Monday 20 July 2020

taking flight


The global pandemic has made vast and small changes to most people's lives. Personally I've found that I prefer to largely withdraw from the world, limiting communications and connections, focusing on mindful concrete activities to get me through my days. As such I haven't blogged in many months, but that doesn't mean I haven't been tangling.


There was a patch near the start where I felt too anxious and unsettled to pick up a pen, and then when I did I felt uninspired and lacking in ideas as to what to do with my urge to tangle. Thankfully I had the perfect project still on the go – the one I started at the very beginning of the year when few of us could imagine how this year would unfold.


Week after week, month after month I've been adding to my stack of ATC cards. On each appears one or more of the core Zentangle official tangles. The project is the brainchild of Alice Hendon, and she's led us through it lovingly for the past 25 weeks! And through 170 tangles. Which I've inked onto 65 cards and placed into my little tin which is now threatening to burst!


It's been a pleasure to meet tangles I love, tangles I really don't care for, tangles I use often, and many I've overlooked. I've liked noting their similarities, and encouraging them to play nicely with one another. I've moved back and forward between the surprise of colour and the elegance of black and white. And in the process I've realised how far I've come in my Zentangle journey - revisiting tangles that I first learnt perhaps eight years ago. Tangles which were hard to control or unfathomable to recreate now come with relative ease as my penmanship and understanding of patterns has become stronger and more instinctive.

My little tin has become a precious receptacle of tangle wonders – a great resource that I can dip into time and again whenever I'm stuck for what tangle to use next.


With this project complete I'm ready now to let myself drift into uncharted waters, following where my pen will lead me. I've got e-books, swap tiles, and simple scraps of paper with rumoured ideas - plenty to keep me occupied in the months ahead. Who knows how long it will be till I visit here again – but in the meantime listen to the right people, stay safe and take care of yourself and those you love.

17 comments:

  1. All so gorgeous! That project has also been my focus and has kept me (more) sane in these crazy times. Tangle ON! Stay Safe! We'll see you again soon! <3

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    1. Thank you Jules - it's been a very well timed project for sure!

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  2. I'm glad that you've still kept busy. <3 I've missed your art, dear Jem.

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    1. Thank you Stephanie. I didn't realise I'd done quite as much tangling as I had until I looked at the stack of tiles!

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  3. You've described my sentiments too!! This
    'pandemonium-pandemic'
    has certainly stolen many things from everyone in one way or another. I had never imagined something like this pandemic to take on the world- and seriously impact my life, in addition to affecting the lives of so many people.
    However, it has afforded me to catch up on 'stolen moments', and, be able to spend more time focusing on various personal and/or creative projects. For this I have tried to remain productive, and for this I am very grateful.

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    1. Thank you Meme - it's been a very strange and challenging time in many ways, but creative pursuits really help, I'm glad you're finding that too!

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  4. karen karstadt20 July 2020 at 18:56

    It's nice to see you're back amongst your fellowship of tanglers. I've missed seeing your lovely provocative work.

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    1. Thank you Karen - I'm still here, even if I've just been lurking in the shadows more this year!

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  5. I am so glad the project was helpful to you in this troubling and uncertain time. I had no idea when we started that our lives would all change so much. I’m glad we could be a blessing to each other.

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    1. Thank you Alice - such a perfectly timed project. When I started, way back in the innocence of January, I wondered if I would stick with it. But somewhere there it became absolutely vital to my life. It let me tangle without thinking, without making choices.

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  6. Hi Jem. What a pleasant surprise to see that you posted some goodies on your blog after so much time. I'm so glad that you are well. I have been wanting to do something like this and you have inspired me with your wonderful tiles. Maybe I will start my own collection after Project Pack 10 is over.

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    1. Thank you Linda. Hopefully it won't be quite so long till the next post. It's a great project and lovely to have all the core tangles in one handy tin ready to grab for inspiration. I don't think I'll be doing much for PP10 as it's a little close to the project I've just finished. But I'm enjoying seeing what you and others are doing with it.

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  7. Hi Jem . . . so pleased to see you pop up again. As usual your tangling is wonderful and has inspired me to pick up my pen again. Thank you.

    I, for one, can certainly identify with your comments. Take care of yourself.

    Sarn xxx

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    1. Thank you Sarn - I'm so pleased you can identify with what I wrote, but more importantly I'm thrilled it's encouraged you to pick up your pen - I hope it brings you pleasure and comfort!

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  8. Love what your wrote here, Jem. We're connected through Tangle All Around on FB but I was so impressed by your ATC tile project that I ended up on your blog here. ;-) I really love how you took our 25-week challenge and made it your own in this project. I share many of your sentiments around the pandemic and feeling like you need to just hole up on your own. I'm normally a very outgoing people person, and I find myself needing to retreat during this time. Luckily I have an amazing husband/life partner and we enjoy spending time with each other, but I'm finding our limited interactions with the bigger world out there leave me feeling depressed, anxious, and often angry...and those are feelings I'm experiencing even during fun activities...so I'm grateful to have art - particularly Zentangle - as a safe haven that's always there for me. Here's to more creating!

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    1. Thanks for your comment Molly and for finding your way to my blog!

      I think there's no way any of us could predict how we might feel in the situation we've found ourselves in. We're all just trying to get through in the best way we can. I'm glad Zentangle is offering your comfort and safety and distraction when it's most needed. I think it works so well because it lacks a pressure to turn out a certain way. There's no right or wrong. It's forgiving and welcoming which is exactly what some of us need right now!

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    2. Yes, so true...well put! Although I'm recovering perfectionist, so it's hard to accept the way some of my tangles turn out sometimes. ;-) Wish I could ease up about watercolor...I really struggle with that...trying to make some fun backgrounds to tangle over. Oh well - I'll keep practicing. Cheers, and see you on the FB group.

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