Back from Journalfest

I am back from the first ever Journalfest, hosted by Teesha and Tracy Moore, held in Port Townsend. Three days focused on what I most love to do (art journaling) was bliss. The classes were so varied as well as the students work, which really shows how diverse keeping a journal can be. The top left image is the cover of my journal in progress. Actually, all these pages are in progress, because very often there is just time to get an idea started, and it gets fully fleshed out later. My first class was Impulse Collage with Anahata Katkin (top center, top right, and bottom left). This was a phenomenal class for me. I feel that I already have a way of working and style that comes through my pages. But it is still forming, growing, and being influenced. Anahata is so generous with sharing her stylistic techniques which allowed me to see more ways of working an image and page. LOVED IT! And the student work was incredible in that class.

Day 2 was Love and Fear with Traci Bunkers (center left and center middle). This class was more internal and emotional, which is what I am about most days anyway. So it felt good to do writing about goals and affirmations and then translate that into pages. Much more work to do, but I am loving the direction these are headed in.

Day 3 was Words and Pictures with Theo Ellsworth (bottom right and bottom middle). Once again Theo got me thinking about drawing and doodling in a way I hadn't before. That there isn't a need to "make a drawing", but rather it can be an organic, growing process. I really learned something about myself. That though I am inclined to journal with collage and paint, drawing is incredibly centering for me. Time stands still when I put pen to paper, and the act of drawing becomes not only a record of my emotions and my life, but an act of meditation too. This is not a new feeling for me, but one I had not fully recognized. My hope is to make drawing a daily morning practice, because it seems to focus me and keep me from getting too scattered/distracted.

There is plenty more to share. Chad went with me to the retreat and it was such a good experience for him. We explored Bainbridge Island, Port Townsend, and Seattle at the peak of fall. So I have more pictures to show later once I have fully reentered. Many thanks to Anahata, Traci, and Theo. Each of you gave so much and I am deeply grateful for the learning and pure joy I experienced in your classes.