Some art journal pages...

Feeling Heart-y these days...

The actual page was a bit washed out but Photoshop makes it all better. Speaking of which, I have to post the announcement for an upcoming class... more very soon!!!

An evening at Journal club...

Thank you, Marilyn and Melanie, for a wonderful evening of instruction, cameraderie and inspiration. See you in February!!

Altered egos journal

Marilyn and I have spent two of the best Sundays with an amazing group of women, creating art journals that express our "altered" egos. Inspired by Christy Tomlinson's she-art online workshop, Marilyn had the brilliant idea to teach a similar class in an art journal format. If she hasn't done so already, Marilyn plans to post samples of students' work on her blog, so pop over to take a look later this week.

For me, the class was part collage and mixed media, part paper dolls, and lots of whimsy. Here are some of my pages so far...

Journal sketch & Photoshop alteration #3

I love taking a raw pencil sketch and playing around with color and Photoshop filters to see what emerges.

Journal swap page...

My friend Melanie and I began a swap journal TEN years ago, which we never finished. A number of circumstances in our lives at the time made us set aside our journals, and new opportunities in life and art kept us from resuming our swap...until this year, when my friend Marilyn and I began teaching a new art journal class. So Mel and I decided to pick up where we left off. This swap is unique in that we both started with an expandable "scrapbook" type of journal, where the pages can be removed. It's a great way to swap because we can work on pages and then just give the pages to one another to insert into our own journals. Although we each designed our own covers, the insides of our journals are essentially the same because when we swap pages, we also make one for ourselves. So (in theory) at the end of this swap, we will each have a very similar, if not identical journal with a personalized cover. I say "in theory" because in this case, I have finished Mel's page, but not the one for my own journal. And I have so many projects on my plate these days that I fear I will never get to it. So for the sake of remembering what the page looks like before I pass it on, here it is. We went with a spring time theme, since we've been enjoying some wonderful springtime weather lately --and also because, by April in upstate NY, we are sooooo ready for spring, even if it takes its time getting here.

I may still add just a few additional details, but I was pretty pleased with the overall composition.

Journal workshop...so far

I am trying to live in the present these days, and it is very, very challenging for me. I am a planner, a compulsive list-maker, calendar-keeper, a budget-balancer, etc. etc., and all of these things involve looking into the future - at what's next rather than at what's NOW!!!! I don't think I waste too much time in the past, although I do occasionally indulge in the shoulda, coulda's and of course, by it's nature, this blog typically tells the story of what I'm planning (future!!) or what I've done (past!!), so clearly, I'm screwed.

And speaking of the past, (phewf, so glad to be out of the future), here's a glimpse of my journal cover - from the workshop series I am teaching with my friend, artist Marilyn Rock.

Marilyn and I also recently took a class in carborundum printing at the Troy Arts Center, (in the recent past) and our creative wheels are turning with regard to offering our own less traditional variations of print-making. When? you might ask? Well, in the future, of course!! We'll be offering one more local workshop together this spring, and then I plan to take much of the summer off from teaching to enjoy outdoor activities before we regroup in the fall.

I will be sharing some of my carborundum prints in another blog post.

Look what I just bought...

While surfing for some fun new ideas to incorporate into our Art Journal workshop in February, I found these totally cool Japanese washi masking tapes, and my head almost exploded with ideas for using them. The company I ordered from is Ginko Papers. In addition to a wide array of colorful patterned tapes, they have a unique assortment of stationery items and Japanese gifts. And moments after placing my order, I received a personal email from the owner of the company, thanking me and confirming the shipment. I ordered these two colors, along with pink and blue.

Here are a few of the ways that I plan to use them:
* on gifts, like self-stick ribbon
* to decorate the top of a plain brown bag
* for greeting card mosaics
* for art journal borders & bindings
* for attaching things in my journals
* to label things
* as gift tags
* for sunbathing (ha ha!)
* to decorate my dog (or maybe just his collar)
* to share with journal class participants
* to make crafts with Avery
* to make the world a brighter place -- Okay, that's a little gay, but shouldn't all masking tape look like this, rather than plain?? If you were masking tape, wouldn't you want to be this kind?

Fantastic Fabriano Art Journal Workshop I & II

That's the name of the next workshop Marilyn and I will be teaching. See my sidebar at the right for details. It's a two-part workshop (nine hours total)that is jam-packed with techniques for art-journal enthusiasts or anyone who wants to know what art journaling is all about.



Pssst....Participants will also get one of these limited edition notebooks featuring an art print by me or Marilyn on the cover!! Great to use as an idea book or gratitude journal or a super-fancy grocery list!!

Warning - I am ranting just a little bit here...

Control issue!? - Me?!

I've discovered recently (or is it again?) that I have one. Actually, I don't think it's an issue at all. I like to be in control - of MY life, MY art, MY decisions. That's all. Is that an issue? I don't think so. I can compromise, but I find that compromise comes easiest to me about things I don't care much about. The things about which I am really passionate and have strong opinions - like my art, my house, or my dog, for example - those are things about which I want to be the sole decision-maker. I don't want to compromise. I don't want to have to meet in the middle, or spend my time doing something out of obligation rather than something born of natural desire.

Of course, I've mentioned in previous posts that I am well aware that control of any sort is an illusion. How often do I get up in the morning and mentally plan how my day will unfold, only to find it doesn't work that way? To some extent, every day. I know that there are a billion details beyond my control - to me, this is another argument to hang on to as much of the illusion as I can.

