DAILY ZEN DOODLES

A year's worth of “tangled drawings” designed to inspire creativity and serenity.

Few activities are as spiritually satisfying as the art of the meditative "tangle" drawing. Finding a quiet moment to craft an intaglio of intricate, mandala-like drawings brings on a peaceful state that clears the mind and facilitates creativity and relaxation. Offering a different hand-illustrated prompt for each day of the year, Daily Zen Drawings inspires you to lose themselves in the contemplative act of sketching beautifully repeating patterns and abstract designs. Whether it’s the outline of a nautilus shell, the petals of a lotus blossom, or the spokes of the Buddhist wheel, the mindfulness-inspiring ideas in this book foster focus and help unlock the your inner artist. Accompanied by apt quotes from spiritual leaders and famed philosophers to provide you with an added spark of inspiration, each drawing prompt is an invitation to an improved mindset and elevated state of inner peace. Meera Lee Patel is a self-taught artist raised by the New Jersey shore, where she swam the bright waters and climbed Cherry Blossom trees until she grew old enough to draw them. Her illustrations are inspired by the magical mysteries of nature, the quiet stories that lace through everyday life, and the bold colors of her native India. In addition to illustration and photography, she produces a line of stationary and textile products that can be found at boutiques and major retailers nationwide, including Anthropologie and Free People. In the Fall of 2013, she will be leading a workshop on paper ephemera at the American Folk Art Museum in New York City. Meera lives and works from her studio in Brooklyn, NY.