Zentangle has been a huge help to me during an incredibly stressful time, over the past couple of months.
We did the "jumping every time the phone rang" thing, as we waited for Mom's cancer surgery to be scheduled, then supported her through surgery, her stay in hospital. I'm now trying to be as much help as I can be. They are an hour and a half away.
I work full time, thankfully telecommuting from home, and I love my job.
Yesterday, however, I found myself feeling off... not really accomplishing anything... wanting to draw instead of working, and not accomplishing much as a result. I was in a very strange headspace.
I did sit down in the evening and draw a tile. I was giving no thought to the overall design, just enjoying the process. I think an art therapist would have a heyday with this tile. To me, it came out showing just how "torn between two worlds" I was.
Every once in a while, something happens to reiterate to me that there is far more to Zentangle than drawing. It's not that I don't intellectually know that... it's just that it doesn't always "manifest" that way for me. Yesterday, it obviously did.
Here is the tile I drew:
I wonder if this kind of "insight" happens often for you? It's something I'm going to start to pay more attention to. I'd love to hear your stories about working out answers, or gaining better understanding of your own state of mind, through Zentangle.
Have a great weekend, everyone!
Beth (Elizabeth Beveridge on FB)
It isn't just "zentangle" that helps people to understand themselves and the world. Zentangle is the adaptation of improvisation - the tool of creativity that has been evident since the cave-dwellers drew on the cave walls. Nothing has been discovered with intent. It "dawned" on the creator or inventer. The human being is the only creature that can actually perform deliberate creative acts (OK you can argue about the talents of some animals, but they are not guided by intellectual insights!). So we need not ask why creativity is so important; we should be sharing it. More on that in a minute.
ReplyDeleteI would like to add one idea to Beth's insights, and that is that doing something creative (= art) leads us back to where we should be - the tranquility of pictorial art rests the psyche (soul), helps to get turmoils and problems into proportion. When we are drawing or painting, writing, or even cooking, we are consciously or subconsciously searching for the right colour, shape, word or ingredient. Solving the artistic dilemma is parallel to finding out how to solve or deal with a "real" problem.
But sharing doesn't always get the results one would like. I run a small women's chorus. It used to be bigger, but now women have to work all hours to pay their bills, many find it impossible to attend rehearsals regularly, so drop out. During the 22 years or so of chorus direction I have always stressed the need for self-assertion and invited ideas to improve what I provide musically(I write all the musical arrangements). Last October I had this idea to do ZIA with the chorus, defined a time-slot (half an hour before the rehearsal) and handed out 10x10cm pieces of paper, pens of various kinds, pencils and printouts of uncomplicated patterns. I did not give forewarning of this project, but did a short demonstration to show them how to start. Many were horrified. One said she only came to sing and wasn't interested in fiddling around, more than one said they didn't need art, a few made an effort, and one - only one - took it on board and produced some really nice work straight off, though she said she had no talent!!! Of course, talent comes in degrees, but the results of the doodling (I had them put their names on the back) were pathetic, if not tragic. I watch them when they are singing and often despair at the body language. These are average women, like you and me. I kept the drawing going for a few weeks, but found that most of the chorus simply came late to avoid it. My talented singer (yes, she is creative by nature) was usually there before me and eager to get going. My efforts to make these women do something new and adventurous failed almost completely. But it also explained the problems the women have letting go and singing well. I've changed my rehearsal priorities to include more rhythmic exercises, so that they at least feel body rhythm, even if it doesn't get an outlet any other way (yes, zentangle is all about rhythm). But I'm not sure I can change most of the women's blockages, inhibitions, because they seem to cherish them.
Creativity is inborn, but often suppressed. The zentangle craze has opened a whole new creative world to many people - look at all the artistic talent out there!
The women refusing to cooperate in my chorus think they don't need more than they have. They rear their kids in the msame mould. Sad. Very sad.
Faith, thank you for a really thought-provoking post. Creativity, I believe, is not just a passion, or a talent, it is a human need...
DeleteYour story about your chorus group is very sad. I have found, however that often people who shine in one art form (in this case, singing) can be very resistant to trying their hands at other creative forms. I've seen it with writers, who can paint or sculpt with words extremely well. For some, one art form seems to be enough.
The closed-mindedness these people demonstrated is, unfortunately, not that unusual, but must have been extremely discouraging for you. I share your concern about the narrowly focused upbringing they may be providing for their children. I believe though, that everyone eventually finds an outlet for their form of creativity, given half a chance, and hopefully it will be provided in school, or some other forum.
Thank you again, Faith, for your thoughtful reply.
Thanks Beth. You are definitely more of an optimist than I am. I'd like to think that everyone eventually finds an outlet for their creative instincts, but I don't think it always works that way.
DeleteWhat really shocked me about the chorus ladies, most of whom see the singing merely as a sideline for the social contact they uphold by coming along - was that though we've been working together for many years,they immediately went on the defensive when offered a new challenge. I know not everyone is talented in the same way, bit this experiment was for something none of them had every had any contact with and for the most part they didn't even show any curiosity. They just closed their minds to it!
No one has mentioned it since starting rehearsals after the Christmas break. I expect they are afraid I will start the project up again. But I won't. I know when I'm beaten!
I think I would feel a little bewildered too, if not hurt, by their response.
DeleteI think you're probably wise not to beat your head against the wall.
What a shame. I wonder what else they are missing?