April 01, 2024

Zentangle® – March 2024

April 01, 2024/ Gwen Morrison

The tile materials for the 31 tiles I selected from my March creations were more varied than usual. The thin cardboard rectangular tiles were the first I made. The unbleached color varies slightly – always warm. I like that this is reused cardboard mostly made from recycled paper/cardboard.

There were two tiles from index cards from my dad’s old office,

Four square tiles that were paperboard coasters,

Five square tiles that were colorful cardstock,

And nine tiles that were round paperboard coasters that were all started with the same string.

It was a good month for savoring tile creation…experiencing the Zen minutes they provided.

The Zentangle® Method is an easy-to-learn, relaxing, and fun way to create beautiful images by drawing structured patterns. It was created by Rick Roberts and Maria Thomas. “Zentangle” is a registered trademark of Zentangle, Inc. Learn more at zentangle.com.

March 03, 2024

Zentangle® – February 2024

March 03, 2024/ Gwen Morrison

February was a stressful month. The pile of tiles I selected these 29 from was finished before the death of my mother. At the end of March….I’ll look at what might be different about the before and after tiles. As I write this post, I am still in the stage of being preoccupied and cycling through various stages of grief; when I think I have reached level of acceptance, I find myself thinking ‘oh mom would enjoy hearing/seeing this’ before I consciously remind myself that she is gone; I am realizing that my subconscious is churning away and interfering with my ability to focus too.

The square tiles this month are made on the usual neon colored card stock. Most of the time I can make patterns on both sides of the tile…unless I use the thicker pens and the color bleeds through.

The rectangular tiles are a mix of recycled light weight cardboard from cat food boxes (light brown), the wider tiles that are textured stationery from my dad’s business over 30 years ago that I found in his office when we cleaned it out, and the pale yellow/green 3x5 cards are also from his office (he carried them in his shirt pocket for notes….and then stopped about 5 years ago).

The past few months have re-enforced my self-knowledge that making a Zentangle tile (or two or three…) every day helps me through stressful times.

February 01, 2024

Zentangle® – January 2024

February 01, 2024/ Gwen Morrison

31 days in January – 31 Zentangle tiles selected from 74 created during the month. I split my time between Carrollton TX and home (Missouri) during the month…with plenty of quiet times sandwiched between roller coaster emotions. The islands of calm creating the tiles were little boosts to my emotional resilience. I created two series.

The first was made on pale yellow and green 3x5 index cards that were in unopened packages of my Dad’s office…found when we were cleaning it out. He used to carry a few cards in his shirt pocket for jotting down notes or making lists. I’m not sure when he stopped, but he has. So – I am using the cards for Zentangle tiles…and thinking of him!

The other series is made on round paper coasters. They all started with the same string (four lines intersecting in the center)…and then the variations begin!

And then there were the colorful square tiles.

I am enjoying looking at the mosaics…thinking back on the challenge of the past 3 months and acknowledging the positive impact of including Zentangle tiles in my daily routine.

January 29, 2024

Patterns in the Snow

January 29, 2024/ Gwen Morrison

A few days after photographing the snow activity around the patio, it was a little warmer (in the teens) and the sun was out. I ventured out at mid-morning to look around the yard and neighborhood. I noticed tracks in the snow. Squirrel?

My real objective was to walk patterns on the untracked snow of the tennis courts. It was my first attempt…and a learning experience.

I had chosen 2 simple patterns from my Zentangle experiences. The free form curves worked better than the “straight” lines.

The contrast between shadows and bright sunlight played havoc with my line of sight. The poles at the ends of the net worked well but the other corners were more nebulous.

Even though I tried to retrace each line at least twice, additional retracing would have made the lines more solid. Maybe wearing snowshoes would make that easier although I am not quite ready to make the purchase (yet).

The tennis courts are an optimal surface to walk patterns in the snow – flat and with ‘posts’ for orientation.

The snow was a good depth…2-3 inches.
It was cold enough (teens) that there had been no melting.

After I finished on the tennis courts I walked along the path a bit – made arches away from tracks made by others. Some had melted through to the asphalt. On the bridge over the channel into the ponds, there had been more traffic and the snow had fallen between the planks.

