Lanette Pottle, who participated in this week’s Zentangle workshop with Ann Cannizzaro, writes that she has found a new hobby in the art practice.
“I’ve been a doodler as long as I remember,” notes Lanette, “… probably since I could hold a pencil – so it’s not surprising that when my sister asked me if I wanted to check out an introduction to Zentangle workshop at Eastport Arts Center, I was all in.
“I go to a lot of workshops but this exceeded my expectations. It incorporated so many things that felt aligned for me… gratitude, mindfulness, intentional breathing along with creative flow.
“We had the opportunity to choose the size of kit we’d start with — a larger square of smooth paper with a medium point pen or a smaller square of textured paper and an ultra-fine point pen.
“I quickly had an awareness of an internal struggle over which to choose. It was a familiar feeling because it’s made an appearance in other more consequential areas of life, too.
“Ultimately, I chose the one that felt most uncomfortable— the opposite of what I’d typically choose: the smaller set. Turns out, it fit me just right!
“Yay! I’ve found a new hobby.
“And maybe even better, I was reminded that all kinds of awesome right-fit stuff is available to me when I’m willing to lean into a little discomfort.
“Being a beginner doesn’t have to be paralyzing; it can be downright freeing. What a beautiful thing.”
The work of Eastport Arts Center is funded in part by a grant from the Maine Arts Commission, an independent state agency supported by the National Endowment for the Arts.