Coffee with Michele!

Yesterday I met Michele (Shelly Beauch) & Paul for coffee at a cafe called Jam Packed, in the old IXL building on Hobart's waterfront. What a beautiful place to meet a tangler face to face, for the first time! I sat with my Zentangle kit, working on a tile... so Michele had no difficulty in spotting the right person.

Right next door to Jam Packed there is a lovely gallery called Art Mob (specialising in Tasmanian Aboriginal art). Michele, Paul and I were admiring the spectacular painting on the sandstone wall behind us and, of course, noticing that it was an enormous, wall-sized 'tangle'.

I spoke to Euan Hills, director of Art Mob, and he told me that the artist's name is George Tjungurrayi. I would like to honour his talent by sharing George Tjungurrayi's page at Art Mob with you. The painting we saw was huge (3.9 x 2.05 metres, or 12.792 feet wide x 6.724 feet tall). Click through to that link and you'll see it - though at full size it's a different experience altogether. A magical painting that you 'fall into' as you look at it, mesmerised. To see a similar version of that same pattern, click through to his painting, number eight. It is such a privilege to live in Tasmania, and have the opportunity to see, and be inspired by, these beautiful, ancient patterns.

Though I have seen Michele's Zentangles on my screen many times before, the tactile nature and immediacy of being able to hold them in my hand, turning them this way and that, and falling into her tangles, was a far richer experience. I realised anew the value of the 'appreciation' experience in Zentangle. And, looking at Michele's work yesterday I was particularly inspired by the beauty, freedom and playfulness of her spiral, rope and swirled tangles. Even on her coffee mug!

Michele did a beautiful tile to mark the occasion. And I also have a wonderful new refrigerator magnet - a Shelly Beauch original!

Thank you, Shelly!

Next time we'll meet at your end of the State.
(And I'm playing with spirals and rope tangles today [grin].)