Zentangle Challenge

Weekly Challenge #228: GUEST BLOGGER Cari Sultanik, CZT

The dog days of summer are long and hot here on the east coast of the U.S., but there is so much to celebrate this time of year. Beautiful big shade trees, swimming pools and beachside fun, summer flowers, and (for the kids in most areas), no drudgery to take away from blissful hours of outside carefree fun. My kids are lucky enough to go to summer camp--one as a lifeguard, the other in his last year as a camper--and I am delighted that they can have an experience they can carry with them for a lifetime.

Of course, in other parts of the world (looking at you, Australia) it's winter, some of us work in air-conditioned (thank goodness!) offices with little access to nature's bounty, and some of us flat out hate the heat and humidity.

Whether you're outdoors-obsessed or indoors-indignant, you can enjoy THIS challenge which celebrates all things natural and organic. I've always been drawn to tangles that imitate nature, even though Zentangle is, of course, meant to be non-representational. I simply like the curved lines, the impression that tangles that "grow" make that bring tiles or ZIA pieces to life, and the colors that can be brought into the artwork that evoke feelings of joy and wonder.

Somehow, the summer is passing me by without my going outside to enjoy it. This challenge inspired me to head for our local state park and a refreshing dip in Cayuga Lake, with a lovely rest looking at the sky, trees, people, and listening to Jeff Sharra's Wave of Steel. Do, thanks for getting me outside to enjoy the lake.

I did two tiles in response to the challenge.