Where I Tangle

Featuring Sue Agnew of Tucson, Arizona ~

Sue has been contributing tiles (along with her entertaining and heartfelt notes) since the very beginnings of IAST.  I was so pleased when she offered to share her tangling spaces with us.  

Sue writes:

When I got divorced at age 50, it had been so long since I’d lived alone, I was intrigued to discover how my day-to-day life at home (before and after work of course) would evolve. It has turned out that I have “islands” scattered around my house that I use for specific things.
I sit in this chair in my living room to read and to work Sudoku puzzles (note the stack of “I’ll get to them someday” books).

I have another chair in which I watch TV (lest you fear for my social life, I have a matching chair that I can wheel into the room when I have a houseguest or occasionally a boyfriend).

I even have a chair in which I brush my teeth — my electric toothbrush cycle takes 2 minutes, and I try to use that time sitting in this chair in my bedroom and looking outdoors and being grateful.

I am also including a picture of a chair in which I spend entirely too much time — at my computer! (Another chair, sadly, I don’t use enough — at my dining room table — I tend to eat most meals on a tray in front of the TV.)

And THIS is where I sit to Zentangle. It’s opposite my computer in my office/studio. The other areas of the office/studio are currently off limits to photographs until I check “clean up the studio” off my to-do list. The framed piece behind the table is an ensemble in which I participated a few years ago.

Also wanted to include two special places where I Zentangle. Soon after my first class with a CZT, in the summer of 2011, I flew to Ontario to visit my sister for a couple of weeks. We “camped” at the family cottage on Lake Superior that my grandfather built in the 1920s (my sister and her husband live in a year-round house on the same property). I’d brought Zentangle supplies to share with her, and we spent time every day (and have continued in subsequent years) sitting in the front windows looking out, talking, and drawing.

This summer, now that I am retired, I wanted to stay for a longer period of time, so I opted to try the newer cottage, which my grandfather built in the 1940s and which has running water and electricity. As kids we’d always stayed at the little camp, which has a beautiful private beach and low-bank waterfront, and the bigger cottage was my grandparents’ place and, after my parents retired, the place where they spent summers. It is also on the Lake but has a medium-bank waterfront and lots of trees in front. I found this summer that staying there by myself enabled me to “nest” and bond with the place and appreciate Grandpa’s workmanship, as well as its lovely setting. I began each day sitting in the front windows with my morning coffee and Zentangle supplies.

I am grateful that I had grandparents who were resourceful and visionary and adventurous and thrifty, and a mother who was dedicated to keeping the family property, and a sister who carries on that tradition. And for our interest in, and perhaps aptitude for, various art endeavors. This summer it was Gelli printing, but that’s a different story.

Thank you, Sue 💗

Where I Tangle

Featuring Susan from the United Kingdom ~

Susan writes:

After seeing #MyArtistDesk on Twitter I wanted to try and tangle a picture of my desk area, but my drawing skills weren’t really up to it. So I took a photo and used the website rapidresizer.com to recreate an outline from the photo. The effect wasn’t quite what I expected, but I really like it. I ended up not adding tangles, but just outlining key features.
So this is where I tangle. Ideally I imagine tangling sitting out in my garden room, peacefully enjoying nature. In reality the second picture is more typical, I usually sit on the sofa, sometimes with the television on, and sometimes beside the fire if it is winter. I like the Hollibaugh effect on the trees in the first picture.

Thank you, Susan!

Where I Tangle

Featuring Baafke from the Netherlands ~

It is so nice to see where someone makes his tiles! That way you get to know each other a little bit!

We live in an apartment on the 12 floor.

When I draw on our balcony outside, I often look around me, I love the view. Luckily the balcony is south facing, nice and sunny.

We do not have an extra room, so I draw in a corner of our livingroom.
Just to be seen on the picture: under my desk is also toys from our granddaughter. You have to be a bit creative with the space in a flat.
On the last photo you can see how I keep my pens and pencils sorted. This makes it easy to pick the right pen.

All photographs courtesy of Baafke

I started zentangle almost 2 years ago.(and I never want to stop) I bought a few books and searched for further information on the internet. That is how I ended up on your website. And I learn so much from all participants here! Thanks everyone!Love from Baafke (Netherlands)

Thank you, Baafke 😊

Where I Tangle

Featuring Marjan Heemskerk from The Netherlands 

Marjan wrote to say that it is "wonderful to read where everybody is tangling..."
Below, she shares photographs of the space where she tangles along with "kind regards from a very wet Netherland."  

