeezed 23 students in Zentangle class today at North Clairemont Library (San Diego).  With Fall quickly approaching, it was a perfect time to bring out the pumpkins and fall colors in our art piece.  Even though San Diego doesn't get those vivid colors of four seasoned areas (palm trees don't loose those palm fronds, we still appreciate the thought of fall.

  Olympia, Washington (my niece, Claire & Chance)

Black and white  or adding color...  the tangles speak for theirselves.  

Zentangle class at North Clairemont Library every 3rd Thursday of the month @ 1:00-3:00.

Come early to get a seat - seating limited.

Zentangle class and all other programs are made possible by FRIENDS OF LIBRARY and city of San Diego.  Please support your local library and join the Friends of Library - only $10/annual or seniors $5.

Oasis Goes Dingbatz

I might be showing my age, but the last time I heard the word "dingbat" was when Archie Bunker called Edith that on the TV Show All in the Family.

At Oasis -  Grossmont (San Diego) today, we created a Zentangle Dingbatz greeting card. The class of thirteen, was lucky to be introduced to a fairly new class from the co-founders of the Zentangle Method.  Rick Roberts and Maria Thomas have expressed their love of the old world/renaissance era - Zentangle Dingbatz fits perfectly.

Dingbat - Wikipedia
In typography, a dingbat (sometimes more formally known as a printer's ornament or printer's character, is an ornament, character, or spacer used in typesetting, often employed for the creation of  box frames.)

Each year many of the Certified Zentangle Teachers attend TangleU.  TangleU is an exclusive continuing education conference for CZT colleagues to learn lesson plans and teaching tips to enrich their classes. I attended TangleU in Portland, Oregon in 2018.  When Dingbatz was brought to life, many of the CZT's enjoyed creating these fun little frames.  No one had more fun than Brian Crimmins.  Brian taught a delightful, fun class showing his love of DINGBATZ.

To make a long story short - we begged him to write a book on the subject.  Well, he listened and his book was recently released.  A very well written book.  Thanks Brian.  LOVE IT.

You can put Dingbatz art anywhere.  Today we applied to a greeting card.

Join me in one of the next Zentangle classes at Oasis -Grossmont

Go online for Oasis Fall Catalog (look under Wellness - Zentangle Club)

October 16th, 2019,   Monday @ 1:00-2:30 - Zentangle Fall Leaf

November 4th, 2019, Monday @ 1:00-2:30 - Zentangle for all occasions

December 2nd, 2019, Monday@ 1:00-2:30-  Zentangle Nutcracker

Princess & the Pea get Tangled

August 29th, at North Clairemont Library in San Diego, we remembered an old Fairy Tale by Hans Christian Anderson, The Princess and the Pea. 

We learned 14 new tangles using the Zentangle Method. 

One of the ladies in photo below, was intimidated by art.  She said finally, at 81, she now felt like an artist.  Thank you Zentangle.  Zentangle takes the HARD out of art.

Remember to support your local library and FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY so they can continue to bring wonderful programs like Zentangle to your area.

Zentangle Meets Koi Fish

What’s elegant, regal, and can be found gracing outdoor ponds and water gardens throughout the world? The koi fish, of course! These big, bright fish have been around for hundreds of years and make a great addition to any suitable garden pond or large water feature.

Koi are an ornamental species of fish that descend from the carp. In the 1600s, Chinese farmed carp in rice paddies, a practice that traveled to Japan, where the Japanese noticed odd color variations in some of the carp and bred them, creating the koi species. Koi used to only be found in red, white, black and blue, but have since been bred in different combinations of all the colors in the rainbow.

Koi fish are quite large and, with proper care, can grow to be between two and three feet in length. They are a heavy-bodied fish with an average weight of around 35 pounds.


Can You Eat Koi?

Chinese farmers originally bred koi for eating, and it wasn’t until the 1800s that the fish was bred as a pet for its unique and striking colors. Though they aren’t poisonous to eat, it’s advised that the types of koi that are kept as pets in water gardens or backyard ponds shouldn’t be eaten.

The Zentangle class today at University Community Library in San Diego, CA was a bit fishy.  Well, I mean we tangled a fish - Koi Fish.  You can never walk by a pond filled with Koi and not stop to watch these beautiful creatures with their stunning colors, and interesting behaviors.  It is almost like they follow you around the pond.  

Tangles applied today:  Printemps, Feathers, Tipple, and Pais.