News from Zentangle

We received an email asking for stories of our CZTs' experiences. Here's one:

"I had to share this with you all. I finally had the opportunity to share Zentangles with the students I work with at Riker's Island prison. This is an "after school art program". I am technically there to do origami but the teacher I work with was fascinated when I showed her my Zentangle journal and asked me to teach a few patterns.

They were sooooooooo hooked after the first pattern, they wouldn't let me stop! They kept saying just one more, just one more. We ended up working for over an hour the first time and we've done it two times more! They are even using the patterns in their other art work and making things for themselves. I taught them a simple origami notebook to keep sample patterns in and they are also thinking up their own patterns already. They even work on them when they go back to their cells and dormatories using just pencil and paper.

One student has been drawing names in big block letters and filling them in with patterns. One piece had his name along with his wife and daughter's. Another had his brother and sister-in-law. He keeps them near his bed. When they are working, you can hear a pin drop. Anyone who comes into the room is amazed. Their appetite for patterns is voracious! Most of them pick up the pattern really quickly and then I show them how to do variations and all of a sudden they are off doing their own thing with it and making up new variations.

"Unfortunately, due to the nature of where I am, I can not take any photos of the work. There will be an art exhibition of their work in June at the Queens Museum of Art, so if any of the pieces make it to the exhibition, I will photograph and post them. Most of the pieces have already been submitted."

Here's another:

"My grandson and I taught his kindergarten class how to do Zentangles last Friday. I already knew his classmates from reading to them every Friday so I was thrilled to introduce them to Zentangles.

"He is a huge Zentangle enthusiast and he asked me to help him teach his class. We used 8" x 8" white cardstock and Crayola markers. He and I both made samples and I used an easel pad to show them four patterns in a square format with an "X" for a string.

"I showed them how they could find tangles around the room and in each other's clothing, etc. Well, I could tell by their response that they were far more advanced than I had expected, so I told them they could do the tangles they had learned or any tangles they wanted. They went WILD! They were so creative and wonderful! I guess part of it is that they are young enough that they're not stifled so their creativity is very accessible.

"Anyway, if you are thinking about teaching children -- go ahead! They will teach you! I learned much more from them than they learned from me. And now at play time, they have their puzzle station, their computer station, their toy cars station, and their Zentangle station! Hooray!"

And this just in:

"We've gotten our pencils, your shipment of deluxe kits (this morning), and boxes for the basic kits. Our workshop, if everyone who has verbally committed sends their money, is already sold out. That's with no advertising. Just word of mouth. We'll let you know how things proceed. Happy Memorial Day. Best always, H.