Marjan writes:

I am tangling for over a year now and my favorite place is a very old desk. It belonged to my father and grandfather. They were both farmers and did all their administration at this desk. I use it for fun now but I like the idea that it is still in the family and that I really use it.

On top of the desk Bijou is watching over me.

When I look to the left, sitting at my desk, I am overlooking the beautiful garden which all the apartments share. When the weather is good I tangle there. A very quiet place with the sound of running water. Very relaxing.

All photographs courtesy of Marjan Heemserk

Thank you, Marjan, for sharing your beautiful and very serene tangling space with us. 

Where I Tangle

Featuring Jody Genovese, CZT (New York)

Last year, Jody sent a few photos from her garden.  Jutta Gladnigg, CZT, (Germany) was visiting at the time and I remember how delighted Jutta was by Jody's home and surroundings.

Last week, when Jody sent these pictures of where she tangles, I immediately appreciated why Jutta was so captivated.
Here is Jody's tour for all of us to enjoy ~

I feel very blessed to have two places to tangle. My husband and I don’t do a lot of traveling so six years ago we decided to add a water feature to our backyard which is right off the patio. It is a little bit of heaven on earth. During the summer we spend most of our time here. Unfortunately, summer in Upstate NY isn’t long enough.

I have a ‘pond’ bag filled with my tangle essentials, binoculars, a camera and slippers always ready to go. Each morning this is where I start my day. Oh yes, and lot’s of coffee!

As you can see my faithful companion Sadie Bug is always on my lap, which makes it a little awkward to draw, but I happily adjust.

Here are a couple more shots from different angles around the pond and waterfall. The sound of the water is very relaxing, peaceful and inspiring as are the fish and birds. In case you were wondering the fish do have names. So do some of the birds and the frogs…

It’s hard to tell from this picture, but the large green windchime from top to bottom is almost as tall as I am (5’ 5”) and sounds just like church bells when it rings.

When I can’t be outside tangling I have a spare bedroom that I have converted into my ‘Tangle Chamber’. Last year for my birthday my husband treated me to a closet system from The Container Store to organize all of my supplies...I have a lot of them!

Right now, these walls are a little bare because I am making a pencil holder/shelf to hang on the wall using 100-year-old barn wood salvaged from my great grandfather’s farm.

Sadie Bug has a giant beanbag, so she can ‘hunt’ out the window while I tangle. Mostly she sleeps.

All photographs courtesy of Jody Genovese, CZT

The closet is always neat, but I had to straighten up the room for the ‘photoshoot’.

When I am being creative it looks more like a hurricane came through as I am usually working on more than one thing at a time. To enhance the experience, I listen to piano music by Ludovico Einaudi and for whatever time I have here I am in my own magical world.

Thank you Jody, for the wonderful tour of your tangling spaces.  I am ready to pick up a Micron and start tangling!  Thank you for the inspiration.  XO.

Where I Tangle

Featuring Lisette from Switzerland ~

Lisette writes:

My favourite tangle place is at my desk at home. Here I have everything at hand for tangling, computer (I have no tablet or so), my Zentangle books, pencils, water colours, pens etc. The most common things I store in my beloved "Zippy", this sheath/case you see on the left side on my desk. It was sewn by a tangler friend of our facebook group and I could choose the fabrics. Usually my dog, Lara, snuggles up to my feet when I'm tangling. My cat, Shanti, loves to disturb me when I draw. She lies down wherever my pen goes or on the keyboard. She even managed to uninstall my browser… I often have some music on, soft sounds for meditation, classical or jazzy music. AND I have a daylight lamp which is really worth its price. Your eyes get much less tired and colours are true. It's unfortunately not suitable for taking pictures as the camera would cast a shadow. The view to my left gives a glimpse of the Lake of Zurich. At the office I have a wonderful view on the Lake of Zurich (especially in winter when the trees have no leaves) as you see on the 4th picture. Even here I tangle sometimes. Beside my usual job I have the "duty" to organize birthday cards and little presents for my colleagues. And –time permitting – it's a tangled card. But at the office I'm interrupted all the time what I really don’t like.

