The Excitement of Possibility

There comes a point when the excitement of possibility requires you to re-examine your routine. 

Roben-Marie and I were chatting via Skype. We do this from time to time, and a simple call becomes a gab-fest for at least an hour. Despite the differences in our art, we find we’re often on the same page; I’ve long accepted the way our thoughts and feelings match up as a type of serendipity. And lately, it seems we’ve been dwelling on something: that our business selves have taken over our artistic selves when it comes to where we’re directing our energy. In fact, when she brought it up, I said:

“I know exactly what you mean. Look at my to-do list — most of it is computer work. Only one thing on here is creating art.” 

Here’s a little view of the inside: I spend more time doing admin work on my various lists and sites, creating online content (such as blog posts, essays, photos, etc), and contacting people via social media than I do creating any sort of art. And of all my artist friends, there’s only one or two I can think of that spend more time making art than the other way around, but they have people helping them out when it comes to the internet, or simply have made a conscious choice to reverse this tide. 

And this is what Roben and I were discussing. Figuring out a way to spend more time making art and less time on the computer. How could we accomplish this? Roben runs her own stamp company, so she certainly has more work than me, and has to bring someone in to help her out. She’s realized she can’t do it all on her own, not if she wants to continue to grow as an artist. And she’s taking a few new classes to help her grow in a few new areas in her life. 

Myself, I’m taking a drawing class at the local community college to help boost my productivity and learn a few new skills. I’ve tried to automate a lot of my services on the web — digital downloads don’t require me to send any sort of file, and Journaling Deep adds people automatically, now. The blog will get a little face lift soon as I continue to let it grow and evolve just like me. 

But it’s hard to create new, exciting content to present to the world via the internet if you don’t have any time to make any art. This summer, I took time off from social media to work in my journal, and was amazed at how many new things I discovered. And then I turned around and started sharing them with you. I feel like that was important, taking that break, devoting extra time every day to my journal and paintings. And I need to rediscover this balance as 2012 begins. Because I now see myself as a professional, finally, have stepped up to teach in-person again (this upcoming Wednesday; if you’re in the Phoenix area, I’d love for you to come!), am a designer, now. Have my tablet to create new digital content. And Journaling Deep has such potential, I’m excited to be on this roller coaster without a safety net. 

How about you? Is art still a hobby, or is it what you love to do? 

I feel as though I’ve broken free of the cocoon and am unfurling my wings, prepping for my first solo flight as a transformed creature. I can paint my wings, sing with my soul, and pray I catch the wind. 

I’m currently under the weather, so Journaling Deep will be sent out tomorrow. If you’re expecting anything from me, I appreciate your patience. I’m hoping that by resting yesterday and today, I’ll be back at it tomorrow and work through the weekend. 

Do Something Unexpected

I keep meaning to write longer posts, but have been working steady on my story for National Novel Writing Month. And as I'm still awake and at the computer at 12:30am, I think it's time for me to re-evaluate my time management as there is so much I want (and need!) to say. 

Above is the canvas you saw in yesterday's video, the one I splashed paint and water on. It wasn't a technique of any kind, rather, not one I've seen. But I've been thinking, lately, outside the box when it comes to how I approach creating art, and breaking the rules is, well, fun. 

A few years ago, I dropped my copy of Wreck This Journal in my pool. It was hard. There was, as you'd imagine, a certain amount of resistance. I had, in my hands, a book. And while I'd gotten over the bump of altering books for artwork or ripping out pages for collage fodder, throwing an entire book into a pool -- on purpose! -- frightened me. 

I remember a vacation one year, in Florida, where my mother dropped the book she'd been reading into the pool while floating along under the bright sunshine. The book, 'A is for Alibi,' was put in the microwave and tossed in the dryer for a few cycles, but was never the same. And maybe I was afraid that, by throwing my journal in the pool, it would never be the same. 

It wasn't. It was better. 

When I was sitting outside with fluid acrylics and a spray bottle, I knew I needed something more. And then the sprinklers came on. Why not put the canvas under the sprinkler? It would work much better than the little mister I have, and aren't canvases made to have wet media thrown on them, anyway? 

