When I saw that this week’s Diva challenge was to ’embrace the yuck’ (do a tile with our non-dominant hand), my first thought was, “Been there. Done that.” No reason to do it again.
Except that, perhaps there is.
It is quite freeing to start a tile and just KNOW that it won’t be beautiful. I had no expectations that wouldn’t be met. There was no frustration trying and failing to be perfect. I didn’t have to worry that it MIGHT not be pretty. I knew that it was just going to be what it was going to be. This left me free to just draw. It was fun to see what I could do with my left hand. The lines are wiggly. So what? I couldn’t stay in the lines when I was filling in my Knightsbridge. Who cares? I had fun and relaxed, just enjoying the process.
This is the lesson of Zentangle. It is something I tend to forget as I’m often creating ‘art’ for public consumption. It really is fun to just create for the sake of creating.
Here is my tile. Not art this week. Merely a reflection of the moment.
If you were tempted to skip this challenge out of fear, I encourage you to try it. I’d love to hear what your thoughts were as you did it.
Tangled Up In Art 
It still looks great! And it is true, it’s fun to create just for the sake of creating.
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Lovely tile 🙂
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I like it! And I like your attitude adjustment, too!
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Still artful, still art. Love this tile. And I loved this challenge too.
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A wonderful off-hand Tile, Cris. Beautiful shading that makes your patterns look like they are on pillows. Your off-hand came through in this challenge. As for my thoughts during this challenge, they ranged from, “This is going to be impossible,” “Pure Terror,” and “I can’t even hold my pen,” to “Just go slow, very, very slow.” It was interesting how the challenge was growing on me as the Tile was progressing. By the time it was completed, I was amazed. My thanks to Elisa as well, for such a unique challenge.
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OK. I need to admit that I’m a Cris Letourneau groupie. If I could put your shading book under my pillow and get some of your shading mojo through osmosis I totally would. I’m grateful that you decided to do this challenge and I think because of how it made you feel, this piece of art is priceless.
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Your tile is great, but your words are greater!!!! Thanks for sharing.
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The shading is go great! I think it is a clever tile. Simple and beautiful at the same time.
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You’re right…it was very freeing, it made me ask myself why I feel the need to be perfect so often. This is something to make me think! Your shading is most lovely!
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I like the way you used overlapping squares (tiles) to complete your challenge. I think it looks good.
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Very nicely put…and if that’s your non-dom, I can’t wait to continue to follow you in the weeks to come! Nice work!
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i like your thoughts about this challenge. to me it was acompletly diffrent experience, may be more zen, not relaxed, but focused only on the stroke of the moment…..not thinking about the result.
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Are you kidding? What about this isn’t art? I thoroughly enjoyed this challenge too. Love your shading!
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