September 11, 2023 · 10:27 pm

Introduction to Zentangle® Art Class

Looking for an Easy Way to Relax and De-Stress?

September 23, 2023, 2-5 PM AKDT Live Online Zoom www.tanglealaska.com

I am a Certified Zentangle® Teacher and will be teaching a fun class, “Introduction to Zentangle® Art“!  This is the “basics” class to get you started and I ONLY teach it ONCE (or twice) a year!!

The Zentangle® Method™ is an easy and fun way of relaxing by drawing beautiful abstract art patterns (called tangles). Each tangle is broken down into simple steps, making it easy for ALL ages and abilities to draw! You do not need to know how to draw! In this class you will learn the history and foundation for this therapeutic art, materials, benefits, and I will teach you how to relax while creating two beautiful art tiles! Many say since practicing Zentangle® they achieve new calmness, mindfulness, focus, increase self-esteem and confidence. Zentangle® can be practiced as a “life skill” to deal with stress and can improve your life! Whether you are new to Zentangle® or a returning student, you will learn something new! It only requires a pen, pencil, and paper! What time is class in your world? Just put in name of class and the time here.

I encourage you to sign up at my website: www.tanglealaska.com

Zentangle Art

Donna xxoo

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May 25, 2022 · 3:41 am

Zentangle Teabag Art Class

What a fun and creative “Zentangle Tea Bag Art” Zia Online Class! We completed one awesome teabag art piece that can be framed and some students created beautiful greeting cards. Some even went on to make more teabag art! This is our Zentangle Class Mosaic. Thank you all for joining me and sharing!

I was really surprised and pleased at how easy it is to tangle on a used teabags! I absolutely loved it!! We first learned how to prepare our teabags and how important it is to use Gesso to seal the fabric. I demonstrated several easy and quick ways to get that lovely antique staining, without having to steep your tea or create a mess. Then we drew tangles and followed the tea stained patterns. Each teabag was different. There were holes, tears, and folds but we embraced the teabags imperfections and incorporated them into our art. After coloring, I demonstrated how to tear the edges of our white 100% cotton paper to get that beautiful natural torn look. And then we attached our teabag to to it. Some of us also attached word sayings to complete our project. I can see why these little gems can be addicting!

Donna xxoo

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January 14, 2022 · 3:04 am

Happy New Year 2022

How did that happen!!! 2022?

A brand new year and a fresh start!

Don’t know where to start? Are you stuck?

No matter where you are in your Zentangle journey, it’s always helpful to go back to the “basics”. No color, no decisions to make, which is less stressful. Keep it simple with black and white. Get inspired by taking my January 15th, “Zentangle® Basics Online Class“. It’s the perfect class for a beginner or those who want a refresher. Once you have the basics down, there is no stopping you!

Register in “Classes” on my website by 2 pm today! www.tanglealaska.com

Love,

Donna

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June 27, 2018 · 1:56 am

CZT Family

Hi! I’ve been thinking of Alaska today.

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I’m SO EXCITED because I have 3 friends from the same family who are becoming CZT’s (Certified Zentangle® Teacher) today!!! It’s the last day of the 4 day CZT-31 Seminar with Maria & Rick and Zentangle staff, in Providence, Rhode Island. Two are my students and are sisters (from Alaska) and the other is their niece (from Colorado).  Mary and Tina have taken numerous Zentangle® classes with me so I’m thrilled that they are really loving Zentangle. I’m also excited because Tina lives down south around Kenai and there are no CZT’s there. It’s way too far away for me to cover! It will be nice to have some CZT’s I can talk to in Alaska 🙂 When I became a CZT in 2014, there was only one CZT in the Anchorage area, but she wasn’t teaching. So I’ve had to learn and struggle on my own. I’m very fortunate that I am a member of the CZT Facebook group and have formed many lasting friendships. It’s a loving and supportive group who have helped and guided me so much! I could not have done it without them (love you Brenda)! Tomorrow my 3 friends can join me!

When I attended my CZT Seminar, it was held in Providence Hotel. Now Seminars are held at the Biltmore Hotel. I spent one night there before transferring to Providence Hotel and joined the other CZT’s (here I am looking out my window at the Biltmore Hotel).

