134 - Michele Rieder - "Hugs & Kisses"

Dimensions:  Unframed 14" X 11", Framed 15 1/4" X 12 1/4"

Medium:  Archival ink, pencil, water-color, colloid biopolymer gel.

Hugs & Kisses is a Zentangle inspired mixed media piece of cold pressed watercolor paper that includes a Entangled mat as an extension of the piece.

I sat down to create this piece in the early sping of this year.  My soul was in a place of needing comfort.  I chose to rely on the grounding 8 step Zentangle process.  After sketching the traditional border and string, I allowed the state of flow to choose the patterns. After I completed the work, I noted that my flow state had created an artistic hug and kiss.  One of the prominent and featured patterns is named "Kiss" in the Zentangle repertoire of tangles. Another section of the string is filled with a pattern names "Crazy Huggins".  Other patterns snugly embrace one another and intertwine in the ways that suggest they are comfortable sharing space.  I felt grateful for the gift of a warm hug and kiss that I could return to again and again.  I am ready to share the love.  I trust the warmth of the piece will do a similar magic for other viewers, just as it did for me.

Michelle Reeder is a woman of many talents who has dedicated her life to teaching and serving others.  Her career as an occupational therapy practitioner included helping patients in hospitals, rehab centers and retirement communities.  An accomplished pianist, Michele has played and taught piano for over 35 years.  And as a dedicated mother, Michele spend 15 years homeschooling her four children.  Michele's passion has always included art and music and Hirsch Wellness is fortunate that she continues to share her joy for teaching as one of its instructors teaching Zentangle.  She received her CZT credential at the 34th Zentangle Teaching Program in Providence, Rhode Island in June 2019.