A gift of creativity

Those who say they are not artistic will feel differently after they experience the art of Zentangle. Anyone can draw with the incredible tools they give you to learn to let go. It all began when Maria Thomas and Rick Roberts had a conversation about her feelings as she drew patterns on a piece she was working on. Together, with their knowledge of art and meditation, Rick a little zen (he used to be a monk, a NY cab driver and many other things) and Maria a little tangle...their craft is spreading virally around the world!

From the website, www.zentangle.com:

What is Zentangle?
Zentangle is an easy to learn method of creating beautiful images from repetitive patterns. It is a fascinating new art form that is fun and relaxing. It increases focus and creativity. Zentangle provides artistic satisfaction and an increased sense of personal well being. Zentangle is enjoyed by a wide range of skills and ages and is used in many fields of interest. We believe that life is an art form and that Zentangle is an elegant metaphor for deliberate artistry in life. Explore our web site and learn how you can use this wonderful and uplifting discovery.

This is a sample of a "tile" made using Zentangle. A full gallery of images is available on their website. It's incredible to see the different styles and interpretations from each person.

See what they've been up to using Zentangle to benefit others:
Maybe you saw the article in the Telegram and Gazette recently, or perhaps you had the chance to chat with Rick and Maria at our fundraiser Cirque du Noir, where they collaborated with 4 other artists to create 6 amazing pieces to auction off for The Worcester County Food Bank.

A visit from Maria

Maria stopped by today. Her charm just lights up the room. What a pleasure to stop what you are doing (working) and visit with her. These pictures are some that I took during a photoshoot at her home studio in Whitinsville. It was for our newest project with Maria, a collaborative collection of stationery, called "Escargot". Yes, Ted Turner, Catherine Zeta Jones and you too can have Maria's handlettering! To watch her in action is breathtaking. The sounds of the Spencerian pen nib on paper is hypnotic. If you have been to the National Stationery Show you might have caught her in our booth doing promo pieces for everyone...even our competitors came by to get them! Thanks for the little jolt of your energy today Maria!

Check out the collection online www.checkernet.com.

pecha kucha

A collage of handlettering with intricate and ethnic henna tattoo...

including work penned by Picasso to Gertrude Stein, Maria Thomas, Iris Chase & Paul Antonio. Penstrokes evoke the utmost emotion in me...always has. I have huge admiration for those with great skill for this art. I have the luxury of working closely with one of the best...Maria Thomas, also known worldwide for her invitation company Pendragon Ink.

Frida, the colorful life, the dramatic ups and downs and still she painted in her bed, with a mirror hanging from her ceiling. She followed her dreams and let them take her wherever she wanted to go. Too bad for Diego. Eclectic and full of passion, Frida Kahlo was an inspirational to female artists of her time.

One word......SHOES.

What lights your fire? What makes you inspired to create, to dress, to entertain or to celebrate? I am prepping for a pecha kucha and I am so rev'd up to get my slides together. Public speaking is another matter altogether, and since it is for work, there is no alcohol being served up. I begged to have it at the restaurant down the street, but not so much. I have to suck it up and keep my mind on the goal.

From Pecha Kucha.org:

What is Pecha Kucha Night?
Pecha Kucha Night, devised by Astrid Klein and Mark Dytham (Klein Dytham architecture), was
conceived in 2003 as a place for young designers to meet, network, and show their work in public.
But as we all know, give a mike to a designer (especially an architect) and you’ll be trapped for hours. The key to Pecha Kucha Night is its patented system for avoiding this fate. Each presenter is allowed 20 images, each shown for 20 seconds each – giving 6 minutes 40 seconds of fame before the next presenter is up. This keeps presentations concise, the interest level up, and gives more people the chance to show. Pecha Kucha (which is Japanese for the sound of conversation) has tapped into a demand for a forum in which creative work can be easily and informally shown, without having to rent a gallery or chat up a magazine editor. This is a† demand that seems to
be global – as Pecha Kucha Night, without any pushing, has spread virally to over 100 cities across the world. Find a location and join the conversation.

Inspired by the outrageous excitement of Payal Kripalani, who attended one at Mantra in Boston, I look forward to hearing back from Klein Dytham about having one in Worcester! So get your creative groove on!

Gettin' Etsy

Art and handmade items are precious gifts. Each item comes from the heart and soul of the artist. If you have not visited www.etsy.com, I strongly urge you to step inside the world of handmade goods. Support these artists. From my own experience with jewelry, they put way more time in each piece than they could charge for it. Having an original piece of art is truly a gift. There are so many beautiful and original pieces from knitted goods to pottery and beyond.

Pour a glass of wine, put the kids to bed and indulge in the splendor of etsy.

Triangle Mooka Jasper pendant by JSurine via etsy.
Lush peridot and green garnet earrings from JSurine via etsy.
Undulation Silver earrings...ribbon candy? Mocahete via etsy.

fa la la ...

I have a very cool job as a designer of holiday greeting cards, wedding invitations, birth announcements, Bar and Bat Mitzvah invitations, and stationery. It is my great fortune to think about momentous occasions all of the time. Celebrations, life's most memorable events involving family and friends in cool places around the world. I consume everything about design, color, texture, technique, fashion, decor and history, roll it all around in my head and create...I am so fortunate to do what I love and work with extremely talented people (check out the artist friends to see their personal work). What is even more outstanding is to see my designs being chosen by brides and grooms, new parents, parents of mitzvah kids, and people that just love paper and the art of presentation.

Someone who understood the passion of paper was Louis Prang, the father of the American holiday greeting, came to the US and settled in Roxbury, Massachusetts in 1856. It is here that he started rolling out lines of prestigious greeting cards. I read that people used to count how many "Prangs" they received. Unfortunately, cheap foreign-made knock offs put Louie out of business in the card division. Fortunately for all educators and art lovers, he also was passionate about learning and printed the very first artist's instructional text, others followed. Prang crayons? Yup, that's him. Louie Award at the National Stationery Show? Yes, indeed. The award for creative excellence in greeting card design.

When you send your greeting cards out this year to your family and friends, know that some deep thought and resourceful design went into them by someone who gets to be passionately creative everyday, especially if they were made by me!

images from above red swirl, chocolate & blue holiday and winter branch: www.einvite.com/festival

stART at The Station 09

I'm From Worcester: stART at The Station is coming!
Check out this linkback to Claudia Snell's site for cool Worcester happenings.
She doesn't miss a trick.

Sunday December 7, 2008 is stART at the Station!

A premiere holiday arts event with over 80 artists and crafters, food and more, just in time for all your holiday festivities! Hosted at historical Union Station, Worcester's renovated train station with soaring ceilings and marble floors.

Scott Boilard's art from stART on the Street in September. They sell out fast. I love the nudes. He's a genious! These little guys are handmade by Converse Creations.

Esthema

Scott Holloway

Brit Style Holiday

Holiday decorating does not have to be expensive, just use a little imagination and your home can sparkle, welcoming your festive brood for some good cheer and jubilation. Simplicity, color and inventiveness are the keys to creating a unique holiday atmosphere. Stay away from the old red and green, add some sparkle and candlelight and most of all, add a little bit of you to your holiday home.

Inspiration and images are all from the the Brit mag, LivingEtc.