Oh So Much Fun!

Thanks so much to my friend Paige in Saskatoon, who clued me in on a creative movement that seems to be sweeping the bookshelves, classrooms, homes, and Internet.  Have you heard of zentangle?  It’s basically a meditative organized way of doodling, usually in black ink on white and in an abstract manner, like this one from Maria Thomas, one of the founders (www.zentangle.com).  You make sections and fill each one with different patterns (there are dozens of books available that show you how to do these patterns – Paige, let me know how you like your zentangle mandala book when you get it…).  There are no mistakes, no erasing, and no drawing experience necessary – just seeing where it evolves while in a relaxed creative state.  Fun! There are also lots of videos online that teach some of the patterns, including this one that was inspired by the Art Nouveau posters of Alphonse Mucha, whom I mentioned in my previous post – the reason zentangle was such a big part of my day today (thanks again Paige!).

You should see what some people are doing with it (click here for image gallery). Doesn’t it have a bit of a tribal art/tatoo feel to it? Many artists are already selling their zentangle work, like Jani Freimann  (www.fineartamerica.com), whose horses I like.  But the possibilities are endless, and an hour or so surfing the Internet today while waiting for my paint to dry proved it.  I tell you, this zentangle thing is no secret (even if I was out of the loop)…   Of course part of me wishes it weren’t so popular, but I’m aware that this is a fear-based scarcity reaction to getting all enthusiastic about something new and not wanting it to be all over the place.  In the spirit of abundance and love, however, it’s my pleasure to share it with all of you – try it – you’ll probably like it.

Interestingly, this is not actually totally new to me or to the world – even though the name and extent might be.  I’ve long since played with meditative patterns (mostly swirls, spirals and dots) in my artwork and had already planned to incorporate new ones in both the paintings I’m working on, inspired by the work of two Viennese artists who inspire me: Klimt and Hundertwasser.  Although they didn’t use that name for it, they were zentangling long ago.  Check out all these bubbles of gorgeous patterns.

I’ve had one of these Hundertwasser images on my desk for weeks as I plan to stylize my childhood totem animals at the bottom of this painting in a similar way.  It’s still a long way from that stage though – it now has its 3rd full layer of whites due to 2 glazing misfortunes/ opportunities-for-learning.

My plan also involves covering the female figure and the tree she’s emerging from in sigils (secret sacred patterns I’ve developed).   The figures’ hair was inspired by Mucha’s art nouveau style.   In my second painting, (which you see here with the first localized magenta glaze), the hand at the top will eventually have an eye in the centre and all sorts of zentangle squiggles in it that spill out into a ball of energy spirals that is between them all (I just realized that I don’t  have a photo yet of the sketches I made of that weeks ago – I’ll have to add those later.)

All this to say that it’s just so cool to see how all the things I’ve been exploring and learning about are coming together.  It’s really helping me define what I like and where I’m going.  What a great day!  And it doesn’t end there.  During our session with a nude model, I decided to take one of my 5-minute stylized sketches and fill it with zentangles.  I then did a very quick outline of another pose and filled that one up too.  Again, what fun!  I especially like the tall one – but for my first try at this, it’s not bad.  I wonder how it will be to play with this in coloured acrylic paint in a faster, more intuitive way rather than the carefully planned Mischtechnik layers I’m working on at this school or in black marker.  I’ll eventually find my own unique way of stylizing figures and nature, inspired by all I’ve seen and done along the way.  And as I head in that direction, I’ll keep enjoying the journey.  Yay!

P.S.  May 14, 2014.  I did another zentangle during life drawing class.  Fun!

P.P.S.  In October/November, I started adding zentangle patterns to my paintings (including a couple on drums).

“On a Wing And A Prayer” – 12″ x 24″ – $425 Acrylics on gallery-wrapped canvas (no framing required) To purchase, please contact me via my webpage at www.DominiqueHurley.com or www.facebook.com/DominiqueHurleyArt