My winter gear kept me warm enough (down filled coat with hood, tube scarf over my head under the hood, mask, snow pants, hiking boots with wool socks, battery powered heat in my gloves). But I was ready to head indoors!

January 11, 2024

Glad to be Home

January 11, 2024/ Gwen Morrison

As I write this, I have been home again for a week after being away almost 7 weeks. It had taken this long to get settle back into an at-home routine….to relax enough to feel truly rested! At first, I felt so exhausted that I took naps – which didn’t seem to help. It took me 5 days to fully empty my car. I needed the alone time after being so engaged with people all the time; I didn’t want to talk on the phone at all…had to force myself to check my text message. My emotions were still volatile, and I consciously started trying to unwind. Cutting back on caffeine, getting more exercise and quick neighborhood hikes (even though it was cold outside) finally worked.

It’s such a joy to just be home. I’ve enjoyed returning to spending more time just being in my house…cooking, reading, writing, making Zentangle tiles, and planning one or two vacation travels for the next 6 months. I pampered myself included burning a scented candle I’ve had for years, a facial (using supplies from a Christmas gift), hot apple cider rooibos tea, big red peppermint stick, and pumpkin oatmeal cookie bars.

As the days passed, I fell myself recovering…although there are some aspects of the past 7 weeks that might be a permanent change. I’ve learned more about how I deal with stress --- holding off its effects until the crisis is ‘over’ --- and then requiring time to recover. It is a strategy and provided enough resilience, but I might need to bolster by stress reduction techniques in preparation for the next crisis; more self-care during a crisis might make recovery easier (or unneeded).

I’ll be taking off for another trip to Carrollton TX soon, but the trip will be only 6 days this time! Much easier!

January 02, 2024

My Favorite Photographs from 2023

January 02, 2024/ Gwen Morrison

Photography is something I enjoy frequently (one of those hobbies that pop up almost daily!). I’ve picked 2 photos from each month of 2023 for this post. Picking favorites is always a bit of a challenge; looking at the collection as I write this post I realize some were chosen for the light

A heron in morning light
A backlit dandelion
High key image of iris…and then a turkey using the same technique

…some for the subject

The busy fox squirrel
Two insects in one flower
The egret struggling to control a fish
The feet of the American Coot

…some because they prompted a strong memory of the place.

Driftwood at Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge
Sculpture in the Sophia M. Sachs Butterfly House Garden in St. Louis
Metal iris and sunrise at my parents’ house
Geese on the snow and ice in my neighborhood in Missouri
Cairn as the Mizumoto Japanese Stroll Garden in Springfield, MO
A flower blooming in December at Josey Ranch Park in Carrollton, TX

Enjoy the mosaic of images (click to see a larger version).

January 01, 2024

Zentangle® – December 2023

January 01, 2024/ Gwen Morrison

Happy New Year 2024!

31 days in December –31 Zentangle tiles selected from the 75 created during the month. I was in Carrollton for the whole month so these were made in the quiet times during, sometimes intense, elder care; their create were welcomed islands of calm. I found myself reverting to ‘thickets’ again and again!

I left my scanner at home so the images were created with photos made with my phone…not as tidy as the scanned images of prior months but it was the best I could do when it came time to do this post!

December 24, 2023

Texas Sky

December 24, 2023/ Gwen Morrison

The back of my parents’ house faces south. I’ve taken a few minutes to photograph the sky several times recently. I appreciate the trees close enough to make interesting horizons for sunrise and sunset pictures…sparse enough to show plenty of color.

The sunset was one that happened early in the month. My parents and watched it from the garden room…and I stepped outside to take a picture.

The next two were taken just after 8:30 in the morning….after a lot of the morning flights had taken off and the moon was still up.

I photographed a sunrise too. I used to try to hide the power lines but opted to feature them inn this image. There are still leaves on some of the trees (silhouettes); fall chores happen in December in this part of Texas!

December 03, 2023

Zentangle® – November 2023

December 03, 2023/ Gwen Morrison

30 days in November – 30 Zentangle tiles. All except one of the tiles I selected this month were from my ‘thicket series’ – which started with a branching double string that created many smaller spaces (a ‘thicket’) with various ways of filling the string.

