The Journey Within 2016: A Year of Handmade Art Journals

I'm considering it a real honor to be invited to be a guest instructor for mixed media book artist Kiala Givehand's year-long art journaling e-course -- The Journey Within. Each month you will receive 6 videos covering how to make the monthly book, page spread process, and art techniques. Not only will it be an opportunity to grow your creative repertoire -- but it will be a voyage of self-discovery!  Go here to find out more and to register and take a look at the line up of teachers below!

The Journey Within's Amazing Artists:

1. Lisa DeYoung
2. ME!!! Virginia Simpson-Magruder
3. Julie Baker
4. Barb Owen
5. Sadelle Wiltshire
6. Andrea Gomoll
7. Kiala Givehand
8. Tori Weyers (Draw Riot)
9. Hali Karla
10. Tiare Smith
11. Yuko Miki
12. Lisa McLoughlin
13. Vivienne McMaster (an Exclusive Interview)
14. Mimi Bondi
15. Kelly Johnson
16. Nicole Piar (Ghost Kitten)
17. Cindy Gilstrap
18. Amanda Trought
19. iHanna

 

If one year is too long of a commitment for you, you can sign up for one or more quarters (3 month sessions) of the Journey Within by going here.

I am really looking forward to not only teaching my section in September -- but to participating in many of the classes over the year ahead. It will be a terrific way to increase my "creativity vocabulary"!

AEDM2015, Day 3: The Sea Is in Deep Blue Trouble

AEDM2015, Day 3: The Sea Is in Deep Blue Trouble (with pop-up closed)

Heading off to the Caribbean for a wedding so this image of a beach grabbed my eye. Then I just stared at it...nothing was coming to me and no other images popped out as I flicked through a magazine. Usually at this point my inner critic starts grumbling. The best tactic is to just ignore it and either walk away for a few minutes or just keep searching for the "right" pieces. Something always gives and for this collage things went a little bit wacky. I ended up making the fish into a "pop up" and the woman, well I just liked her facial expression -- she's either appalled at the dismal state of the oceans -- or she's in the process of becoming a mermaid!

AEDM2015, Day 3: The Sea Is in Deep Blue Trouble (with pop-up open)

AEDM 2015 Day 2: A Landscape I Didn't Know Existed

AEDM 2015 Day 2: A Landscape I Didn't Know Existed

How do I come up with the collages I create? I'm really not sure. Often I'll run across images that resonate with me on a deep level. I may not understand why or for what reason I am drawn to an image or a setting (such as this room), but I will add them into my journal and let them "percolate". I may eventually add other images to it and the story will start to unfold. Or I may add a line of text because it also resonates with me in conjunction with the image. Or the image may prompt me to journal. Sometimes I'll just leave the image as is -- just because I like it -- and I've come to see that there is creative payback in doing just that.

"She remembered this room. She remembered sitting on the linen sofa, waiting for someone or something to come through the door. It had been an hour or two of slow minutes and the light was fading. Becoming increasingly drowsy she stood up abruptly and walked around the perimeter of the room. There was a flash of movement behind her and as she turned she saw a shadow move in the mirror...."

November Is Art Every Day Month!

Day 1 AEDM, "Commitment: I Will Participate". 

It's cool that Art Every Day Month has rolled around again -- just at the right time for me.  I will be making a collage spread a day over the next 30 days and will be using one of my small Paperblanks journals. I had an Open Studio to day at the Novato Arts Center, and decided to work on my first spread while I was there. This is really my first piece of completed art in 5 months! I really have had little desire to move past the sorting of collage images and just a general puttering around my studio. 

Nevertheless when I sat down in front of the journal I had selected for this art challenge -- I knew that my desire to create would overcome my inertia as well as those inner critics that bounce around in my head. I was a bit awkward with the color and text and images -- but I pushed past my inner critic and "just kept moving". This is the 3rd time I've done AEDM (plus i did my own personal art challenge (Daily Journal Page Challenge) for 3.5 years) so I know the benefits of setting an intention and sticking with it. 

I must say it felt so-o-o-o-o good to create this spread! It's also serving as a visual statement of my commitment to continuing on with my creative journey.

Drop by Leah Piken Kolidas' website Creative Every Day and sign up for one of her art challenges -- it's not too late!

My Creative Life Got Hijacked By Life...

From my "Portals Syllabus" Altered Book

Sigh....I think I danced away from the creative muse again....

Little energy, desire, or ability to focus. Gray moods and/or impromptu, random tears. Worry and anxiety buzzing like bees around my head. Both studios messy, chaotic and little room to move around -- or breathe. No new art to think of. Signing up for a gazillion inspirational e-courses and only getting past the first email, video, or comment/share. No desire to teach. Just want to sleep.

Does any of this ring a bell in the back of your mind? It seemed too, too familiar to me. And i was fearful that this time I'd move way for good from the creative process...and never come back.

Then I talked to a dear friend (her skill sets include being an artist and a therapist). After listening to my "symptoms" she said "Virginia, you need to give yourself a break - you're still in the grief process from your mother dying. Plus you had a 6-week total kitchen renovation. Plus you are caretaking and worrying about your beloved, but aging, 20-year old kitties". That's a lot of stress and you need to be easy with yourself. You'll return to your flow after you integrate all of these changes...."