And so, while I was playing outside with the new camera, my brother experimenting in his own way with filming (I have taken him on as my student as a way to re-learn all the things about creating video I love), I thought throwing paint at a canvas would make for a wicked visual. And then, I eyed my water jar next to me and thought, wouldn't throwing this at the canvas be fun? 

If you can get outside, or in your garage, or an unfinished basement, or somewhere, do it. Go buy a cheap canvas from Michaels or Hobby Lobby or Big Lots. Open a tube of your favorite paint and throw it on there. Pretend your Jackson Pollock or Aelita Andre. Then, fill your water jar, position the canvas upright and throw it on there. Let it get all messy. Let it drip down and make spatters. Run your hands over it. Turn it different directions. 

Do something frightening and unexpected. 

I double-dog-dare you. 

{the confidence of a brush stroke}

It's always interesting to me to watch someone new at painting work on a canvas or journal page. Their brush strokes are always short and hesitant, as if they've never held a brush before (and perhaps they haven't!). There isn't much confidence; in fact, uncertainty dictates their movements. 

The same can be applied to how much water one gathers on their brush. A lot? A little? How do you know how much to use? How do you make those swirling lines? How do you mix colors properly? 

Practice, darlings. Paint more. 

I've been asked about water usage, and can't answer the question with anything else but practice. It will soon become second-nature. Soon, you'll be making long lines with confidence and strength, and will know exactly how much water to use in order to create the effect you're looking for. 

My mother came out and admired one portion of my canvas. She loves it. All I could think was, it has taken me years to figure out how to do that, and now, it is so easy to do. 

Practice. 

I worked on the patio again today, finishing the sketching on one canvas and playing around on the other. I had no idea what I was doing or where I was going with anything -- I simply listened to music and enjoyed my time outside, a bit sad when the sun began to set so early. I've forgotten how late in the year it's become, fooled by pleasantly high temperatures. 

Sometimes, when I step back, I can't believe this art is coming from me. I wouldn't trade that wonder at my own abilities for anything.  

{Art on the Patio}

{shifts and changes and new ideas...just what a journal is for!}

lost stars; 10"x8" mixed-media on gesso board

I've been trying new techniques, playing with new and loved materials, and grabbing new tools. It's fun -- some are things I've used before and purged from my collection when I moved on to newer, shiny-er things. Others are brand new, interesting, lab experiments in a studio done in vivid Technicolor. I used my first Shiva Oil Paintstick on the painting above, creating a creamy layer above some paint. And while having to wait 24 hours for it to dry (though I'm thinking I may start leaving things outside to dry in this 105F heat) kinda cramped my usual style, I loved going back over it with more paint, more materials, blending and discovering and smiling through the whole thing. 

I like trying new things. But this new shift feels like another step in the road created by my move, when my style shifted and flipped and took me along on the ride. 

You may recognize this as the self-portrait I used in my last video. I decided to keep going, working over it and then re-drawing it with a Stablo pencil (which has become a favorite, as it will write and draw over ANYTHING). This page was done entirely with a palette knife. 

I've also started playing with soft pastels again, and have found that there is a difference between the cheaper ones and more expensive ones. I started with an inexpensive set and found, as you can see above with the magenta, that they spread a lot. Which some people like. But I was looking for something a bit between that and how Caran d'Arch crayons spread when you use your finger on them. I've discovered Prismicolor NuPastels, and love them. I'll post pics tomorrow of a page with those. 

I love love trim that is more crocheted or lacey than any other. And why not paint over it? Create something entirely new? I just love how I kept going -- I didn't say, "There is trim here. No paint, please!" I simply treated it as another collaged element of the page. 

More paint. The hearts are the discards from punching shapes with my Cuddlebug for tags. Why not keep them? I'm finding I'm drawn more and more to discards, small bits, and odd, ripped shapes. For awhile, I was into using scrapbooking or patterned papers in my journal, and then painting over them. Now, I want what's left over when I've finished something else. 

