Zentangling My Way to Creativity

As an art historian, I spend a lot of time looking at great pieces of art and teaching my students why they are important and how they were made. I know the history of different media artists used. I know when oil paints were invented and how it revolutionized the way paintings appeared.  I know what tools Michelangelo used to carve his David.

But I myself rarely pick up a paint brush, much less and hammer and chisel.  For years I've been meaning to begin practicing art-making, but between my career and two small kids, it just didn't happen. I find nearly all my time consumed with the tasks of daily life.

But recently I've started a personal challenge of completing one Zentangle a day.  If you haven't heard of it, check out this link.  It's essentially doodling with some specific designs to try out and a few other guidelines. You don't need any fancy materials and you don't need any formal training. Because the designs you create are abstract, you needn't worry that "they don't look like the real thing." If you struggle with creating or sticking to a routine, these are very doable. Once I had two or three under my belt, I found that I actually craved them.

I'm not ready to frame any of them yet, but I've enjoyed making them. The creators of Zentangle describe a mindset of "relaxed focus" while doing them.  As you focus simply on creating a pattern of lines or shapes you're "in the zone" so to speak and I find that lot of other cares and concerns go by the wayside.

An unintentional effect of Zentangling for me has been that it seems to encourage other creative things (picking up a pencil or pen or paintbrush or sitting down at the piano, something I haven't done in years!).  Does creativity beget creativity? I'm not sure, but I think it has to do with the satisfaction of completing something, even if it's not something overly impressive. A Zentangle, ideally, can be completed in 20 minutes. Often I feel like if I don't have hours to get supplies set up and so I never start any artistic project. Zentnagling has reminded me that even a short amount of time can lead to a sense of satisfaction and a desire for more creative endeavors. To be continued....