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Every CZT Seminar is special. One highlight of my Seminar-17 was when Martha’s two boys got up and taught us a tangle! They were so awesome!! I don’t even remember what the tangle was because I was watching them 🙂

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At the end of Seminars, when you receive your CZT Certificate, you get to put on “the Zentangle® Graduation Cap”! Here I am with mine but it was sooooo heavy it was falling off my head and someone captured that lovely and oh so attractive moment! LOL!!

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Welcome Mary, Tina, and Ella! Congratulations on becoming Certified Zentangle® Teachers!! CZT 31!

♥ Donna

 

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June 24, 2018 · 2:41 am

Zentangle Project Pack #03

Hi! Are you up for a summer challenge???

Zentangle® headquarters came out last year with Zentangle Project Packs 01 and 02. Maria, Rick, Molly, Nick, Martha, and Julie all participated in these wonderful series of instructional videos! They did a really great job and I’ve learned so much from them and want to share them with you!

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Recently they came out with Zentangle Project Pack 03!

Project Pack 03

  Click on link to go to the videos!  http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Zentangle-Newsletter—-Project-Pack–03-Video-Links.html?soid=1101168872594&aid=F1fbF4Qp8cY

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Supplies or buy the Project Pack 03 at http://www.zentangle.com

  • 4 (small) or 9 (large) White 3.5″ (89mm) square tiles
  • 2 Graphite pencils
  • Small rubber band
  • White charcoal pencil
  • Black Sakura® Pigma Micron 01 pen (or any extra-fine tip pen)
  • Blending stump
  • Water brush or small paint brush & water
  • Any watercolor pencils

And have FUN!!

♥ Donna

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June 23, 2018 · 2:08 pm

Benefits of Zentangle® Art

Hi! I found this post I wrote a while back, never posted it, and so I will share it with you now, as it has been a very long time that I have talked… All my life I have been a worrier, you know…the “what ifs?”. Many times I have worried to the point of making myself sick or I’ll have a rip roaring panic attack. And depending where I am at the time, I would avoid going to those places again. At one point in my life, all the doors closed in on me and the only safe place was my home…for 4 long years! Eventually I discovered there was a name for this, it’s called Agoraphobia, an anxiety/panic disorder, which I have had all my life. In Latin it is referred to as “the fear of the market place”. Eventually I got help, which turned my life around. But I still have all the “what ifs? and negative chatter” which are ingrained in my head and sometimes still stops me from doing things or makes it very difficult.

I was first drawn to Zentangle® by the beautiful and intricate and creative abstract black and white art. And then I read, “anyone can do it!”. I didn’t believe it because I can’t draw, but I thought I’d try it, and I did it, AND it was unbelievable!  I knew from that moment that I wanted to become a CZT and teach it. Zentangle has brought me so much peace and has helped with my anxiety, depression, pain, and the “what ifs and chatter” in my head. The Zentangle® Method™ is all about teaching you how to relax and focusing on drawing structured patterns (tangles). It is a stress reliever by distracting your mind so you can just live “in the moment” (mindfulness). It is the “process” I enjoy and the art is a benefit. The Zentangle® Method™ has taught me to enjoy & appreciate life and to trust my intuition, knowing that it always turns out OK.

Finding Zentangle and becoming a CZT has given my life purpose and has gotten me out of the house and back to teaching and living again (I LOVE teaching!). I have made many wonderful friends around the world and I’m so grateful! My mind now is occupied with beautiful Zentangle art and patterns I see everywhere and I’m constantly thinking of new ideas, projects, and classes!

Some of the Benefits of  the Zentangle® Method™:

  • Stress Reliever and Promotes Relaxation
  • Decreases Anxiety, Panic Attacks, and Depression
  • Pain Management
  • Problem Solving
  • Physical and Emotional Therapies
  • Focus and Concentration
  • Mindfulness-“living in the moment”
  • Fine Motor Skills
  • Self-Confidence and Self-Esteem
  • Personal Well-Being
  • Working with Children and the Elderly
  • PTSD
  • Recovery Programs
  • Positive Group Dynamics
  • NO Art Experience Required!
  • Is a break from Technology!
  • Opens the Mind to Creativity, Imagination, and Intuition!
  • Practicing Zentangle will help you “Release your Inner Artist” – even if you think you don’t have one!
  • Anyone can do it! Give it a try! You only need a piece of paper, pen, and pencil!

