Zenpatterns

Art Gallery

Salia’s inspiring workshops: drawing and writing on objects – in black!

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Last winter’s bestseller was a book called Zen Colouring (Advanced Art Therapy – Colouring for Grown-ups). The appeal was the relaxation and stress-release one felt when colouring the almost tapestry-like flower patterns.

A step up to colouring is the creation of the patterns themselves, and here we come to Tanglepatterns or Zentangles or Zenpatterns as Salia calls them. This has now taken over the hearts of many artists who include these patterns in their artwork, while maintaining their own creativity and particular style.

Salia has been teaching Zenpattern in courses and workshops and many participants were inspired to take the idea home. Zenpattern can be started spontaneously because not much space is needed, just as much as a place-mat on a table. No need to shop for costly art supplies either, because the materials used are readily available: stones, dried pieces of wood, or whatever can be found in nature or around the house (some also use old DVDs). All that is needed are permanent markers. Salia made a rule to make it really Zen and to use black pens only.

Drawing patterns is monotonous to watch, but it requires constant attention; the mind starts slowing down, relaxation kicks in and meditation happens. If in a group, this silence can be felt tangibly.

In addition to patterns, also writing can be done. As the surface is not as smooth as paper this takes longer to write; the words slowly follow one after the other, and the mind slows down. One word next to the other, the sentences meander along the object creating a pattern. Calmness sets in…

Text by Punya

Salia Bernadette BaumgartnerSalia (aka Bernadette Baumgartner) started to work as a potter when she was 27 years old. She has been exhibiting since 1988 in her native Switzerland, Germany and Croatia. At the same time she also started to run workshops. She lives in Switzerland and Greece, offering pottery and zenpattern courses. www.artha.ch – zenpattern.ch

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