Photographs courtesy of Lisette

Thank you for inviting us into the beautiful space where you tangle Lisette.

Until next week, enjoy!

Where I Tangle

Featuring Gara Hudson (Florida) ~

When Gara showed this photograph in our last class together, I immediately requested a copy for this series.  She wrote:

This whole desk u.s.e.d to be my Zentangling area till my cat took over the side in front of the window!
I now have less space to work on.... but much more kitty love ❤️

Photograph by Gara Hudson

Thank you, Gara.

Enjoy!

Where I Tangle

Featuring VenaC (Whitby, Ontario, Canada) ~

VenaC mentioned in one of her "It's a String Thing" submissions that she was on vacation and tangling in a most beautiful spot.  I asked her to send a photograph or two for this series and thankfully, she obliged.  She wrote:

I am on one of the gulf islands a ferry ride from Nanaimo (on Vancouver Island) in British Columbia.This is the deck of my son's house quite high above the water. There are really tall trees all around. A bald eagle often sits high up on the branch of one of those very tall trees and deer stroll through the property in the late evening and early morning eating whatever greenery strikes their fancy. The islanders have to fence off their vegetable and flower gardens or the deer would eat everything. It is quiet sitting up here watching the tide go out leaving the boats anchored near the shore high and dry and then watching them float off when the tide comes back in again. We had a 20 minute scenic ride around the island in a float plane. Never been in a float plane before so found it quite exciting. Done lots of sightseeing. The first pic is my "zen" chair, normally with a cushion, and the second pic is what I see from that chair. Only one day left of this holiday.

Photographs courtesy of VenaC

Thank you, Vena.

Until next week, ENJOY!

Where I Tangle

Featuring Mollie Savage, CZT (Florida) ~

In our last class together, Mollie described this antique desk of hers.   It sounded intriguing and I asked her if I could feature it in this series.  Acquired at an estate sale, it has a large working surface that can hold multiple projects.  

Mollie wrote, " Here's a picture of my desk full of all sorts of things in progress..."

Photo courtesy of Mollie Savage, CZT

Thank you, Mollie.

Until next week, ENJOY!

Where I Tangle - A New Series

Featuring Henrike Bratz, CZT

It is fascinating enough that Zentangle® unites us the world over, even more fascinating are the special spaces where we find inspiration to tangle.

Late in the year of 2014, Henrike Bratz sent an email and this photograph from Germany of the space where she tangles ~  

Henrike had just received a note in the mail from me with an acknowledgement of her tile for honors in "It's a String Thing" #72.   

To know that a note left my desk and found a home on hers warmed my heart to no end.  Living in Florida, the snow and barren tree branches immediately captivated me.  The candle looked so warm against the clean white lines of the interior and the chilly outdoors. 

Since then, I have mulled over the idea of featuring a series of Friday posts that highlight the spaces where we tangle.  It seemed like a natural choice to ask Henrike if she would be willing to be the first subject.

Henrike readily accepted my request and promptly sent along photographs accompanied by her thoughtful comments.

As you read along, I hope you find renewed inspiration and appreciation of your own wonderful tangling spaces.

From Henrike ~

I love tangling while travelling and I would love to share two or three beautiful places where I enjoyed tangling that I remember vividly. I’m always taking a small sketchbook with me and often tangle in this rather than on tiles. These small notebooks [keep] memories of places, moods and emotions and much more – like a diary.
My first place is Boston Public Library. After my Zentangle Training last year I spent some days in Boston before returning back home. I had read about the library in my travel guide and wasn’t disappointed. Look at those beautiful tables and chairs, the green lamps at every single desk. While all the other tourist were walking the freedom trail, I kept sitting there for timeless hours, tangling, thinking through the experience of the CZT training feeling inspired and enjoying the silence.

The second place that comes to mind is a bakery in Lisbon, some tables outside on the pavement, early in the morning when the city was just awaking. You can see that I was trying to capture some patterns from real tiles that can be found on the walls of many Lisbon houses.

Most of the time of course I’m tangling at home. On the picture is my special spot reserved for tangling and writing. That’s the one you remember. I like to have a flower in the vase and some recent tile displayed on the little frame you once gave me.

All photographs courtesy of Henrike Bratz, CZT

Thank you, Henrike.

 Until next week, ENJOY!