And while the drawing may be in a style totally different (it was a blind contour from a photo), I love it. I love not only the idea that it is me, as I am, not how I would like to be, but that all the materials and ideas and application and colors are just as much a part of the portrait as the actual drawing. At first, I was unsure. Scared. Is this art? Is this good? We can often ask ourselves such things when something so drastically new comes from us, but as I learned today, you never lose what you've done before, not completely. It simply shifts and grows and takes you for a ride. 

You simply need to be willing to get on. 

{shots around the studio}

{two finished journal orders waiting to be packed & shipped}

{a journal page; the fabric is a shape cut from some Amy Butler fabric I got on clearance}

{journal page worked on with one of Krista's awesome foam Prima stamps}

{the other side of the spread with collaged bits}

{piece of dyed muslin I stamped and stitched to a journal page with pearl cotton}

What is on your table today?

{journal dreams and beads from a bottle!}

I've been a very busy girl today! After my morning bike ride, where I snapped pictures and got stung by a bee, I came home to write a more in-depth outline of my summer art journal course, then got started on finishing up a journal for Kym. 

I have become a journal-making machine! 

The Journal Dream Shop has been a wild success! I am now running about 4-5 weeks for your journal to be done, though I'm working as fast as I can without sacrificing quality or my health. So I am booked up! 

Because of this, I'm going to be writing less blog posts. But don't worry -- I'll be vlogging once a week and hopefully doing time-lapse journal pages in the meantime. And I'll snap photos like crazy of what I'm working on! 

They're really tons of fun to make, and I like to think on the person and what they're dreaming of when I put them together. They really are hand-made -- I do everything from cut down the paper to round the corners to cut slits for elastic. They aren't perfect, so if that's what you're looking for, you might want to try a store. These journals are crafted with love by my hands -- I have glue all over them, and they wear the battle scars from using an x-acto knife to do detail work. I touch every part and hope you feel inspired when you get yours! 

As soon as I'm less-booked, I'll be making blanks to put up in my Etsy shop. But since the price isn't all that different, why not order a perfect one for you? I'm up to experimenting with form and binding -- I'll be making a binder journal with fabric edges and canvas pages next week! 

Check out the newsletter if you're not already subscribed!

Because I'll be focusing on crafting journals and writing my next workshop, I'll be sending out a lot of info in my weekly newsletters. You'll get a blog post straight to your inbox (and that means an article written expressly for the newsletter that won't be appearing on the blog itself!), some inspiring words, maybe a prompt, updates, and a coupon each week! 

The form to sign-up is right there on the sidebar, so make sure to enter your address so you don't miss out on anything! My newsletter's going to be a Godsend for me -- an easier way for me to keep you all updated and inspired while I put my nose to the grindstone and get things done! 

Beads in a Bottle are here! 

I needed a little playtime before getting down to business, so I pulled out my brand-new pack of Beads in a Bottle by Tulip and embellished my journal cover (even more, I know!). This is the gemstone set, and I kinda want to go back and get a different one! 

At first, I thought it'd be hard, but not at all! They leave a little wisp when you pull up the bottle, but it soon settles to make a bead! I need some more practice, though, and then I'll be embellishing this plain t-shirt I've had for awhile that needs some bling...

(above: right after applying)

(above: all dry!)

So I'll see ya all later! I'm running off to the pharmacy before it closes and grabbing dinner at the grocery store! 

{happy accidents!}

My thought process when I returned to this piece:

“I really don't want to sit up and paint her in acrylics.”

“Really?”

“Really. What if I did her muted, like Cassie?”

“Eh.”

 “Plus, I like being able to see the map and dots.”

 “OH! What if you painted her in watercolors?”

“YES. WINNING IDEA!”

So I collected together my watercolor set, waterbrush, and intense pencils, curled up on the couch, put on a movie, and finished her. 

AND I LOVE IT.

I love how her hair came out. I love the shading I was able to do. I love the shirt and skirt. I want to do more more MORE!

 This is how new ideas are born, guys! You just need to think outside the box of what you're supposed to and just do what you think might work.

I've gessoed some pages in my journal, put House on, and am ready to sketch and play around!

(I'll have this one up as a print later this week.)