Return from zenAgain

What a rare time it was to spend four days with CZTs from around the world in the beautiful state of Rhode Island!

Rick, Maria, Martha, Molly, and staff were gracious hosts and our tangling time was magical.

Below is a little glimpse of the fall foliage and frivolity ~

The conference was held on the 17th floor of the Biltmore Hotel. 
Isn't the view beautiful?

This was taken just the right of the photo above. 
The arched windows frame the conference room.   

With Dorian Eng, my co-author and "wing man" - or "wing woman" as she likes to say 🙂

Yours truly in front of Maria's beautifully tangled butterfly wing.

Stay tuned, there is more to come!

Thank you for your patience in waiting for the IAST results. 
As I compile them, we will stay on track with new IAST adventures, so do check back tomorrow for #269.

A Slice of Heaven - zenAgain 2016 - Part II

To wrap up this year's activities, here are a few more photos of my time at zenAgain2016 continued from December 2nd:  A Slice of Heaven - zenAgain - Part I...

Our hotel was on its own little island and even had its own lighthouse.

My adventurous friend, Kathryn Theilen-Crane, CZT and I woke up early on the second day of the conference and walked to morning Mass at the historic St. Mary's Church.

It was quite remarkable to think that the Kennedy's married there...

At 7 am, we had the usually crowded streets of the picturesque town to ourselves.

We dubbed the second day "Purple Day" because so many of us wore shades of the color ~

CZT Jody Genovese and I created another double angel with even more purple ~

Laura Liu, CZT  brought many treats from Taiwan including this homemade tangled cookie she gave me...

We tangled on marble tiles...

and created a large mosaic with them.
My photo only captures a small section of it.

Molly walked us through a very relaxing exercise as we tangled to her verbal clues.  This was my interpretation ~

And a glimpse of the class mosaic ~

We were treated to a class with Margaret Bremner, CZT.  She walked us through creating a mandala on a square tile.  Below are two stages of mine.

We studied the tangle Gneiss together and Margaret gave each of us one of her beautiful handmade bookmarks.

Maria taught us her gilding technique and we added the new Drawings to one of the tiles ~

This is my finished tile ~

I did find that I needed to pinch myself from time to time, as it all felt like a marvelous dream.  So many new techniques, tangles, shared talents...

One of my absolute favorite things was watching Maria draw, her hands projected on to the screens on either side of the stage.  It was a rare opportunity to see the master of the method at work.

In the store area, there was a unique display on how to frame odd sized posters or pictures in standard sized frames.  I thought this was an ingenious idea - add a border or row of tangles!

Another highlight was having Maria write my name on a new apron.  Over four years ago, she wrote my name on the apron that I've worn to every class since becoming a CZT.

There were a few CZTs who had the foresight to bring projects to share.  Nancy Domnauer had us join in her Peace Project.  This was my contribution on one of the new 3Z tiles.

Dorian Eng, my seatmate and  "Wing woman" treated us to a class on making 3D ornaments from the new black Apprentice tiles with generous gifts from Peter Ouyang of Sakura.

All-in-all it was a truly remarkable experience.  The warm and welcoming hospitality of the Zentangle staff combined with the fabulous company of over 200 CZTs from around the world made for a time I will long treasure.

I'll end as I began Part I, with a photo of the Florida girls - all the happier for our time together at zenAgain 2016...

Myself, Kathryn, Joan, and Dorian

A Slice of Heaven - zenAgain Part 1

Imagine for a moment being in the company of over 200 CZTs from around the world.

Then imagine sitting in a lovely conference room, with your own little creative space that magically fills with the finest of materials and tools each time you leave for a break and return.

Imagine being guided through one activity after another by Rick and Maria and their daughter Molly, too.

Imagine being on the receiving end of the warm and welcoming staff (mostly family members) that surround them.

Then imagine the opportunity to meet and hug, laugh with, tangle with, and share meals with friends for the first time.

Doesn't it make your tangled heart swell?

Add to all of this, new tangles, new tiles, new techniques, along with a sprinkle of angel wings, for a glimpse of zenAgain 2016.

I have poured over my photographs and selected a few to post today with more to follow.  Enjoy!

Florida friends Dorian Eng, Kathryn Crane Theilen, myself, and Joan Delony, all flew in from different cities before we met at the airport in Providence, Rhode Island.

We shuttled together to our hotel and with the few hours before the event began, we took a cab to the Vanderbilt estate, The Breakers, for a self guided tour.  The mansion was so spectacular, the weather just gorgeous, that I had to include just a few pictures.  This is the front gate ~

 Inside, the grand staircase ~

 The details of the home were spectacular.  There were ideas for tangles everywhere - the billiard room marble tiled floor ~

 A view of the mansion from the ocean walk ~

Once back at the hotel, Rick, Maria, and staff hosted a lovely reception for us.  Happy reunions, introductions, good company, good food, and good wine.  Heavenly.

Some photo highlights from the first day include a view of one half of the conference room from my vantage point ~

Meeting Inge (from Bavaria) after corresponding with each other since IAST #138 ~

A sample of my place setting filled with goodies ~

Tiles were collected in baskets and then displayed in a class mosaic.  And there were over 200 of us!

Maria tangled wings against a beautifully painted backdrop for photographs.  Donna Symons (Pennsylvania) and I had the happiest meeting after writing back and forth for over two and one half years.  Isn't that an incredible thought?  We were a double angel :)

I believe it was Mark Twain that said, "In order for joy to be multiplied, it must be divided among friends."  Having my dear friend Dorian Eng as a seatmate (wing women, she dubbed us), and a room full of CZTs to share this experience with - and now you, dear readers - is joy magnified.

Enjoy!  
More to follow...