Apr 7, 20202 min read

ZenKids

Over the past few years, I have been teaching Zentangle-Inspired Art and other art techniques in my studio aimed at young people. The classes are called ZenKids and I have had some fantastic experiences with the various students over this time. Since lockdown here in Spain, I've missed my regular three classes a week and I am really missing my students. I have a very lively class on Mondays, all boys, who chat amongst themselves as they see each other at school as well. I don't follow everything they say but occasionally berate them when I do... I am always impressed by their imagination, their ability to take an idea and expand it and the fact that they are happy to come and spend an hour or so with me, an ancient English woman whose Spanish can be sometimes amusing and sometimes incomprehensible. One of the younger ones, a highly intelligent, super active boy, amused me greatly one day by telling me he loved me...adding the caveat, 'as a friend' in a highly-charged and meaningful way. Love him too! (As a friend, of course.)

My class on Tuesdays is completely different. Most of this group has been with me since the beginning but unlike Mondays, they are super quiet. No less talented and creative by any means, but they come and work often in silence or near-silence on whatever the weekly project might be. They are SO Zen I can learn a lot from them. And I often have to shoo them out at the end of the lesson because they like to finish their work. I love that they are not anxious to leave... On Wednesdays, I have a class with girls and they chat away and tell me all sorts and always make very colourful pictures. We don't always do the same things in each of my classes as I like to design something that suits the group. On Mondays, we sometimes play art games and recently, made a 'Draw a Miro' game that they really enjoyed. Other times we draw a squiggle or a splot and make something out of those. I incorporate more Zentangle into the Tuesday classes or things that are a bit more technically difficult. I am always amazed at the natural artistic talents that children display.

In addition to the ZenKids classes, my regular Zentangle students sometimes bring their children to class. It shows without any doubt that Zentangle is accessible to everyone, regardless of age. I've put together a little slideshow below with some of our work. Some of these artists are only 6 or 7 years old and the average age is around 10!