8 of the tiles were made while my parent was in the hospital…a way to fill the time and regain some calm with the focused activity of creating a tile.

November 29, 2023

Zooming – November 2023

November 29, 2023/ Gwen Morrison

November 2023 was a month of contrasts…an increase in day trips (to the Springfield Botanical Garden and Butterfly Palace in Branson) and then the more confined views while a parent was in the hospital/recovering at home. Photography is something I enjoy in almost every circumstance. I am either trying to capture a moment or create an artistic composition. And the zoom feature on my cameras are almost always used!

November 01, 2023

Zentangle® – October 2023

November 01, 2023/ Gwen Morrison

31 days in October – 31 Zentangle tiles. In the first few days of October, I made a variety of tiles…most of them with a botanical vibe.

Then I started a project to make no-frame tiles that started with a rift in the center. A pair of tiles was made using the same ‘fill’ pattern – in the rift and then outside the rift. The part that was left after the fill pattern was completed, started with a Neurographica™ inspired string and then the spaces created by the string were filled wiith curves; I quickly settled into the same type of curvy pattern to fill the string…and that is where the colored pens were used too. I enjoyed the bright cardstock colors too.

I may pick another project for November or revert to more diverse types of tiles….not sure yet.

August 01, 2023

Zentangle® – July 2023

August 01, 2023/ Gwen Morrison

31 days in July….31 tiles selected from the 56 I made during the month! I enjoyed the variety of colored pens, starting patterns with the indentions left by cans of cat food in the lightweight cardboard tiles cut from boxes, and experimenting with purple tiles. Enjoy the July 2023 mosaic!

July 02, 2023

Zentangle® – June 2023

July 02, 2023/ Gwen Morrison

30 tiles….selected from the ones created in June. Most of the square ones started as white pulpboard coasters; they are thick enough that both sides can be used. It was a good break from the light brown colored tiles cut from cat food box dividers!

15 of the tiles selected are rectangular. It is still my favorite size/shape. My set of gel pens and older ultra-fine-point Sharpies are beginning to sputter; I’ll do one more month with lots of color then maybe take a hiatus from color…designate August as a black and white ink month!

June 01, 2023

Zentangle® – May 2023

June 01, 2023/ Gwen Morrison

31 days in May – 31 tiles in the mosaic for the month. I had 53 tiles to choose from…and there were some tough choices to select only 31.

In recent months I have created rectangular tiles; in May there were also square ones although I prefer the rectangular shape. No matter the shape of the tile – the short segments of my day creating a Zentangle tile (or two or three) are islands of calm focus not impacted by whatever else is happening!

May 18, 2023

Windowsill Photography

May 18, 2023/ Gwen Morrison

I enjoy flowers in tall narrow vases on the windowsill in my office. Recently – the contents have been alliums and iris from my garden. I decided to try some creative photography with them on a couple of mornings when the sun shines through the window for a short time. The alliums made some interesting high key images even if the screen showed in some of them.

I opted to take advantage of a ‘sparkle’ effect that the screen caused for two images. Sometimes it’s fun to just use the artifacts created by the camera’s response to the environment as a creative prompt!

I took a picture of an iris bud that was outside with water droplets – on the other side of the screen….more sparkles!

Now for the iris…lovely colors and curves. I like to zoom enough to fill the frame with the flowers. This is the my first time for pink irises; the previous owner planted them on the west side of the house….not visible from any window but lovely to cut and bring indoors.

The two photography sessions satisfied an urge to do something a little different than my normal flower pictures….and reminded me how much I like my office in this house!

May 14, 2023

Springfield’s Artsfest

May 14, 2023/ Gwen Morrison

Last weekend we enjoyed the Springfield, Missouri Artsfest. My daughter has enjoyed it in years past and I’ve been on the receiving end of some of her purchases; we missed it by about a month last year when we moved to the area in June. So – we anticipated a great spring outing this year.

