Certified Zentangle Teachers: Behind the Tangles

Julie writes…

We say it all the time, but it really is true; either Zentangle attracts the best people, or it brings out the best in people. I think it is a little bit of both.  

Over the past 20 years, we have had the honor of getting to know so many tanglers and Certified Zentangle Teachers and getting to hear their stories of how Zentangle has changed their lives. We get to meet people from all over the world, from different backgrounds, cultures and walks of life. Despite all of the differences, everyone seems to have one thing in common. They are overflowing with passion and kindness.  

When we first began talking about Zentangle’s 20th Anniversary Celebration, I knew that the stories of the people behind spreading this method had to be included. I sat down with seven of our CZTs to talk to them about being a CZT, CZT Seminar and the community that surrounds it all.    

 
If you would like to get know more Certified Zentangle Teachers, we invite you to watch the CZT Story Booth series here and explore the CZT Family Tree blog series here.  

To find a CZT in your area, click here.

Become a Certified Zentangle Teacher

As we approach the twenty-year mark, we marvel at how so many aspects of the Zentangle Method have changed and how many have stayed the same. Our Certified Zentangle Teacher training seminars are no exception! While our core philosophies have held steady and true, we have so much more to share and explore. Over the years we have integrated advanced techniques, exciting new materials, and taken a deeper dive into the philosophies that make up the Zentangle Method. We’ve introduced newly discovered wisdoms and new ways to connect with each other in this most amazing global Zentangle community. For us to honor and support how the method has grown, we have made it our responsibility to make sure our CZT training remains connected to its roots but at the same time provides in depth curriculum that supports all that is evolving. Up until now we have only added and added more to our program. This model has worked for us until... well, you can only add so much. At the 20-year mark in our history we are taking a moment to deconstruct the program and rebuild our Seminar curriculum, one stroke at a time.  

In the beginning, our CZT seminars were intimate gatherings in a small town in central Massachusetts where we enthusiastically shared the Zentangle Method and all that the “8 Steps of the Zentangle Method” had to teach. Over time, our Zentangle family has grown, and the program has gracefully evolved. Time and technology have also given us the ability to reach an international audience of like-minded artists with options to join us in person or remotely from the comfort of their own home. Seminars are currently held in the US by Zentangle Inc, in Europe by Conzentric and in Asia by Created with Love.

Beginning in 2024, we will offer a re-designed and expanded CZT training seminar. Our face-to-face time together, whether in person or through a webinar platform, will continue to span 21 hours of live instruction. This core part of the seminar will be dedicated to more in-depth studies on the roots of the method, how to teach the Zentangle Method, the eight steps, tangles and Zentomology, tangling techniques and the philosophies that are so integral to the method.  

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We would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to Kim Kohler, Kelly Barone, Oswaldo Burbano, Sandy Kelley-Jones, Miriam Zimms, Shie Naritomi and Paige Shienberg for taking part in this celebration. And, to all of the Certified Zentangle Teachers for your endless kindness and passion.