This week I was thrilled to have the opportunity to introduce Zentangle® to a group of children and their parents as part of an after-school art event held at St. Angela Catholic Elementary School in Windsor, Ontario.

In addition to my mini Zentangle workshop, attendees at the event could spend time at several other artists’ stations and come away with their own unique creations. Some of the options on offer included painting, Persian calligraphy, and adult colouring.

Since teaching a full class wouldn’t have been suitable for this particular event, I decided to give the participants who stopped by my station a small taste of Zentangle and, hopefully, spark their interest in learning more. We worked with tiny Bijou paper tiles and focused on learning one simple tangle called Crescent Moon.

Zentangle tools and tiles

I had spent some time beforehand preparing several of my own sample tiles, which I brought to the event and displayed on the table for inspiration.

Crescent Moon variations

Crescent Moon variations

The atmosphere in the room was happy, loud, and full of energy – definitely not a peaceful “zen” environment, but a whole lot of fun! I estimate that around 40 participants joined me at my station throughout the afternoon, most of whom followed along and created their own Crescent Moon tiles which they completed, signed, and took home with them. A few of the kids used the tiles and drawing supplies to sit quietly and do their own thing, which was fine with me – after all, they were still creating and, as we like to say, there are no mistakes in Zentangle!

I am thankful to have had the chance to spend some creative time with these students and their parents, and would welcome the opportunity to participate in similar events in the future. If you’re interested in working with me, I’d love to hear from you! Please contact me so we can discuss the details.

Zentangle class promotional display