Author Archives: Kat, aka "Arty_Kat"

About Kat, aka "Arty_Kat"

I'm an artist, photographer, teacher, writer, art doll maker, and retired therapist (among other things). I love words - written, sung, read, quoted, printed... and pictures, whether photos, paintings, drawings... and color. LOTS of color! Except for when I'm drawing Zentangle® Art! My primary site is HeartsUntangled.com
Jun18

Creativity Notebook Prompt #1

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While I have a new business blog that has my Zentangle work, I do want to use this one for exploring my creativity. I recently enrolled in a Udemy course that is taught by Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Big Magic as well as Eat, Pray, Love. I adored Big Magic and recommend it for anyone who is creative or who seeks to be creative. It is fantastic.

Anyway… This is now my creativity notebook, and the following was our first prompt. This is a place other classmates can visit to read my thoughts as well.

Prompt #1.

I answered several questions.
The last thing I wondered- or had curiosity about- is nature. Specifically, types of birds that we saw on a walk recently: a killdeer and a cedar waxwing. I want to find out more and I want to photograph more wildlife.
The last time I had creative flow was working on an organic tile with henna drum and Sanibelle. I love plant/nature related Zentangle tiles.
What I love to do most at age 8 was to swing at the Catholic grade school on the very tall swings. I also loved to read and to ride my bike to a little pond at Saint Benedict’s seminary and spread out a blanket to read.

  • My superpowers are: facial recognition. (I am able to spot similar faces and faces that are aging just as easily as a forensic computer.)
  • Nature photography
  • Listening skills
  • Zentangle Teacher
  • Compassion
  • Kindness

.
What I would do for a living if I wasn’t afraid: publish books, calendars, and notecards with my art and quotes or my own words.
What themes do I see?
Love for nature
Love of art and photography
Love of organic (plants and flowers) tangles.
What is exciting to me?
Working on art and photography outside
Drawing nature tangles
What do I want to start creating?
Focus on organic/nature oriented tangles
Collect and use quotations on tangles and on photography
Discover how to get an art or coloring book published
Notecards and Calendars

That’s it for now. To see my art and photography blog, please visit  http://HeartsUntangled.com

Mar27

NEWS ALERT

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NEWS ALERT

I have had to change my web address/business name and email address. PLEASE watch for my new site to be up and running and follow it there rather than here. I’ll be phasing this one out.
New site: http://HeartsUntangled.com.

Based on the fact that as one does Zentangle, one’s mind and “heart” becomes untangled with cares of the day.

New Email is  (no spaces) Untangled .Kat @ gmail . Com

Thanks for following me and sharing in this new journey!

Kat

Feb29

Tile Parade Part One

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Tile Parade Part One

I have a quite few tiles to share with you. If you’ve dropped by, please leave a message to let me know. Comments are golden! 

I’ve been going through my tangle book (more on that soon) and tangling some early patterns I learned before becoming a CZT. You’ll see a lot of similar tiles yet different all together. One of the many joys of Zentangle is that you can do the same tangles with no or only slight variations (“tanglations”) and never have the same work of art twice. That is never so evident as when I teach a class and the students’ tiles are placed into a mosaic!

Here are the start of the Tile Parade (click to enlarge):

First off, I participated in an ATC (Artist Trading Card) exchange with some people mostly located in The Netherlands. Here are some of my contributions…

 

I used Distress Ink to add color to the tiles before tangling on it.

  

Some of my “mac n cheese” tangles — old standby favorites.

    

The next entry will be my newfound love — ZenGems!

Kat 

Dec17

Recent Newsletter

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Recent Newsletter

 To receive this newsletter, sign up on our new Website HeartTanglesStudios@com 
News from Heart Tangles Studios

A pleasant surprise….

We hope you have had a special Thanksgiving day with family and/or friends and remembered to be thankful for all the liberties we have here in the United States of America. And for the great food, of course!
I love to see your Zentangle art and recently Blaine Street from my very first class sent me this great pumpkin that he made. Enjoy!

 

  1.  

    Belaine Street’s Pumpkin #1

      

    Blaine Street’s Pumpkin #2

     

A Friendly Reminder…

The holidays are upon us, so schedules get full for many people. Because of this, we will make accommodations so here are our changes:
Heart Tanglers will meet THIS MONDAY at the Tazewell Public Library on Dec 14 from 6-8pm. These meetings are free and always a fun time of sharing our artwork, ideas, questions and info as well as good camaraderie. Bring your supplies for tangling or you can purchase from Kat (me) or David if you are getting low on tiles, pens or other things. 
Please note that these meetings are for those folks who have already attended a class or who have some experience with Zentangle.

 

Remember…we will not be meeting on December 26th

 
 

A brand new American! Bear and the judge.

 
I coudn’t resist this photo!
He Did It!…

After a 15 year journey, my husband David (“Bear”) finally became a naturalized US CITIZEN! The Oath Ceremony was December 3 in Abingdon, VA. The photo above was taken as he received his certificate from the judge. THAT is what a new citizen looks like! He and 10 others were beaming after making America their official home. Bear is thrilled that he is going to be able to vote in the presidential election!
Wytheville Museum has contacted me and asked that I start teaching classes there Saturday, January 16 2016, 2-5 PM. I am willing to teach anywhere, including private or individual classes. I will also teach another Basics: Zentangle 101  at the Appalachian Art Center in January.
Please feel free to pass this email to those whom you think might want info on classes. Ask them to write to me at Heart.Tangles@gmail.com for more information or to be added to this newsletter mailing list. 
And now, I’ll close with some recent tiles of my own….. I’ve created three new tangles which I will teach at the Monday meeting if anyone is interested.

Keep on Tangling!

Kat 

Certified Zentangle Teacher 

Heart Tangles Studios,VA

 

The flowery tangle is my own called Chic

  
  

This tile has one tangle of my own.

  

There are two of my own tangles in it.

  

This has some of my own tangles in it.

 

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Our mailing address is:

*Heart.Tangles@gmail.com* 

Oct14

The Mind is Astounding

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The Mind is Astounding

This is a different kind of post… As a retired psychotherapist, I know the advantage of drawing and allowing the subconscious to express itself. The same can and does happen with Zentangle-type art if it is not planned out or forced in any way. I often pull out a tile if I’m feeling strong emotion (including anxiety) and lose myself into this wonderful meditative activity.
.

Yesterday was my son’s 24th birthday… The infant son who only lived thirty days and never got to come home from the hospital. I was amazed how my body reacted to the date in spite of not feeling great sorrow. My body remembered what my mind tried to forget. 
I sat down with my trusty pen and pulled out a tile. This was the result. I didn’t realize it was heart-shaped with an empty section until I was through. I have two other biological children who are reflected as sections of the heart. There are even more remarkable revelations that I’ll not share here, but how amazing was this tile?! I felt so much better when I was finished… The feelings were expressed without words.