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"Girlie Skull" Trailer Hitch Cover
I spotted this cool Day of the Dead girlie skull decorating a trailer hitch on an SUV parked outside Barnes & Noble…SO much more attractive than those nasty manly swinging you-know-whats!!!
Posted: November 21st, 2009 under Silliness - No Comments.
Zentangle Created While Stressed
Today got away from me. Too much to do, too little time. As overwhelm took over, I asked myself: “What would calm me down?” Self said: “A Zentangle, of course,” as one of the specific reasons to create a Zentangle is to change your mood. However…just like the old saying “wherever you go, there you are,” I brought my harried, distracted self to a form of art meant to be meditative and mindful.
Needless to say, the results were less than stellar. In my lack of focus, I made a mistake with one of the lines. Then I accidentally initialed what I considered to be a vertical side because I wasn’t paying attention to the orientation of my signature and date on the back. (Yes, I know Zentangles are meant to be viewed from all angles, but it really annoyed me to have a “directional conflict.”)
My first thought was to tear up my Zentangle and throw it away. Then I decided to see what Zen lesson(s) I might learn from it. What I came up with is: (1) try to be more mindful in the future, (2) learn from your mistakes and move on, and (3) it is what it is.
Inside of all that, I found the courage to post my Zentangle anyway, not so much as a “cautionary tale,” but as an example of the reality of a creative life. Not everything we create will be masterpieces. There will be days when the best we can squeak out is what my awesome mentor Bob Burridge calls a “turkey,” as no creative effort is EVER a “failure” or “loser.”
And so I call it a day and button up my studio for the evening. I look forward to tomorrow as another chance to approach creativity (and life) with as much mindfulness and optimism as I can muster. Will I create a masterpiece? Will I create a turkey? Who knows? Who cares? Because creativity is creativity, an end unto itself, and the bottom line is: “it just is what it is.”
Posted: November 17th, 2009 under Zentangles - No Comments.
Zentangle-ish Puzzle designed by Heather Lee Fazzino
I get SO excited when I find Zentangle-ish images used on products like this jigsaw puzzle I found at Barnes & Noble. I did some research on the artist, Heather Lee Fazzino, and discovered that she’s the daughter of famous 3-D pop artist Charles Fazzino. In addition to her graphic black and white drawings, Heather also designs clothing and painted furniture. Check out her art at: www.crookcouture.com.
Posted: November 15th, 2009 under Silliness, Zentangles - No Comments.
Posted: November 14th, 2009 under www.dailycartini.com - No Comments.
"No More Serious Art!" #1
This drawing started out as another affirmation sketch to remind me to have fun with my art. But before I knew it, I’d lapsed back into my old habit of trying to make a detailed rendering. (Needless to say, that was the beginning of the end of having fun with this one!) I became consumed with the details, even going so far as researching historical info on the painting to make sure I was “honoring Munch’s heartfelt expression.” [Gag] Would I cut off my ear to honor Van Gogh’s heartfelt expression? [Insert your favorite expletive here], NO!!! By the time I realized all of this, I’d gone too far with the rendering to stop without it looking obviously incomplete. So I dug in and got it done, but decided that I’m going to do another one and STICK WITH my original intent of having fun. BTW: If you’re curious about the history behind “The Scream,” check out the wiki:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Scream. It’s very interesting! 
Posted: November 14th, 2009 under Affirmations, Silliness - No Comments.
“Zentangle Dress” – get yours NOW at Anthropologie!
Seen on a mannequin in the window of Anthropologie (Fashion Valley Mall, San Diego CA). Check out the cool houses and buildings incorporated into the design. Makes you want to grab your pen and start Zentangling, doesn’t it?
Posted: November 12th, 2009 under Silliness, Zentangles - No Comments.
"I Create Beauty Even When I Am Out of Sorts"
This sketch was a leap of faith. I was not having a good day physically, but I needed to draw and decided to draw myself drawing an affirmation: “I create beauty even when I’m out of sorts.” Apparently it worked, because I was feeling much better by the time I was done. 
Posted: November 11th, 2009 under Affirmations - 1 Comment.
“Crazy Zentangle Shoes”
I’m not a Fashionista by any stretch of the imagination, but I do like lifestyle and fashion magazines for inspiration. Today, I was looking through the September ’09 issue of Coast Magazine (“Orange County’s Finer Lifestyle”!) and I came across these crazy strappy sandals available at Needless Markups. Note: Even though they are featured in a California magazine, they are not available in California. [Sigh]
Posted: November 10th, 2009 under Silliness, Zentangles - No Comments.
Doodles #1
I used Lost Coast Design’s ”Pencils Background” stamp, then added my own ideas as to what would come out of those pencils….
Posted: November 10th, 2009 under Zenhancements - No Comments.
Freehand Trees
I LOVE embellishing the wild images I find in fashion magazines! To this ad for purses from Mulberry, I added tree trunks and branches plus the ground and sticks using an India ink pen and colored pencil.
Posted: November 10th, 2009 under Zenhancements - No Comments.