❤️ Donna

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July 17, 2017 · 6:00 pm

What is the Zentangle® Method™?

Want to unwind from stress, focus your thoughts, and explore your creative side? As a CZT (Certified Zentangle® Teacher), this is what I do!

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“A Therapeutic Process of Meditative Pattern Drawing” Designed for Everyone!

The Zentangle® Method™ offers a quick way to intentionally redirect your focus and allow you to enter a relaxed state, by drawing structured patterns (called tangles) while creating beautiful abstract art! Tangles are broken down into steps, making it easy for ALL ages and abilities to draw! Anyone can do it! As you combine these tangles together, you will be amazed at yourself when you discover that you are in fact an artist and you can draw and create your own beautiful and unique art!

  • Zentangle can change your life!
  • Enjoy the peacefulness and contentment of “living in the moment” (not yesterday or tomorrow)!
  • An easy, fun, and relaxing stress and anxiety reliever you can do anywhere!
  • Portable! Need only a pen, pencil, and paper!
  • If you can write your name, you can do Zentangle! No artistic skills needed!
  • Non-Technical!
  • No mistakes in Zentangle…only creative opportunities!
  • No right or wrong way!
  • Increases your sense of personal well-being!
  • Opens your mind and heart to new creativity, imagination, and intuition for people of all ages and abilities!

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8-Basic Steps in the Zentangle® Method™

  1. Gratitude and Appreciation
  2. Corner Dots
  3. Border
  4. Strings
  5. Tangle
  6. Shade
  7. Initial and Sign
  8. Appreciation Again

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Rick Roberts and Maria Thomas created the Zentangle® Method™ and Zentangle® INC. about 14 years ago. They offer four intense seminars a year, in Providence, Rhode Island (where they live), teaching those who want to learn all about Zentangle and become a CZT ( Certified Zentangle® Teacher).  We now have about 3000 CZT’s around the world!

Maria and Rick state, “As you practice the Zentangle Method, you discover that not only can you create beautiful art, you also can increase your focus and create a different mood and state of mind. We believe that life is an art form and that our Zentangle Method is an elegant metaphor for deliberate artistry in life. This Zentangle approach is not only easy and enjoyable, but also profound and uplifting.”

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Students are given the same instructions…but each Zentangle® tile is different!

So, give yourself the gift of Zentangle® art and take a class with a Certified Zentangle® Teacher!

Find a CZT near you at:  www.zentangle.com

Check out my website and classes at:  www.tanglealaska.com

♥ Donna


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Rene, Friendship, and Blaines Art Supply

For those of you who don’t know…my dear friend, and owner of Blaines Art Supply, and my wonderful boss, Rene Haag, passed away on June 24th, after a courageous battle with pancreatic cancer. She was the most positive, bravest, kindest, giving, generous, loving person and was so loved and respected by so many in the community. She devoted 30 years to Blaines Art Supply, giving us high quality art supplies and most of all a place for us to meet as a community of artists and friends. She was always eager to help anyone, especially small businesses. Rene was the one who encouraged me to become a CZT and asked me to work at Blaines Art. I especially loved teaching Zentangle® Workshops on Saturdays because she was there, usually in her office, and she always had time to chat. She meant so much to me and I miss her! To read more about Rene visit: www.blainesart.com and www.facebook.com/blainesart

A “Celebration of Life” for Rene will be held at First United Methodist Church 725 West 9th Avenue on July 22nd at 2:00pm. Donations may be made to The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network. Preferred florist is Hummel’s Flowers.

P.S. Please give Blaines Art’s staff big hugs! They all need to know they are loved and appreciated! ❤

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Rene at her 30th year Anniversary at Blaines Art

Alaskan Stuffies at Blaines Art Supply

Here I am at Blaines Art showing my “Alaskan Stuffies” (a long time ago). I stayed up all night sewing!

One year at the Blaines Art–“Make it & Take it” Event, we donated our truck and the “Spray Paint Class” gave our old truck a MAKEOVER! Jake loved that truck and proudly drove it for years! And of course on the sides it says “Blaines Art”.

One of my most favorite photos of Rene & Dave, Jake & me! We always had so much fun!!

