Inscriblio-ed Spiradox

Paradox in a spiral...in real-life, this ATC-sized
ZIA is very reflective...it just shows up dark
here in the scan.

The Diva challenged us to combine spirals with Rick's Paradox. Interesting! But no time for obsessing this week.
I decided to explore an alternate surface and alternate tool for tangling, so I tangled an ATC-size sheet of metal using a tool I've had for quite a while--an Inscriblio. It's a nifty little battery-operated engraving tool for crafters and artists. I think I bought mine at a scrapbook store years ago.

Using a buzzing tool that seems to want to take its own path is not exactly a zen-like experience...but I chose not to be too concerned with the outcome and to embrace the many quirks in my engraved lines, it was fun. I started with the spiral, which I drew from the ouside in, and tangled paradox in sections from the inside out.

The scan came out much darker than the piece, which is shiny silver. Maybe a photo could better show its reflective quality. Actually, it's neat to see it this way...I had originally thought I'd try this challenge on one of my black tiles. I have also started a white tile for this challenge, prior to getting my idea to use metal, but haven't gotten around to finishing it yet. I'll post it once it's done. Might be a while, though! Busy times.

My aim was not to create the ultimate ZIA here, but to push myself out of my comfort zone and embrace a new approach to tangling (as well as get a piece submitted for this week's challenge, of course!). There's much room for improvement...but also a lot of potential here. I am intrigued by metal. I can't help but wonder--how would it look if I just tangled on the metal with my IDentipen or Microperm, like I did on the dominoes...?

Happy tangling, everyone!

Waving!

Howdy! I'm waving atcha! I haven't been that friendly in the blogosphere lately as I've been caught up in all sorts of things away from the good ol' s&k (screen & keyboard).

I've missed the past few Diva challenges due to travel and the busy-ness of life, so I was determined not to let the deadline pass before I had a submission for this week's challenge. It's "Use My Tangle!!" week! YAY! I love this concept. The Diva hosts this challenge the first Monday of every month, using a random number generator to select a tangle created by one of her readers. This week's tangle comes from Mariët in the Netherlands: Golven (which is the Dutch word for waves). Directions are here and I can tell you that her blog--Studio ML--is fanstastic! She posts in both Dutch and English, and for that I am most appreciative!

So here is my tile. It is simple and not all that exciting, but the process of creating it was enjoyable and relaxing. It's been too long since I took the time to sit and tangle! I chose Bales and Ixorus to complement Golven because, like Golven, they are composed of straight lines and a simple "C" curve. I finished it with a Festune disk in the loop to the side.

I used the rounding technique not only in Golven (as it is part of the directions), but also in Bales...I rather like how that worked out!

Now that I have met this Challenge, I can't wait to see the tiles and ZIAs that everyone else created featuring Mariët 's tangle!

Where do I begin?!

It's been a while since I've been able to get a post up! I tried earlier this week, but the internet access at the New York Hilton has been very spotty, and I couldn't stay connected long enough to do anything.

I am currently enjoying a few days in NYC at the National Art Education Association Convention...along with thousands of other art teachers from across the country and beyond. It's the best professional development opportunity I can imagine; there are hours and hours of sessions to inform and inspire us, and we get to network and spend time with such a wide range of art educators, not to mention visit the museums here if we can fit them in. So far I have only fit in MOMA, but I hope to go to the Met or Guggenheim tomorrow after the last few sessions of the convention. Tomorrow night, I'll fly back home. I will be exhausted, but so happy to see my husband and kids!

So, why the pinwheel tangle? I post this tile in honor of a presentation I made on Friday about the potential of pinwheels as a subject or object in the art curriculum. I shared a number of projects that I've done with my elementary students, inspired by Pinwheels for Peace. If you are visiting Tanglefish Blog as an educator from the NAEA convention, welcome! I'd love it ever so much if you would leave me a comment to let me know you stopped by my blog!

I created this pinwheel tile to compare and contrast four squarish/cube-ish tangles: Beeline (lower right), Cubine (upper left), Flukes (lower left), and Dex (I think...I will have to check on the name of that one). It's a bit geometric than most of the tiles I do...in fact, I find it to be stiff. I'm not sure it's complete yet.I have another one to post when I get home; I do not have a photo of it on my laptop to be able to share it now. Oddly, the shading of this one reflected the flash and looks almost white or silver instead of shadow-y. Pencil graphite sometimes does that, especially on top of black.

But wait--there's more! One of the highlights of my trip was brought to me by Sakura, the manufacturer of those wonderful pens we use for tangling, the Microns, as well as a number of other great pens with distinct personalities. Thank you, Sakura, for bringing Maria Thomas and Rick Roberts to New York to demonstrate the Zentangle(R) concept for all the teachers here! It was such a joy to see them again! They taught at the Sakura Booth for hour after hour, 3 days straight, guiding who-knows-how-many teachers through their first Zentangle experience. There is definitely a buzz about Zentangle among my fellow art teachers now! I was so proud to tell people I met that I am a Certified Zentangle Teacher, and encourage them to check it out.

It's very late, and I must get some sleep. I will probably update this entry in a day or two...I still have lots more to write about!

Happy March!