[If Zentangle is an alien concept for you, start HERE.]
This week, Laura Harms, the Zentangle Diva, has employed the services of guest Diva, Paula Bramante, CZT 15. Paula has asked that we commune with stones. I confess a dive into the Boomeresque tangle archives for this challenge. I’m not exactly sure when I did this composition (it was done in an 8.5 x 11 sketchbook), but it has always reminded me of stones and leapt instantly to mind as I read Paula’s instructions. I’m not sure if this is cheating bending the rules of the Zentangle Diva Challenge, but as a recovering lawyer, I happen to be excellent at bending interpreting rules. Doesn’t this remind you of stones (or is it just me)?
Speaking of stones, I find them compelling. I even took two semesters of geology in college and very briefly considered majoring in that subject. (My mother looked at me somewhat askance when I arrived home for Thanksgiving of my freshman year and announced that our house was made of schist. “Mom, I’m not being rude. Schist is a kind of rock.”)
On our travels, I’ve taken a lot of photos of rocks. Here are a few:
A much younger version of moi on our honeymoon in Peru in 1982. I’m sitting on stone blocks placed by Incan builders in the Sacred Valley at Ollantaytambo outside Cuzco, Peru. The Incas built massive structures, fitting the stone blocks together without mortar that survived earthquakes that toppled the structures built by the Spanish conquistadores.
The impressive Cliffs of Moher on the west coast of the Republic of Ireland.
The early Irish tribes also built with stone using no mortar.
The Interior of the Staigue Ring Fort on the Ring of Kerry thought to have been constructed c. 300-400 A.D.
The scariest stones we encountered were the ones shrouded by shrubbery on the side of shoulderless narrow, supposedly two way, country roads in England and Ireland as we endeavored to remember to stay on the correct side of the road. This inspired a blog post aptly titled, The Wrong Side.
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Well Suzanne, I had to read up on your trip to Ireland. We were there in 2008 and had similar experiences, even though we are “native” right hand drivers. It was reassuring to see that the locals have a fairly cavalier attitude to lane discipline and a forgiving nature when it comes to the transgressions of visitors. Our experience of the Ring of Kerry was slightly marred by the weather, which, in spite of it being August, gave us a taste of all four seasons just about every day.
As for your pile of stones,yes, I see it and there’s even a hint of Henry Moore in there to my eye.
Now that you mention it, I see the Henry Moore channeling too.
Yes that definitely resembles a pile of stones 🙂 greetings from Ireland 🙂 With all the stony references to this place I feel a little pressure to come up with something extraordinary lol 🙂 I do have to admit that I myself admire and love all the stonework here so I’m glad you noticed it and enjoyed it too 🙂
Your piece feels like an embrace of permanence. Really beautiful. Sarah
Love your tangled stones. I think it would translate into a great piece of wire wrapped jewelry.
Beautiful photos! Yes, your piece does look like stones. Cheating? Nah. You did it. Now, if you posted something someone else did. Well, then the Zentangle police would come and take you away 🙂
I hope I never hear a knock at my door and open it to find the dreaded Zentangle police. 😉
Hi Suzanne — Your lovely tangle does not look like stones to me. Something about its texture is seems soft. (Maybe it’s because the contour lines look like yarn.) Your photos are also lovely — and hold many beautiful memories, I imagine. 🙂
Paula, I feel like my piece doesn’t do your challenge justice, but thanks for sharing your inspiration with us.
I don’t see stones. I do see a lovely tile and fantastic photos’!
I see the stones! And I really do love the piece. Seems your communing earlier in life paid off for this one. Must admit that Scottish bluff made me dizzy! Beautiful….
Thanks, Jacqui. The Cliffs of Moher are in Ireland (west coast), but Scotland is pretty close. 😉
Your piece definitely has a stone-like feel – nice! I say bending the rules is just fine. 🙂
Yes, they look like a necklace I had years ago! Small stones and so pretty. I LOVED that post “The Wrong Side” – that was funny!! You have a great way with story-telling!
Like your stone tile and what fun pictures too!
There is a group of men putting up a lovely stone wall in front of a home on Bala Avenue that I pass every day on my walk to my sister’s house. I’ve really been enjoying watching it go up, slowly but surely. Not quite as impressive as that Irish one in the photo, but quite lovely in its own way.
Very good tile.
I love your stone entry, rule-bent or not! It looks like that Zentwining technique that Lynn Mead created. Nice! I also loved just reading and gazing at your spectacular post! What beautiful photos and I’m sure, wonderful memories! You have been blessed to see so much of this incredible world of ours!
I really like the challenge this time, it took me over the world. Thank you for sharing your stone experiences in Peru and Ireland, I am enjoying it. I like your stone tangle too, all patterns which I love are on it. They are many but also “one”.
I have no idea why but when I saw your tangle for this post I immediately thought of a papoose. Like I said, no idea why. I love the photo of the wall with the built in stairs and the ring of Kerry, quite precarious. Was there maybe a fence along that ledge at the Cliffs of Moher?! As they say, first step is a bitch, but what an incredible view!