"Mooka", Challenge #111

"Jugendstil" or "Art Nouveau" - first known as "Le Style Mucha"! - has always been my favorite art period. Even before I learned about it, I loved pictures and decorations in this very distinctive style. No wonder it was the subject of my final paper for Drawing & Art History! Need I tell you, that Alphonse Mucha is one of the artists I most admire? My Top 5 consists of Antoni Gaudí, Vincent van Gogh, Mucha (well, I don't suppose it's a coincidence that they are contemporaries....), M.C. Escher and Friedensreich Regentag Dunkelbunt Hundertwasser (I love how this man renamed himself....).
In 2004 we were very lucky that an extensive exhibition of Mucha's work was held in "De Kunsthal" in Rotterdam. My daughter Em, who was then 11 years old, and I went to visit and we were both delighted to see so many beautiful artworks. Drawings, paintings, jewellery, sculptures, furniture, it was all there! Of course we bought a lovely book ("Alphonse Mucha" by Sarah Mucha) to enjoy at home!

 

This morning:

Today this book has inspired me for the Diva's Weekly Challenge #111, which is to create a Monotangle with Mooka. You see, this tangle pattern and I have a love-hate relationship! It's wonderful, elegant, curly and so on, but I often miss the flow or I don't know, what to do with it next. The only time I was pleased, was with
the tile I created for Weekly Challenge #101 (Phicops), where it looks like carved ivory.
The book shows drawings in black and white on grey paper and Eureka! that might be the solution for my obstacles!

Okay, so now I'll have to do it.... 

This afternoon:
After cutting a sheet of "Mi-Teintes" by Canson® into tile sized pieces I first wanted to become familiar with this paper. So I started drawing on a scrap (2 x 7 inches):

I was immediately under the spell.... This wasn't bad at all!! So I decided this would be my entry and I worked further to add the white accents. Here is the completed piece:

This Challenge turned out to be so much fun!!

Thanks to:
Alphonse Mucha for being a style icon!
Rick and Maria from Zentangle® for Mooka (and many more!);
CZT® Laura Harms aka the Diva for this "finally-not-so-terrible" Challenge;
The Diva's husband B-rad for giving Monotangle its name;
You!!.... for reading this "crooked English"!!!

Happy Tangling everyone!