(For those of you new to Zentangle, you can read my take on it here.)
This week, the Zentangle Diva challenged us to produce a monotangle tile using one of our “mac ‘n cheese” (i.e. comfort) tangles and incorporating the number 200 to celebrate the 200th week of the Diva’s weekly challenges. One of my current favorite tangles is “Sand Swirl” by Karry Huen. You can find the step out for this tangle, here. I think this tangle lends itself to interesting backgrounds, but in my opinion, it also stands well on its own with the potential for lots of movement and depth. To acknowledge the celebratory aspect of this week’s challenge, I’ve tangled the number “200” with a metallic gold gel pen.
Instead of signing my tile, I’ve added the French tricolor with the caption, “Je suis Charlie” in solidarity with the French nation which experienced heinous terror attacks last week. My first reaction was “What is wrong with these people?” Unfortunately, however, these attacks are merely the latest manifestation of misguided tribal ethnocentrism present for millennia. In modern history, the ethnic cleansing in Rwanda, Bosnia and the Holocaust spring to mind. In my own country, the USA, not too long ago, we set out to eradicate native American peoples and culture. My husband’s family are Sephardic Jews, so I’ll throw in the Spanish Inquisition too. Sadly, these are just a few examples.
When it gets too much to bear, I take out my sketch pad and try to mind travel somewhere else—-one stroke at a time.
Wishing you all peace and courage.
{ 38 comments… read them below or add one }
You are so right with sand swirl, a powerful tangle to use as background for the movement and depth it can create. You did a beautiful example for us for this tangle.
What a gorgeous piece, Suzanne – I’ve never seen that particular tangle pattern before, but I love the way it flows. Lovely!
Ah, the joy of loopy swirlyness…what a lovely tile (and a great tangle). I like your choice of gold to make the 200 stand out as well as your signature…Nous sommes tous Charlie.
Very nice! I like sand swirl, going to have to try it out 🙂
Absolutely beautiful tile Suzanne. I like Sand Swirl too 🙂
Oh I like Sand Swirl a lot myself! What a lovely rendition – I nearly mistook your piece for a round zendala tile, so perfect is your circle, until I saw your clever shading at the base!! I love the gold bits too!
Have a great week 🙂
P.S. I echo your sentiments. Quite recently I had a conversation with two ladies from the USA who were going on about how unsafe “my part of the world” was – I simply HAD to point out that “my part of the world” is every bit as unsafe as anyone else’s part of the world, as long as there is racial and/or religious intolerance. I mean, even the word ‘unsafe’ is subjective and life still goes on for a large majority of people living in affected areas.
It’s kind of amazing that anyone in the US would consider Singapore unsafe. Really?
Lovely choice of monotangle, Suzanne. I think it is one of my own favourites – but oh, there are so many! It’s nice to see what people have chosen.
I don’t understand how people can be so so very extreme. Passionate, committed, idealistic…yes. Fanatical, intolerant to the point of extermination…no. And no again.
Axxx
What is scary is that even though most people—-and I’m talking about the vast, vast majority—-are naturally inclined to live and let live, we also know that people are easily led by zealots of one stripe or another, especially when those zealots control the mass media.
This is simply stunning Suzanne… and I echo the sentiments you stated. It truly is horrifying to see history repeat itself so frequently and we continue to be blind to it. And I mean blind in that we are RE active instead of PRO active. No one has seen this coming? So very sad and dare I say, discouraging.
I know, Jacquie, it is difficult to keep despair at bay. Even if we knew this were coming, somewhere, somehow—-what could be done? Soft targets abound and there seem to be people willing to commit mass murder for all sorts of misguided ideologies or just garden variety untreated mental illness. OK. Now I have totally depressed myself.
Well-said, Suzanne, on so many levels. I am weary of the violence (who isn’t) but I also grow weary of the constant USA bashing – violence (sadly enough) is everywhere in our world, but I guess sometimes it’s easiest to find fault in one’s own backyard. Peace and safe travels to all of us.
Thank you, Patti. I don’t feel that the US is particularly targeted for bashing these days. Sadly, there seems to be plenty of animosity to go around. As for the peace and safe travels—–amen.
