Tangle U Recap

Has it been a WEEK since I returned from Tangle U?! Holy smokes! Everyone has been posting on Facebook, and I slept for a few days, so I hadn't realized so much time had past...

Elaine Huffman, who organized the whole durn thing, also designed these gorgeous diplomas. This is prettier than my degree from RISD!

OK, I found a few pictures, so I'll try to give you the highlights, but, since I was also teaching, I forgot to take very many pictures. I wonder if anyone took any of me? I can't remember much from those... five hours? so I'd love some proof that I actually got up in front of that CROWD and spoke! ;-)

It was a very nice... enormous... conference room! I am, of course, sitting in the back row, watching Marie Browning teach her Seuss Garden workshop using Tombow markers. She has written a gazillion books, designs craft products, demos all over the world, is really nice, and, MOST important - she has a wicked sense of humor. She's my new hero.

 Here is my initial drawing. I liked it uncolored too - so much potential!

This is as far as I got during the conference. I'm actually STILL working on it (see next picture)! I loved the watercolor/marker techniques we learned and the secret blending tips AND... we used GLUE pens(?!) as a resist for those white details. Very cool.

My other favoritest new hero is Meredith Yuhas. Um... DR. Meredith Yuhas! She's a professor at Saint Joseph's College in CT, she lectures on mindful meditation, she is also stand-up-comedian-funny, and she talks TWICE as fast as I do when I'm excited!!!

Meredith taught us how to turn our tangles into a Zentangle garden on toned paper. This is the opposite of the Seuss Garden... no color.... but I loved it just as much.

 I'm thinking I'll probably offer these two workshops at my BeeHive studio in May or June, be sure to let me know if you might be interested.

After the conference ended on Sunday, a gaggle of tanglers headed out into Northampton to explore the local art store. Rumors had been spreading that they had a huge wall of colored envelopes and everyone wanted to stock up so they could add them to their Right-Brain Business Plans (the workshop that I taught!)

The rumors were true!! Every color and size of envelope. I even found biz card sized envies in purple and teal! ooolala!

After shopping and a fabulous Italian dinner, we headed back to the Hotel Northampton for long goodbyes and extreme silliness! Every photo I have seen of this hulabaloo is blurry, as are my own photos. I think this was due to all the laughter! No one could hold their camera still!

Paparazzi everywhere!

Everyone wanted photos of every conceivable combination of CZT and superstar. (Hee hee)
Jenny Farrel, from Australia made herself a "sandwich" between me (left) and Marie Browning (right). The only thing missing from her sandwich was some vegemite spread - which she gave us in teeny sample size containers, direct from the land down under.

Did I mention Jenny also had a wicked sense of humor? Something about Tangle U seemed to attract those of us who really love to laugh! Here is a photo I snitched from Sherry Cook - of Jenny paying homage to me. I'm not sure where she found the lily - probably from a hotel display - and it kind of looks like I'm "blessing" her?! 

"A blessing on your tangles!"

Finally, someone (me) suggested we do a group shot. I wish I had one of the entire group of 57 (?) graduates. This photo I snitched from Lisa Heron (the one in blue) - from Canada. Regina, rhymes with... well, nevermind. Yes, it's still funny! Anyway, the silly jokes help me remember names. :-) I have already forgotten most names - I'm awful that way - but I remember your faces and I can't wait to hang out with you all again soon!

MaryAnn - you look like our garden gnome! hee hee.