creative expression

Stamp it up!

Since March we have all faced numerous challenges and at one point everything was shut down to keep our communities safe. During that time I got to thinking about creative ways to make an art journal page with unusual items. I was making Swedish cabbage one evening and looked at the core of the cabbage..it was shaped like a star. Aha, that might make a great stamp. And quite honestly it did and this page happened as a result.

For my new class, The Secret Garden..an adult art journaling class I decided to incorporate this technique. For my demo page I used a red pepper and the end core of head of iceberg lettuce. It wasn’t as lovely as the cabbage core but it pushed me to figure out how to make it work. Here is a peek at the process. First I started with an underpainting of some favorite colors. Then, I stamped it up, and finally used marker pens to add details.

Posca pens are amazing! They make a nice line, no accidental blots that can happen with other brands of paint pens, smooth lines, and so far…lots of ink. I look forward to seeing my students work and how they decided to make their stamps from household items into beautiful blossoms! So far Zoom is working out fine, thanks to my administrative assistant and tech support from my daughter..it has been a huge life saver during this situation. Look around your kitchen and see what items might work for stamping. One of my students mentioned using a jalapeno pepper, great idea!

A late night chat with my sis

My sister and I were catching up on the phone and while sitting at my art desk during the conversation…this happened. I opened my Canson spiral bound journal to a clean up page. At the end of an art session leftover paint always makes it onto a blank page. This eliminates the blank page and gives me a jumpstart on making artful pages. Many artists use this practice, it is not anything new, but something I encourage you to keep in mind.

With acrylic inks, paints, markers and gel pens I let my creative muse lead the way as the conversation ebbed and flowed for a couple of hours. I must admit it is a blessing having a sister to talk with, especially during these unusual times we are facing. She has always supported my artistic pursuits and it was apropos to make pages, move my hands while talking the night away.

It’s just mark making, not a masterpiece, playing with color and line…with my iPhone up to my ear.

Playful adventures like this in my art journal are something I encourage you to try. It works your creative muscle and intuition leads the way. Any artist can benefit from such playful expressions. It’s like writing the morning pages, Julia Cameron’s exercise as a lead in to her wonderful book, “The Arist’s Way”. By the way, this is a fantastic book ! I highly recommend it for artists looking toward self discovery and removing obstacles cluttering the creative process. During these times of spending more time at home, take some time to make playful pages, and seek out Julia’s book, you will not be disappointed.

Make beautiful memories

s u m m e r i s a b e a u t i f u l s e a s o n

even though we find ourselves in difficult times

summer is a refreshing time of year

the outdoors are waiting

for YOU

gather up your art supplies

find a quiet spot to collect your thoughts

let your paintbrush flow and release your emotions onto the page

make some beautiful marks and memories..

your creative soul is beautful

Art Journal Class Re-Cap

Spring 2018 Art Journal Class at Bemis

A M A Z I N G W O M E N M A K I N G P A G E S

It’s all about words and using them for expression. The first prompt involved making strips of printed deli papers and Citrasolv pages from National Geographic magazines. These papers were collaged onto the back page with a word holding special meaning..a word to carry with them for the rest of the year. A cover of tea stained muslin stamped with a stencil and some stitching for flair was added with brads over the last page and another stencil used on the adjacent page.

Fabric and stitching add a unique texture element to art journals.

Expressive underpainting was the first layer, gray tone painting to define organic shapes, and then journaling with a white gel pen.

Paying tribute to a favorite artist gave everyone the opportunity to discover..maybe a new artist or one that had been a favorite for a long time. One student chose her mother and when she showed the page to her children, they immediately knew that their grandmother was the chosen artist!

From Klimt to Van Gogh, Cezanne to Ansel Adams, Flavia to a beloved mom, and a few others, these pages reflect a tribute to an admired artist. Looking at another artists work and techniques provides ample opportunity to learn about process, color and brush strokes.

Here is a tribute to one of my favorites…Vincent Van Gogh!

Making and using personal stamps with sticky back foam and a wooden block.

This was inspired by Marks in Place..a book dedicated to the photography of ancient marks made by native people in North America. For centuries mankind has used tools to make marks in stone. We still enjoy the process of designing and making marks! We made ours in the art journal.

Each page tells a story and offers a chance to discover something new. Whether it involves a technique, a color, a word, or reflection working in an art journal is pure delight. No pressure just expression and fine tuning the creative muscle. The best part is meeting others who enjoy making art, sharing stories and celebrating one another’s creativity.

Creative hands playing with mixed media and bringing beauty into our world!

Lots of love and expression goes into these art journals! They are an artifact of our journey in mixed media and exploring new frontiers. Thanks for stopping by!