The day we went was forecasted to get to the high 80s, so we chose to go in the morning before it got too warm. There were enough people around to make it a festival but not too many to impede browsing the arts. Artsfest is held on a street with older houses that are now businesses and (Missouri State University) student housing. Food trucks and canopies for artists lined the street (that had obviously been closed to traffic). It was a great opportunity to buy local!

We wandered all the way down the row enjoying the artists on the right side then worked our way back as we looked at items on the other side. I bought some earrings for myself right away…before my daughter reminded me that she intended to buy my Mother’s Day present at the fest!

She bought the next pair from an artist that upcycles glass; the glass I the ones I bought is from a jam jar!

My husband bought a turned wood plate for my daughter and son-in-law (they seemed very drawn to it…we were happy to indulge them)!

I found am stainless steel yard ornament that I plan to give to my mother next time I go to Carrollton. I chose to get one with pink speckles to pick up the color of the oxalis and hydrangea in her garden.

After a little more than an hour at the Artsfest, we made the decision to find a restaurant rather than getting something from the myriad of food trucks and sitting on a curb to eat it! Overall – an excellent outing!

Later in the day, the Allen, Texas mall shooting occurred. It put a damper on the joy of the day. We are reminded again and again that mass shootings are unpredictable…can happen anywhere (evidently more frequently in the US than anywhere else in the world, and more frequently when there are few/no limits on guns). Thoughts, prayers, and more guns aren’t reversing the trend. If something does not change dramatically, we will eventually modify the way we live to make ourselves less vulnerable (i.e. not gather in larger groups, order items to be delivered rather than shop or go to an Artsfest, interact differently (or not at all) with anyone we don’t know)….a dystopian vision for the future.

May 01, 2023

Zentangle® – April 2023

May 01, 2023/ Gwen Morrison

30 days in April…30 tiles selected for the mosaic below.

Almost half of them started out without a frame…just a simple a spiral string. Sometimes the string is highlighted and sometimes it almost disappears. It was fun fitting patterns into the string.

Creating a Zentangle tile or two (or three) has become part of my daily routine. It’s a good way to focus for a few minutes, be creative, and be pleased (or surprised) with the result. Sometimes I think there should be a big display of tiles where I can see them frequently but then I decide that the process of creating is the most important aspect…I’ll keep boxes of finished tiles but very few of them will ever get a second look!

April 02, 2023

Zentangle® – March 2023

April 02, 2023/ Gwen Morrison

31 days in March and 31 Zentangle tiles. The habit of making a tile (or several) every day is entrenched at this point. Seeing patterns in my environment or in the books I am reading…using them as prompts…often surprising myself (in a good way) at what emerges on the tiles. It feels good while I am creating each tile and then looking back at the month’s production. This month there were a few tiles that carried over from the ‘5 circles’ pattern from February…but ‘7 circles’ or ‘9 circles.’

I continued to prefer the rectangular tiles….and enjoyed a variety of patterns and colors (some new pens). I tended to use the paradox pattern in quite a few places. I spent the two hours it took to get my car serviced making Zentangle tiles…got so involved that I didn’t read the book I had on my phone at all!

There was only one square tile the whole month and I liked one side of it enough to select it as the 31st tile!

March 01, 2023

Zentangle® – February 2023

March 01, 2023/ Gwen Morrison

I opted to create most of the tiles in February using one pattern….which I call ‘5 circles.’ The idea is to make 5 circles (or ovals) on a framed tile….then proceed to aura in various ways….color the circles and some of the aura rounds…and finally add some highlighter.

I found myself enjoying the pattern so much that I had a lot of them to choose the 28 for the month. The amount of color allowed me to use up some pens I had since the CZT class in 2019 plus some that my sister had acquired during her teaching career. I discovered that having a pen low on ink to draw the circles and auras is not a bad thing; the amount of coloring overpowers the original drawing anyway!

Now I am ready for March….and more variety to the patterns I make!

February 01, 2023

Zentangle® – January 2023

February 01, 2023/ Gwen Morrison

I created 97 tiles in January…made some hard choices to select the 31 to feature in the blog post. The skew toward square tiles continued. I am enjoying new pens too. In addition, I found a great red gel pen in a draw with pencils and ballpoints in Carrollton…not sure where it came from but it was fun to use; red became the most frequent color for the month!