All this, and yet I consider myself a pretty easy-going person. There are just a few things about which I have become very protective lately. My art - which is coming from a very personal place these days, so I am protective of the source and of the motivation. I want to share it, and I plan to -- but how and when? I just haven't decided yet. And my time - I never have enough to do all that I want. Does anyone??

In the meantime, here are some journal pages from my overnight in the country with Debbie. We also did a collaborative painting, but I forgot to take a photo. (FYI a collaborative painting is definitely a surrender of control!!!)

Footnote: It has been pointed out to me that my recent change in marital status could be part of my current control "thing." It is amazing how quickly one can get used to not having to consult with another human being when making decisions.

"Creative Awakenings"

...Envisioning the life of your dreams through art, by Sheri Gaynor (my creative coach, on and off, since 2007). Sheri -- an artist, writer, and licensed psychotherapist, to name just a few, describes the book as a "workshop in a book."

This is the project that I mentioned at the end of my gratitude giveaway post

I have only finished the very first project in the book, which is to purchase and embellish the cover of a sketchbook journal...(see above) and I totally didn't follow the rules for the cover - but I think that is okay. In fact, I think that's part of the point of these kinds of books. Take what you need to move forward and make it yours.

The next project is to answer a series of 7 questions, and of course, that's were I stopped, because that part really takes a lot of thought, (a.k.a. work) and I sometimes avoid work, if you can believe that.

But here is my "Book of Dreams" journal. I love the size, (9 x 12) which is bigger than my normal journals, and I love my cover, which is made with roof flashing and Claudine's sticky back canvas, and Artgirlz charms.

One of the many cool things about this workshop in a book is that it encourages group participation and discussion -- including an online salon -- none of which I am currently doing, by the way, but I still think the possibility of doing this kind of project with a small group would be motivating.

So, from time to time, I will include an excerpt or update or revelation based on my "Book of Dreams" journal.

And from the world of gratitude:
I am grateful for my amazing niece, Avery, who teaches me the real meaning of strength and determination every day.

A glimpse of gratitude

Here is a glimpse of my first gratitude journal, which is almost full. What a great feeling to have a book full of gratitude!
It was so satisfying and therapeutic to keep this journal as it made me look back on each day, even the not so fabulous ones, and find the good parts...and there were always good parts, even in the midst of worry and stress and occasional heartache. I found that there are always dozens of things to be grateful for in an ordinary day, and ending even a bad day by trying to find the best parts meant that I took good thoughts with me into slumber...which in turn would carry forth to the next day.

This particular journal began as an altered book. It was an old book, so the spine is wonky and I had to glue groups of pages together for stability. I also began by embellishing each page with just a bit of art -- mostly paints, rubber stamps, doodles and decorative borders. Just enough color and texture so that picking it up is a celebration of sight and touch. It invites gratitude, I think. If you've been wanting to venture into the world of journaling, but want to start with small steps, I encourage you to begin with a gratitude journal. It's remarkably easy and uplifting. I like altered books as journals because the pages are already filled and I find the text-filled backgrounds less intimidating than plain white pages, but just pick a book (or make a book) that feels good to you. I don't impose too many rules for myself when I embark on this kind of project. I didn't have a set number of items for which I should be grateful, and I didn't do it everyday. Some days I was just bubbling over with gratitiude - like when my niece was on the mend from her recent surgeries. Other days I did it because my day had seemed so awful, and I wanted to pull myself out of a bad mood -- and it worked every time. Consciously reminding myself of my blessings made them multiply, it seemed. Really, I was just making myself more aware - it was a great exercise in living more joyfully.

I'm in this book! How cool is that?

The author actually informed me that some of my journal pages were chosen a long time ago, when she was in the writing and organizing stages, and I've been waiting (and waiting) excitedly for it to finally arrive. I am a very big believer in the magic of art journaling to free the artistic soul, so I am thrilled that a few of my pages made it into this visual treat. There's a brief intro and some great prompts for journaling at the beginning of the book, and then just hundreds of pages of eye candy, along with contact information for the artists in the back.

Tomorrow I am off to an overnight with my dog to my friend Debbie's out in the gorgeous NY State countryside, where we'll make art, eat great food, hike the trails on her farm, and gab for hours. I probably won't blog again until Monday, but I hope to have some art pieces to share when I get back. We're making pieces to donate to a local auction, the proceeds of which go to an art & cultural center in her town. All in all, a perfect way to begin a summer weekend, in my book.

Happy Independence Day!

Creative flow...

My horoscope the other day...
"You can unblock your creative flow and ease your frustrations by letting go of the need to think too much. Simply enjoy what you’re doing and your creativity will flow naturally. You will find relief if you can focus your attention on the specifics of your task instead of worry about the future."
I taught one of my art journal classes over the weekend (at Stampassion in Latham, NY) and that horoscope was the perfect piece of advice to share with students. Of course, in order to get everyone warmed up, I do teach some quick background techniques, but art journaling is such a personal act that I don't like to give too much instruction or advice. I prefer to give encouragement and ideas and prompts, as well as a room full of art supplies to play with, and see what emerges. It is amazing to watch what happens when that creative energy starts to build up in a room. The class is three hours long, but we could easily have continued for five or six hours once we got started.
I was excited to teach this class again, as it's one of my favorites, and we decided to offer it at the request of one customer who had missed it the first time around. This is always a bit risky because we never know when we have saturated our market for a certain kind of class, so I was thrilled that it filled up.
I marveled at the abandon with which the students in this particular class took my techniques and just embraced the moment. And I love that they leave with a work in progress, something they can add to and make completely their own.
After a class like this, I feel immense gratitude to be able to get others excited about art and about claiming their own unique artistic voice.