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Blaines Art Supply is the only art store in Anchorage. It’s a beautiful store with every art supply you can imagine. Rene started there as the manager and eventually bought the business and later built this brand new gorgeous store. The store will continue on and I will continue to teach Zentangle® at Blaines Art and celebrate Rene’s life!

❤️ Donna

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July 2, 2017 · 12:59 am
June 25, 2017 · 2:38 am

Coffee Cups Competition

Hi! Before today gets away from me, I want to share a FUN project we did around this time, last June 2016. As you know I work for Blaines Art Supply, and last June, many art supply representatives came up from the lower 48 to throw a “Make it & Take it” event. I set up my tent, tables, and examples of my Zentangle® coffee cups I had done at home. I was so excited!!

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Blaines Art donated white coffee cups and black pens (there is a beverage bar inside the store). We were going to have a tangled cup competition and I was ready! There were lots of other tent “stations” like alcohol inks, painting sneakers, Gelli printing plates, lots of different types of pens, watercolors, markers, and papers too to experiment with. Many of the products were on sale.

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I had drawn some simple Zentangle tangles and their step outs on big pieces of paper and taped them to the side of the tent so people could follow step-by-step. I also had Zentangle books, supplies, business cards, and my up-coming classes. Everyone’s cup was sooooo different and creative! Some took their tangled cups home and some we displayed in the store and for the rest of the month people could vote on their favorite one! The WINNER got a goodie bag filled with awesome Zentangle supplies so they could keep tangling!!

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Even though it was a COLD day and my hands were frozen we all had a good time! Jake even took over the booth so I could go inside to warm up 🙂 I think we should do this again!

♥ Donna

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June 23, 2017 · 3:16 am

2017-Machetanz Art Festival

Hi! Let’s fast forward to today… I’m still living in Anchorage, Alaska, in the same house for 20 years, and I still LOVE teaching the Zentangle® Method™.  I have recently finished teaching my Fall/Winter/Spring Zentangle® art classes and now my summer begins. So now that I have more time, I’ll try to catch you up on some of the fun zen-happenings!

I just returned from teaching a Zentangle Basics 101 Class at the Machetanz Art Festival, in Wasilla/Palmer, AK. This was my third year teaching there and I absolutely LOVE going there! It’s held at Mat-Su College (UAA), in the beautiful Mat-Su Valley. The campus is lovely! It’s about 1-1/2 hours away and one of the most gorgeous drives you can imagine with huge snow capped mountains everywhere you look! The people are so friendly and the life style is slower than Anchorage (more zen…I like that)! The last two years I got to teach two Zentangle classes, but due to budget cuts this year, the art festival was only one day. I felt very honored to have been asked back again! Thank you!! ♥ 

There are lots of different art classes offered, like painting (oils, acrylics, pastels, watercolors), alcohol ink, encaustic wax art, wood burning, Zentangle and more.

Machetanz Art Festival

This year I had the most awesome group of students who were soooooo excited to learn all about Zentangle! We had a blast! It was very relaxing, as this year I prerecorded 5 hours of “zen music” on my mini-iPad and I bought a small but powerful speaker for it. It was perfect! In the “basics class” we learn the Zentangle® Method™, history of the art, language, the many benifits, and we create two beautiful Zentangle art tiles using six simple tangles. Each tangle I chose teaches something different that they will use often.

I’ve got to admit that I’m pretty spoiled as the room has a camera, computer, and TV so I can tangle right along with the students in real time! But I always have my backup easel and pad!

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AND I’ve gotten the same room for three years!! It’s at the end of a long hall, hidden away so it’s very quiet and peaceful! AND I’m right next door to Rex who always helps me with the computer and equipment

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When the class is done, we go around and collect all the tiles and put them together and create a big mosaic. Below is this year’s mosaic! It is truly magical to me that I give the same directions to everyone but each tile is soooo incredibly different and unique!! It’s exciting and so much fun!!

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The best part of the day is when everyone hovers over the mosaic trying to find their tiles! And guess what…many can’t find them because they ALL are so beautiful and creative!! Most of the students at the beginning of class said they couldn’t draw, but as you see everyone drew beautiful art pieces and walked out as “artists”!

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To see more mosaics from previous years, go to “Student Art” on my website www.tanglealaska.com   I hope I’ll get to come back again next year! I LOVE teaching Zentangle®!!

Keep tangling!

♥ Donna

 

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