This hexagonal piece is made from six almost identical Zentangles on Renaissance 3Z (triangular) tiles. They are almost identical, but every other one has the white spinner going in the opposite direction. Maria (Zentangle Founder) led this as part of Project Pack 8. My husband, unbeknownst to me, ordered this perfect frame for it. 

Each year, Zentangle presents the 12 Days of Zentangle Project Pack. Everyday there is a new video. I often fall behind on project packs, and do them months after they come out, but this time I wanted to do the Zentangles on the day they were released, just to feel like I was tangling with a lot of other people, worldwide. This year's theme was Renaisance tiles, the beautiful beige colored papers that Renaissance painters like Leonardo used for drawings. Here are my Zentangles. Day 8 was my favorite. Hope you enjoy them!

Day 1 Bronx Spears

Day 2 Crazy Huggins

Day 3 Well

Day 4 

Day 5

Day 6 Love the Blue Tape

Day 7 Rick's Paradox and Flux

Day 8 My Favorite

Day 11 DrawWings

Day 12 

Maria's Mookas with Fancy Dresses

Compass Rose

This is a Zentangle Compass Rose. It took me four weeks to finish, and I am very happy it is done. I made so many mistakes, from wobbly lines to every sort of inexactitude, but it doesn't even matter. Art is partly telling the critic inside to go away because I'm happy. And Zentangle always says, "No Mistakes." Plain persistence gets you a long way. 

Of course I was drawn to this idea because of the hundreds of hours I spent on night watch in the waters off Florida, the Bahamas and the Caribbean. Warm nights with silvery black water as far as you could see in every direction. For my four hour watch, the tiller in my hand, my eyes wandering up in the sky and the sails, then always coming back to check the course. To be on course, to know the direction. No mistakes. 

Steering by a star made it all easy. They taught me to line up a mast or a cross beam or the pointed top of a sail with a star. Then just keep them lined up. It's  easier than trying to keep the compass needle lined up on a certain degree on the compass rose. Steering by one star works well for a long time. Eventually you have to pick a different star if you want to stay on course.

Sea Fever

By John Masefield

I must go down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and the sky,

And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by;

And the wheel’s kick and the wind’s song and the white sail’s shaking,

And a grey mist on the sea’s face, and a grey dawn breaking.

I must go down to the seas again, for the call of the running tide

Is a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied;

And all I ask is a windy day with the white clouds flying,

And the flung spray and the blown spume, and the sea-gulls crying.

I must go down to the seas again, to the vagrant gypsy life,

To the gull’s way and the whale’s way where the wind’s like a whetted knife;

And all I ask is a merry yarn from a laughing fellow-rover,

And quiet sleep and a sweet dream when the long trick’s over.

If I were twenty, maybe I would change my name to Compass Rose.
You could call me Rose for short. 

This was so much fun. This was tangled along with Maria, Zentangle founder,with co-founder Rick providing further commentary in Project Pack 07, Lesson 01. It is fun to go on an artistic journey with these two guides. 

The finished mosaic of four tiles is very magical looking. The gold Gelly Roll pen comes out very shiny, just like gold leaf, and it all looks encrusted with jewels on the new grey Fabriano paper. 

These are four Bijou tiles.

Buy suitcase based on my painting

Hi Everyone,
The suitcase that has fabric printed with one of my paintings is now for sale. You can get it on my brother-in-law Bruce's Etsy website. I love mine, it is so pretty. it comes large and small. Bruce and his wife Millie have made bags since the early 1980's., and they know what they are doing. It's so pretty, I just love mine.

You can get it at https://Etsy.PeakFamilyGifts or you can just go to Etsy and search for PeakFamilyGifts.

Enjoy!

My painting on a suitcase

My wonderful brother-in-law Bruce Clancy had a business in the Reno area making bags for many years. Originally he made the Quick Shot, a camera bag for hikers. Stu worked with him on the Quick Shot and they sold many all over the west. Then came the Cool Tote, and for some years we got fabulous gifts of fabric bag coolers in every shape and size that we still treasure today. Most recently Bruce and his wife Millie, who has a very good eye for excellent graphical patterns, expanded into making lunch bags and just plain gorgeous purses and bags for women.

On a recent visit with us, I was very surprised that they thought one of my recent alcohol ink paintings would make a good suitcase pattern. He asked me to get a scan, and it took me a while to find someone who could scan at 1200 dpi! Finally I sent Bruce the picture.

Yesterday I got this back. I am so excited, and trying to buy one ASAP. I think they will be $100, so let me know if you are interested. I think Bruce is still working out some details of monogramming etc. Of course, I am not really trying to sell them, just want to share how much fun this is!

Gemstones

I have been drawing Eni Oken's gemstones. So much fun. Colored pencil mostly. I never realized the potential of colored pencils until now. The ornate bezels add a lot to the stones. Enjoy...

I like this tiny one. My original purpose in doing these was to put them into my Zentangles. So maybe this is the right size for that.