I try; I really do, to keep my worktable clean. Every few weeks, I’ll finally succumb to the order of neatness and clean everything up. A place for everything and everything in its place. My paints go in my tool bin, pens and pencils in the drawer organizer, paper in it’s magazine holder. And when I’m finished, I can sit back, take a deep breath, and smile at my perfect, neat, orderly table.
It last through my first project; I clutter it up while in the whims of creating.
But here’s what I’ve noticed – I am more creative when my desk is covered with the pieces and tools from other projects.
Case in point: I was working on a journal page and was searching for something to use as a flower stem; I found wonderful clear acrylic stamps on clearance at Target and wanted to play with them. While digging under scraps, paints, paper, and other detritus of art, I found a length of thread already attached to a needle, left over from when I was going to try a copic binding with some thick cardboard. Smirking, I picked it up and stitched stems of various lengths.
Understand, such stitching wouldn’t be possible if I weren’t flexible about my pages – every addition is just that, an addition. Adds to the page. Yes, the purple stitch stems look wonderful on the page with the flowers, but what about the content on the other side of the
piece of paper? Would you pick up the thread if you worried about ruining the other journal page?
Don’t see your journal entries as static – they are, like life, time, and the world, in flux. They change each time you open that journal and start slapping on some paint. You might get some on the edges of previous pages. Glue might make things stick together. A fixitif method might peel. Two weeks from now, you may get something that would just look awesome on a page you though was “finished.” Use it!
Continue adding to pages. Add more than just marks or words – add paint or gesso or scraps or photos. Layer them over what’s already on the page. Try working on a page over time instead of all at once. Work on several at once! Be open to hidden meaning.
My art journal mailing list has moved, finally, to yahoo groups. Come visit over there:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/journalgirl
I am STILL behind on emails. I should be caught up by tonight. *crosses fingers*