I really love geometric shapes and repeating patterns that are complicated but simple (I have a hard to adequately explaining this). Arabic tiling is especially inspiring, and if you examine these ancient world tile and mosque decorations from across Africa and the Middle East, there’s this breathtaking range of beauty. Some patterns are very simple, and some of so complex they absolutely boggle the mind. Much of the heritage of these patterns (not always, not universally) revolves around religious restriction — depictions of likenesses being forbidden, so these patterns were intended to honor the glory of god.

While I don’t carry over the religious sentiment, I do find these patterns to be humbling in themselves. I’m in awe of the generations of craftspeople and artists and artisans who developed these patterns and passed them down over the centuries.

There’s something utterly soothing about doing something complicated, cleaning it up, and then doing it again. And again, and again. It keeps the brain occupied enough, but also lets you float away. It’s therapeutic.