And once she said that to me, my behavior made a bit more sense. It also allowed me to take a step back and take a deep breath. When the crying jags come out of the blue, I can stand back a bit and watch them rip, and then go on with what I am doing. It's also OK if I can only do things in bits or small chunks. It's OK if I only want to look through magazines for collage fodder. 

What i am seeing is that I am in process -- I am in the process of life -- and whatever that looks like -- that's OK.

And sooner or later my mojo will return -- it may just look a bit different than it did. And that's OK too.

AEDM2014 Day 30: Last Day!

Art Every Day Month 2014 Day 30: Last Day!

Last day for AEDM! I finished my little journal's cover for today's art. It's been a fabulous journey this month. Once again I am impressed with the power and benefits of keeping to a regular art practice. I also loved creating again in one of the Paperblanks journals. There is something oh-so-satisfying about filling a hardbound book with art. And that fat

My AEDM 2014 Journal, Completed

AEDM2014 Day 29: "The Natural Liberation of Habits"

Art Every Day Month 2014 Day 29: "The Natural Liberation of Habits"

 

 

Because I grew up in an alcoholic home I was effected on many levels by the dysfunctions that come with living with a family of addicts. It's amazing that I never became an alcoholic or an addict. Part of my ability to survive, I think, is because I believe that I, and all life, has a connection with a loving, Creative Being. And that's about as far as I take it except that I try to live the Golden Rule. I haven't always been successful at it but that is part of living, isn't it? Meanwhile I have my own habits that so far I am unwilling to give up: chocolate, and art making!!!

AEDM2014 Day 28: "Balance."

Art Every Day Month 2014 Day 28: "Balance."

A reminder to myself every day -- yet some how I know that my real job is not to hide away on some mountain top. To be as engaged in this life as much as I can -- but stay aware. That's being in balance.

AEDM2014 Day 27: "Income for Life"

Art Every Day Month Day 27: "Income for Life" 

I find it humorous and even a bit interesting when I can't figure out why in the name of *** I put images together! Money doesn't grow on trees? (Actually I think Nature and Creation are the source of wealth.) Is the Madonna Gaia or a feminine representation of God (from whom all things flow)?"

AEDM Day 26: "To Simplify"

Art Every Day Month Day 26: "To Simplify"

AEDM Day 25: "Magic"

Art Every Day Month Day 25: "Magic"

AEDM Day 24: "Creating Change"

Art Every Day Month Day 24: "Creating Change"

AEDM Day 23: "A Matter of Perspective"

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Art Every day Month Day 23: "A Matter of Perspective"

Tonight I had to push past my "Making Ugly Art" voice and just get into playing as much as I could -- with color and images and pens and pencils. It always amazes me what the final results are --beautiful, ugly, or somewhere in between.

AEDM Day 22: "For Love"

Art Every Day Month Day 22: "For Love"

AEDM Day 21: "Unfinished"

Art Every Day Month Day 21: "Unfinished"

A lot of the times I will start a page spread and then not have a clue what's the next step. I've learned to not stress out over this lack of clarity and direction -- it's really just part of the creative process. It may take me a while to find that missing piece -- and then sometimes I learn to just love what's there.

AEDM Day 20: "The World,"

Art Every Day Month Day 20: "The World,"

AEDM Day 19: "Angelina Sleeping"

Art Every Day Month Day 19: "Angelina Sleeping"

When I joined AEDM November 2014 for the 3rd time after a 2 or 3 year lapse, I originally thought I do a drawing a day. I felt it would push me to stretch those drawing muscles -- but then it felt too difficult too much of a challenge. So returned to my daily collages. I'm glad I did because I'm enjoying creating them again. Even when I feel like doing nothing, I tap the well in spite of my best effort to do nothing! Today I was staring at Angelina curled up in my office desk drawer and I couldn't resist trying to draw her. Eeek! How do you draw a white cat when you know nothing about shading? And then trying to color "white"? Well, I made her rainbow-colored instead. And if she looks like a hedgehog all curled up -- at least I recognize my little hedgehog!

AEDM Day 18: "In Transition"

Art Every Day Month Day 18 (Side A): "In Transition"

 

 

 

 

 

 

Art Every Day Month Day 18 (Side B): "In Transition"

One of the things i like to do in these small journals is make the collages multi-dimensional.One of the ways is creating a tip in in between two sets of glued pages. The image, photo, or whatnot is glued in between to torn pages.

AEDM Day 17: "Unhideable"

Art Every Day Month Day 17: "Unhideable"

Decided to work with color and pattern tonight, then rummaging through a box of pulled images I came across this Flicker bird. He just seemed to complete the page in my mind.  Flickers are big, noisy birds that I believe are part of the woodpecker family -- and their plumage is even more outrageous than their black and white brothers. They have a raucous call -- brash is the word that comes to mind -- and is either grating or startling to the ear. One of my favorite birds to see in the woods.

AEDM Day 16: "Her Life Came Undone"

Art Every Day Month Day 16: "Her Life Came Undone"

 

Tell me about it! Life. Work. Home. Play. It all seems to too much at times.