The Oceanside Tanglers are delighted to be able to exhibit some of their work at an exhibit called Time to Tangle.
The exhibit will be showing at the Parksville Community Conference Centre from July 5-August 29 through the auspices of the Oceanside Community Arts Council.
If you stop in at the McMillan Arts Centre on the second Saturday of any month, you’ll meet the Oceanside Tanglers: a friendly group of Zentangle enthusiasts who gather to work on their Zentangle or Zentangle Inspired Art projects.
Oceanside Tanglers began as a Facebook group in March 2015 and since then has expanded to monthly drop-ins and weekly informal get-togethers. There are 35 members of the Facebook group, and up to a dozen people attend Tangle Time in any given month.
Zentangle is a form of meditative art, drawing mindfully using structured patterns to create pieces that highlight everyone’s individual style. From its beginnings in the early 2000s in the eastern U.S., Zentangle has become popular all over the world, including here in the Parksville/Qualicum area.
Time to Tangle will feature many different kinds of Zentangle Inspired Art. Thirteen artists have contributed to the exhibit, demonstrating their individual style, and showing just how many ways Zentangle can manifest as Zentangle Inspired Art. Artists in this exhibit are: Judy Christopherson, Michelle Currie, Joyce Evans, Ann Flint, Penny Gracey, Sue Hoy, Andrea Kennedy, Deirdre Laforest, Liz Laforest, Rose Lovell, Gwen Moncrieff, Tyra Niebergall and Rhonda Roy.
One of the exhibitors, Gwen Moncrieff, commented on her Zentangle style, saying, “I seem to like to take my tangles on journeys – they often push well beyond the edges of the paper… and that is what I have done with the two pieces I have done for this show. They are connected by ribbons or ropes of design, moving in and out of the visual plane, connected but separate, and hopefully interesting to follow.”
Zentangle appeals to beginner and experienced artists alike. “I thought I couldn’t draw until I tried Zentangle,” said Rose Lovell. “It’s amazing that I can create something so beautiful with a few lines.” Sue Hoy added, “We aren’t all ‘artists’ but rather people who have learned the art of tangling, and we enjoy taking classes to enrich our pieces.”
Some Zentangle practioners have an art background and find Zentangle a way to enrich that experience. “I love the sense of calm that I get when I do Zentangle, total focus…and a lovely sense of having created something completely unlike anyone else’s patterns…even if I am trying to copy another tangle!” Gwen Moncrieff said.
“Zentangle returned me to drawing after a twenty year absence rekindling my desire to create and an appreciation of how important this is to everyone in our group,” said Penny Gracey.
More information on the Zentangle Method can be found at www.zentangle.com.
— Submitted by Rhonda Roy