ZT in VT

Email, 3 days ago:
Hi Sandy,

Just wanted to let you know that you might  like to take a road trip to see us at Flood Brook School (K-8) in  Londonderry, VT. We have come to see you, it's your turn to visit us!  I've introduced Zentangle to our art teacher, Casey Bailey, and she has  taught the kids. Casey is using the paper puzzle pieces that she got  from the Vermont Council of Arts a few years ago. It is sooooo cooooool!  You have to come and see what's happening here. Casey is also loving  teaching it this time of year since the kids are quite excited about the  year ending and this tends to calm them down and is not messy!!... It is so nice to see zentangle  all around me. I'm a teaching assistant in Kindergarten and have taught  the teacher in our classroom zentangle. We've been having a blast with  the kids (and each other). Oh, the places we will go.......let me know if you want to visit!Jane MacKugler

CZT 6


And what do you think I said?! Of course - I went to Vermont!
The  Flood Brook School is a wonderful, artsy, little school - I mean. there  is art everywhere! The art teacher was doing Zentangle with a group of  older kids when I arrived. They were tangling on giant puzzle pieces.

One  of the reasons that Jane contacted me, and why I drove the two hours  out to VT, is because i am working on a website to go along with my new  book ("Zentangle for Kidz!"). I had intended to have a place where I  could put extra projects and such for kids who enjoyed the book. Then, I  started getting amazing art from tangling kids. Hmmm... that should be  on the site. Then I realized, parents and teachers would be using the  book and had lots of tips to offer too. More stuff for the site... So I  will post the pictures I took of these kids' tangles on that site too. And I  will let you know when I have it pulled together enough to go "live".
You have to see these close-up! The kindergarten one has spiders and little poem parts too!

As  I was leaving, I got to experience one of the school's traditons. On  the last day of school, the teachers cover the tables with shaving  cream, crank up the music, and let the kids "draw". I captured a little  video of the kids dancing and drawing Zentangles in the foam! It was so  wonderful. I know - I'm torturing you - but I can't post the kids on the  internet. I'm so sorry! I'll watch it one more time, just for you....  yes, it is still wonderful. But I can post a close-up of one of the  foamy creations:

So, just imagine "I'm Yours" by Jason Mraz  playing really loud, kids laughing, bouncing from one table to  another, hands looking like white gloves, smooshing the foam smooth,  then joyously drawing huge swirls and zigzags... I  know many CZTs like to have quiet, meditative Zentangle experiences for  their students... but I admit, for me, Zentangle is about creative,  playing, sharing, and JOY! I really wanted to join in the fun!


On the way home, we stopped in town to get lunch at this really cool cafe. All these buildings belonged to the same business (cafe, restaurant, quilt shop, art gallery...). I don't even know if there is a name for this style, (Steampunk Western?) but I love it. And there were so many interesting patterns in the details, the shingles... I stood in the middle of the parking lot, in the pouring rain to take these shots for you. ;-D