Beautiful, Suzanne! Spaghetti, anyone? It reminds me of someone’s stylized rendition of spaghetti from one of our childhood books. I am reading Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand and one has to wonder if cruelty and the desire for power is just so deeply ingrained in the genetic make-up of our species,that whatever progress we may make here and there, the next tyrant or ideology is around the corner to indoctrinate vulnerable people who you may have been playing ball with in the street the other day! And, of course, fear is also used to get people to turn off their brains and their hearts in order to simply survive. I suppose the tension between good and evil and what various groups perceive as good and evil will propel civilization in one direction or another for all time. However, in the final analysis human rights should trump all.
Lovely swirly’s. It swings really!
I really like Sandswirl but never think to use it. I like the boldness of your number with the softness of the tangles. Sad situation and one that has been repeated way too many times in our world.
This is so pretty! I had never heard of Zentangle, until I met you! I will read your other post so I may get educated. I love that you pay your respects to France. My heart breaks over all of this violence. However I do not see an end in sight.
Thank you, Suzanne. A year ago, I had never heard of Zentangle either and now I’m taking a course in April to become certified to teach it! With all the causes for anxiety swirling about us, it provides a moment of calm and space to just “be”.
Peace and courage to You as well, Dear Suzanne . And yes, reach my hands to my knitting needles,
Val, living in Ukraine, I know you know something about needing a place for mental escape: Knitting, Zentangle, music, poetry. Maybe all the ugliness in the world over thousands of years has also partly been the impetus for creative expression. I know some writers and artists think they must be suffering to do their best work. I’d hope that wouldn’t be necessary.
It’s beautiful! Almost reminds me of Medusa’s hair, swirling, twisting. Stare at it long enough and it moves! You are so talented!!
I love your tile a lot and I love your thoughts even more. And, you are right in your last sentence, sometimes it gets to much to bear. We get afraid of each other, looking over our shoulder in fear.
I think the only thing we can do is spreading love and light around us to all people we meet where ever we go. I really believe that can have a snowball effect.
This week I was wondering if I would write something about ‘Je suis Charlie’ on my blog, but didn’t; thank you for doing it!!!!!
Thank you very much for your kind comments, Annemarie. My blog is feeling a little schizophrenic these days. Many of the blogging experts say one should stay in one blog niche, but I’ve decided that Boomeresque has more than one niche—-because I have more than one interest. If the blogosphere gods are unhappy, I guess they know where to find me. 🙂
Thank you for your thoughts! I totally agree with you!
Wonderful post and your round tile with Sand Swirl is so beautiful!
Thank you Lonetta for reading beyond my response to this week’s Zentangle Diva’s challenge. The truth is that although Zentangle can be a welcome retreat, it doesn’t occur in a vacuum. Like it or not, we’re citizens of the world.
Beautiful sand swirl – I ‘specially love the sand swirl in the number 200! Beautifully done.
Congratulations on getting to attend the CZT seminar in April! That’s a long range goal of mine. Nice tile & I agree with your sentiments. Terror in any form should be a world-wide concern.
Thank you, Suzanne. I’m not getting any younger, so I figured I better attend a seminar while I still can. Plus, I feel like I need to get a better handle on the Zentangle ethos. I’ll try to report on how it goes.
That’s a beautiful, powerful tile! I love the way you used sand swirl as a background; 200 pops up in a nice way!
Lovely tile! Sandswirl is not a tangle I’ve used, but I will definitely try it now. Thanks!
If there’s one thing I’ve got even less interest in than travel writing, it’s Zentangle. And yet… we’re friends! Go figure. 🙂
Roz, I appreciate you taking the time to comment on my posts, but you’re supposed to at least feign interest in travel and Zentangle—because we’re friends.;-)
Thank you for that wonderful post! I totally agree!
Very nice tile for the challenge 🙂 I like Sandswirl too and I like the way you tangle the number 200 in the pattern! Looks great!
Lovely work as per usual!
The saddest thing about these recent events is that they happen to people who are free thinking in a country that respects freedom of speech and press…the exact principles that protect these freedoms also protect the freedom of the insane. It’s truly a no win situation and what makes it terrifying.
A wonderful Post, Suzanne. Love your Challenge Tile. Sand Swirl is a delightful pattern, and I really like how you added line weight to your your pattern. The lighter version of Sand Swirl inside your “200” is a brilliant design decision. Have a ball in Providence.
Nice movement in your Zendala. Sand Swirl is a great tangle for a monotangle. You presented it well.
Sand swirl looks great on this tile, well done.
Your 200 is wonderful!! 🙂
~ Diane Clancy
http://www.dianeclancy.com/blog/2015/01/diva-bi-zen-tennial-celebration-challenge-entry