Fangirl Funtimes

Having fun with little watercolor sketches for Lila Rogers MATS class on the subject of being a digital nomad. Google it and tell me if it doesn't just sound like a dream job!

Just finished reading (ahem, obsessing) over the book Fangirl. Sweet story of a freshman in college, falling in love, and writing Harry Potter type fan-fiction. The book within a book of Fangirl is coming out as it's own fantasy book this fall. Hurrah for Rainbow Rowell! Loving all the fan art (Simini Blocker I'm lookin at you!) for her books so much, that I had to dabble with my own! More to come.

March Misc

January - what a month!

Whew! January was a busy and productive month for me. I prepped for my Silhouette Stories class at Two Hands Paperie, taught the class last weekend, somehow managed to keep up with my MATS class and Year of painting class, and worked in my No More Excuses Calendar. February looks to be about the same, busy, busy, busy. For now I will give you a glimpse of what I worked on and will follow up with specifics on my journaling classes and other projects!

Mixed media painted creating in Alena Hennessey's Year of Painting class, incorporating my word for the year, flow. "I am rooted, but I flow." -Virginia Woolfe


Silhouette Stories journal page


Journal design created in Lila Rogers MATS Bootcamp class. Tons of sketches and ideas have come out of this first assignment and I look forward to sharing them in the future as prints, journals, stickers and cards. Keep an eye out for them!

Happy Birthday!

Today, on my birthday, I thought I'd share this very special piece that I recently created. I have been looking at a lot of work by Alphonse Mucha and this journal page is born out of a combination of that and a visualization exercise that I recently did for the Nu Icon program. It was quite a process of unearthing this vision of myself which is a bit atypical for me. After bringing this image to light, I adore the organic, feminine, and Victorian representation of myself and my creativity.

Open Studios 2013

Well, I did it! Open Studios 2013 has come and gone and it was a success on so many levels for me. I was challenged creatively, personally, and professionally. The months leading up to Open Studios brought many new challenges. Producing work, not just for personal expression, but also to be accessible to others. Meaning items for sale outside of my visual journals. I had paintings, painted skulls, sewn paper goodies, handmade journals, supplies and some journal page reproductions. The business/professional side involved marketing materials, artist statements, business licenses and more. 

Then the massive flooding that occurred along the CO front range hit and my studio space got flooded. For three weeks Chad and I removed what was necessary, set up a temporary studio in the dining area and proceeded to pump water out, remove floors, walls and begin rebuilding. It was wet, frustrating, ill timed work. But the blessing was that it kept me from over working on the Open Studios front. That doesn't mean that it was easy for me. I am an over achiever and doing my best but "no more and no less than my best" does not come naturally for me. I had to let go and things that mattered did not get done. I did not have prints of my work to sell, I did not have my signature leather silhouette journals to sell... And you know what, it was okay. I focused on finishing pieces rather than starting new ones. And when I gathered my work I was shocked by all that I had, rather than what was missing. 

Sewn paper pinwheels, painted skulls, handmade scrappy journals & my gallery wall.

Once the studio was temporarily put back together, the work was done, and postcards distributed, then came the real work. Not the creating, but the engaging and connecting with the community. Inviting people into my studio was easy, but actually being there, opening myself and my work up to strangers was its own challenge. I can talk about my work. I spent hours in critiques as a graphic design student, but many people visiting were new to visual journaling, and I had to really open up my process to them. I had personal visual journals out. Some people got it and some didn't, but I have learned that none of it is personal. I do what I do, for me and not for validation. But the moments of connection, where people truly understood how raw and risky it is to bare yourself through your art and words, really warmed me. When people looked deep into my eyes or touched my arm in a certain way, saying "thank you", I knew it meant something to them. My biggest joy in doing Open Studios were those moments combined with the pure excitement of adults and kids alike who were visibly and vocally inspired to create. My goal is to teach, to share the gifts of self expression using the visual journal, and I am thrilled to have connected with like minded people who want to learn from me. 

