I wasn't the sort of teenage girl to draw hearts on my pencil case. I've had a fair unease about that shape for most of my life. Mostly because it seems like a rubber-stamped cliche of love - far from what love really means to me. Love doesn't look the same for everyone, so how can we all use the same symbol to represent it?
But I decided to tackle my reluctance head-on, and join in with this years ValenTangle fortnight. I'll share my results in a moment - but first a tile for
this weeks appropriately hearty Diva Challenge. I actually started this tile for Day 11 of ValenTangle - but it drifted some way from the prompt, and then it went a bit wrong, and then I tried to correct it by throwing a colour wash over it, and then some TranZending. And then I thought it looked a mess so I put it to one side and made a new tile for Day 11. But I've resurrected it today, tinkered and shaded and I'm willing to call it done.
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This started as a band of Marguerite Samama's Love Fragment -
which has been featured throughout ValenTangle |
And so to my experience of ValenTangle. I reflected often as I worked on each daily prompt, and I've come to a number of conclusions. Firstly that I love working regularly and intensely on a theme - I feel proud of the body of work that has resulted. Once I decided my limited colours and materials (I stuck with a cool blue as my only colour to keep in mind with my
Winter Inklings project) I could let go of planning and expectation. I could immerse myself in Marguerite's profoundly inspiring prompts - each satisfying enough to get your teeth into, but with plenty of opportunity to flavour as you see fit. But at the same time I felt the downsides of working this way. I rarely join in anything with a regular commitment, and whilst I could have dipped in and out, once I'd made my commitment I stuck to it. Much like love, I'm faithful once I decide to take part. And there were times when I found the need to produce a tile every day a little draining, and there were times I craved creation unrelated to hearts. But darkness makes us appreciate light, lack of love makes us appreciate its presence. I'm now relishing the thought of being utterly directionless in my tangling - who knows where I'll go next.
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| A whole lotta love |
I've shared these tiles in the ValenTangle Facebook group - but repeat them here as I know some of my readers don't do Facebook, and also it's nice to see them all grouped together.
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| Day 1 - exploring the Love Fragment. |
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| Day 2 - Hearty Ratoon |
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| Day 3 - a little tangling, a lot of space |
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| Day 4 - make a 3Z mosaic |
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| Day 5 - tangle an object |
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| Day 6 - hearty Wholly Hollibaugh |
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| Day 7 - the Love fragment in a hexagon |
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| Day 8 - tangle the initials of your loved one/s |
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| Day 9 - hearty Star-Ing |
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| Day 10 - tangle your corners |
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| Day 11 - tangled borders |
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| Day 12 - hearty Yuma |
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| Day 13 - Bijou in a grid tangle |
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| Day 14 - tangle a puffy heart pillow |
Over the course of 14 days I came to realise that the heart shape is just a shape, no more no less than any other – it has points, recesses and curves. It can behave in all manner of different ways and if you tangle it enough times all meaning, both good and bad, begins to recede. I don't think I'll be drawing hearts on my pencil case any day soon, but I definitely don't feel quite as allergic as I did, and I can imagine that by this time next year I might get the urge to join in with the next ValenTangle.
Love how you rescued the diva challenge tile and it is lovely. Your collection from the Valentangle challenges is wonderful. It was interesting to hear about you process too. Some of my favorites from this is the way you did Hearty Ratoon,the now lovely covers on your Field notes sketchbooks, the movement and lacing on the Hollibough tile, and bold graphic nature of your Star-Ing.
ReplyDeleteThank you Kate. I'm pleased you like hearing about the process. For me, it's important to engage with what I'm making and think about the relationship, but it's good to know that's interesting to others too.
DeleteGorgeous!
ReplyDeleteThanks Dragonfly!
DeleteWow! This post if full of gorgeous work! I love your challenge tile with the TranZending and wash which looks like a cool shadow. All your ValenTangle2019 tiles are great, but here are my favorites...day 3, 6, 9, 12, 13, and 14.....wowsers!!!
ReplyDeleteThank you Sue. It's always fun to hear other people's favourites. I think my favourites are actually the ones I struggled with the most - so maybe 2,9 and 12. You know, that sense of achievement despite the challenge!
DeleteJem, what a superb body of work! Your description of your relationship with hearts mirrors mine - it has always been a trite and shallow symbol of the real thing, almost slightly irritating. I joined ValenTangles for the first time last year, and like you, enjoyed Margeurite’s thoughtful prompts. I have not been as diligent as you; despite tangling every day, I still have three days to complete - but I don’t ever ‘force’ myself to tangle to a deadline, the finishes will happen when my tangling mojo is ready :) thank you for sharing your thoughts and validating mine. I am a huge fan of your work ������
ReplyDeleteHey Yvette - thank you! I'm not sure I'd force myself to complete tiles to a deadline again. It feel a little arduous at times. Well done on setting your own pace!
DeleteThe Diva tile is more then beautiful, this 'mistake' has become a work of ART!!!
ReplyDeleteThank you Anne. And to think that it was destined for the scrap heap a few times!
DeleteGREAT save on the first tile in this post Jem.
ReplyDeleteLOVING the Valentangles . . . most especially Days 3 & 6.
Have a lovely non-hearty tangling weekend!
Hugs, Sarn xxx
Thank you Sarn!
DeleteI'm fond of the minimalism of Day 3 too! It's a style I'm particularly comfortable with!
About to start my tangling week, who knows where it will take me... maybe even back to some hearts!