A NEILSTON woman is bringing an unusual art form to East Renfrewshire.
Lisa Crow will lead a Zentangle workshop in her home village on Wednesday, March 6.
Zentangle is described as a fun and easy-to-learn hobby that offers relaxation and decreases stress.
The workshop, which takes place at The Bank community hub from 7pm until 9pm, is suitable for absolute beginners.
Pens and paper will be supplied, along with tea and coffee.
Lisa said: "Zentangle was created in 2003 by husband-and-wife team Rick Roberts and Maria Thomas.
"Maria, a professional artist, had been working on an illuminated manuscript that featured big letters decorated with gold and patterns.
"Until Rick interrupted Maria, she had been lost in the activity, completely in peace and one hundred per cent focused.
"Rick, who had spent 17 years as a Buddhist monk, realised his wife had been in a meditative state.
"They realised just how meditative and calming it was to be mindfully focused on drawing repeated, deliberate, slow strokes and set out to find out if they could create a way to bring Maria’s feeling of calm to other people.
"What they created was Zentangle – an art form and practice that has touched the hearts of many people across the world."
There are now around 4,000 certified Zentangle teachers in some 46 countries.
Lisa said that, since its inception, several studies have been carried out on Zentangle and it has been found to benefit mental health by reducing anxiety.
"It is very accessible too," she added. "You are only required to be able to draw 'elemental strokes' to do Zentangle. That means even young children can do it.
"The elemental strokes – which look like the letters i, c, o and s – are used together to create beautiful images by drawing structured patterns, also known as tangles.
"There is no up or down to Zentangle art. You just need to know the steps. When you move through these steps, you find yourself winding down, more focused and simply enjoying creating."
Tickets for the workshop cost £9.50. For more information or to book, visit https://weecraftycrow.ticketspice.com/zentangle-taster-workshop
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