It’s not unusual for retired teachers to tap into their artistic
sides once retirement provides them with the free time to do so.
After retiring in 2012, Cindy Roder decided to try her hand at a
new type of creative outlet: Zentangle drawing.

What is Zentangle drawing? It’s a method that is easy to learn
and is naturally calming (creating a zen-like state of mind)
where anyone can create beautiful, intricate drawings made of
structured patterns (called tangles). Zen + tangle = Zentangle.

Zentangles are created with combinations of dots, lines, curves,
and orbs, and every design is unplanned, so the artist can focus
on each individual stroke and not worry about the final result.
There are no erasers when making Zentangles, and unintended marks
can take your design in a new and exciting direction. You can
learn more about the Zentangle Method and how it works at
zentangle.com.

Zentangle drawing classes are offered at the
Chicago Cultural Senior Center and the
Portage Park Satellite Senior Center. Some of Cindy’s
Zentangle pieces have been on display at the Chicago Cultural
Senior Center, and she looks forward to continuing to explore her
artistic talents during her retirement.