There’s something sacred about creating art in community. This past weekend, surrounded by sisters in faith, I watched as simple bookmarks became vessels for prayers and connection – a perfect preparation for the holy days ahead.
Morning Coffee Moments
In the quiet moments before dawn, my mother in law Marcia, my friend Cheri, and I would trickle into the kitchen of the beautiful ranch house where the Aldersgate women were staying for our second Ladies Retreat. The hushed murmur of voices, the staccato of laughter quickly caught, and the relaxing flow of easing into the morning with caffeine and good conversation made me look forward to being up after only a brief amount of sleep.
While the busy clatter of kitchen noises and talk went on, I had the opportunity to be creative at the kitchen counter while engaging with my two friends. I brought watercolor cards and blank bookmark templates with me, as well as my archival and gel pens. As talk weaved from stories of childhood and church memories over into discussion about the devotionals shared and connections made with the women that came to this year’s retreat, I realized that the gentle tangles of pattern taking form on the bookmarks were prayers taking shape through art.
Creating in Community
Art has been a integral part of our faith community. Built upon a foundation of former educators and fine arts enthusiasts, Aldersgate has been blessed with many creatives within our church family.
The Ladies Retreat has offered a creative outlet each year, where the women can craft together and bond over design details, unique skill sets, and fun brainstorming. At the end, they have a beautiful memory to take home. This year, the craft project was a tote bag with stencils available in varying tree/family designs (reflecting our underlying theme of family connections).
As each person dipped and dabbed paint colors over their selected design templates, they reflected on the devotionals shared up to that point. Scripture from the book of Psalms, Matthew, John, Isaiah, and more were discussed, as well as the connections of family with faith. More than once, someone made the comment about Aldersgate being their church family.
Not wanting to become absorbed in a lengthy project, I was able to sit back with my lap board and allow the gentle patterns of the zentangles to evolve over the surface of my bookmark. Friends came and went sitting beside me and asking what I was doing. I helped a few people using my pens to add detail designs using tangle patterns to the painted sections of their tote bags, and we visited while I worked. Each person had something on their heart that we visited quietly about, all while interweaving bits about the design I was working on into the conversation when other subjects temporarily tapered off.
These chats were safe – a small bubble apart from the larger group – and offered a space to talk about the things sitting heavily of some of the women’s shoulders or the questions and curiosities steeping in others’ minds. The simple flow of patterns with no specific shaping, yet controlled precision, brought a similar artistic flow state where I was fully present in the conversation but also creating with my hands.
The Creative Process
Each bookmark starts with the same basic supplies: a bookmark card, pencils, pens, a bookmark tassel, and anything extra I’d like for embellishments. The cards I enjoy using most are brown or cream cardstock, giving a little extra structure. While the cream cards allow for a spectrum of color usage, the brown appeals to the antique, minimalist look I sometimes gravitate to – the white gel pens really pop on these brown bookmarks.
Choosing a pattern is mostly based on mood, but can also be based on the scripture or objects placed in the design. “He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams,” from Psalm 23:2 (NLT) evokes the imagery of water ripples, leading one to use the SEA WAVES pattern for cascading lines of water or even the FLUX pattern for water droplets.
As I decide on my design and begin adding the basic blocks for it, I consider what I’d like to visit with God about. Am I praying for a friend? Is there something I’m grateful for? Do I have something I need to let go of? These questions help narrow down what I’d like to make and which patterns I’d like to add.
Some of the bookmarks will begin with a clear border for the design and other times it’s open. Some of the bookmarks will have scripture written in or a specific prayer placed over the card and others are exclusively doodle art. Each one evolves in the moment, with the hand and heart leading more than the mind does.
As patterns are filled in, I’ll loop back over sections to thicken the lines. This adds additional depth to the piece and mimics the motion some of the patterns generate. Alternating pen sizes results in different effects based on how heavy or light the lines become. The fine tip of a 005 Micron pen lends to soft highlighting accents, while the thick tip of the 08 pen forms deeper shadows. Each pen used in different areas lends its own personal signature to the piece until it feels complete.
Taking It Forward
These quiet moments found at the retreat and during my evening creative sessions are opportunities to slow down from the pace of a hectic world. Creating tangle patterns requires patience and methodical pattern placement – you can’t just skip ahead when you’re adding waves designs, spirals, and filled-in bubble patterns. The repetitive line placement is meditative and leaves me open to the Holy Spirit to speak on my heart.
It’s when I suddenly think of a person, especially one that wasn’t on my mind, that I know he’s there. The sudden hit of an idea for a new painting, the reassuring peace that settles over me when anxiety is bubbling, the shapes that form within the intricate lines that align with a memory I’d forgotten – the Holy Spirit’s presence is evident in all this and more. Art is my way of worshiping every day.
Ready to start your own zentangle prayer journey? Here’s how:
- Grab your basic supplies: cardstock, pencils, and fine-tip pens
- Choose a quiet moment in your day
- Start with a simple prayer or scripture
- Follow the pattern tutorials in my previous post Mastering Zentangle Designs
- Share your creation with our community using #SCSDesignsZentangle
As we continue in Holy Week, I invite you to join me for a few things: if you do not have a church service to connect with, consider visiting Aldersgate Abilene online. There you’ll find live stream worship services, as well as Bible studies and other resources.
You can also visit with me Friday morning (April 18) at 9 am CT (10 am ET) during a creative live session on Facebook at SCS Designs Co. – I’ll be sharing more about the bookmarks and create one live.
My prayer today is that you will be blessed through the experience of this holy season and know the love that God has for you. I ask for traveling mercies for anyone leaving on trips away from home and that you find peace and comfort no matter where you are this coming weekend.
Grace + peace, friends!
Samantha
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