I am not a social butterfly, yet I crave connection just like anyone else. I know my weaknesses as well as my strengths and that I have something to share, to give. Thanks to all who supported me along this journey, inspiring and supporting me as well as the ones who showed up for me. It was hard work, a challenging, beautiful process that I feel lucky to have been a part of.


***There are still pieces for sale if you are interested. Paintings, skulls and handmade journals!***
      Steady - SOLD
      Gentleness & Ease (deer) SOLD
      Open Door (2 silhouettes) - SOLD
      Small Car piece - SOLD

Revisionary

I have been creating new work using Juliana Coles' Revisionary Journal booklet as prompts for my artwork. The lessons are great for getting you looking at the past year and bringing that information forward, helping you dial in on what needs tweaking, pursuing and letting go of. If you enjoy these pages, please leave me a comment and if you want to make your own work, head over to Juliana's ETSY site to pick up some inspiring assignments!

Time to Heal

This top image is perhaps one of the most powerful and beautiful journal pages that I have made in quite some time, possibly all year. It is certainly the most important for me. This last year and a half of dealing with the combined effects of Adrenal Fatigue, Hypothyroid, painful and limiting Plantar Fasciitis, as well as a move and many other life questions and uncertainties has been a hard road.

I have found that these issues have featured in my work prominently over the last couple of years. When my journalling relates to my health and my body, it falls into one of two categories, pain or healing. There are the "I'm so frustrated, when is this gonna get better" pages, but lately a new kind of grace has entered my work. Gratitude, acceptance and healing. It can be a long road to recovery, but what has changed most for me is my appreciation of this time. No longer angry and frustrated I am starting to see the gifts that being unwell has given me. It far outweighs the pain and frustration. Murkiness and stuckness begin to clear and with limitations comes new intentions. I hope you are all having a wonderful holiday season and that we can all be grateful for where we are, no matter what it looks like!

Oh Artfest

Oh Artfest, It is bittersweet to see you go. You have been there for me for what feels like a very long time. You have found amazing art friends for me that live near and far. I have looked to you each year with eager anticipation and you have left me fulfilled with joy. What will I do without you? Another Artfest passes, and it's even more poignant, as its the very last one. How lucky I've been to have made it a part of my life. As usual, it was a fantastic experience, filled with great classes, learning, journaling and laughing into the night, and reuniting with friends new and old. Spring is already a beautiful time of year, but it was a treasure to spend it in one of my favorite places with the cherry blossoms and tulips in full bloom.

Day one of classes with Michelle Allen creating "Dolls and Dudes". Super fun. I loved making these creations out of air dry clay and can't wait to make more. Michelle is a talented artist (and art journaler!) and you can see more from the class here.

Day two with Miss Mindy. I am in love! With drawing, with Mindy, with creating kooky characters that only make sense to me. This class somehow made me feel like I was in middle school again, drawing Disney characters and dreaming of being an animator, while also satisfying the grown up side of me that's in to pinups and pirates, and also dreams of creating a children's book one day.

I roomed with my hubby Chad, and dear friends Jennifer Joanou, Susan Elliott, Jennie Cook, Gina Armfield, and Alice Joanou in an Officer's house. Jennie is an incredible Chef and prepared ALL of our meals! So our dining table pretty much looked like this at all times, fully covered with journals, food and wine. I miss those journaling nights so much. These peeps are all incredible artists and makers, and inspire me always. Check them out.

The last day, painting with Miss Mindy. More love. Today we added color and paint to our vaudeville inspired creations. It was about the mercat all weekend for me. I'm thinking it's time for me to draw more, and keep developing these characters. Maybe these piratical, sea worthy guys will become my children's book one day. Or a comic? Zine? Paintings? We will see! Thank you Teesha and Tracy!!! There are hundreds of us indebted to you and now connected because of you. It's been a pleasure.

Delayed Reaction

I'm a little delayed in sharing the pieces I created in Flora Bowley's 2 day painting workshop in Malibu, CA at Artinfusio, hosted by Gina Armfield. I spent two weeks away, visiting friends at Journalfest in Port Townsend, WA for a week, and then another in Calabasas, CA with family. It was a trip full of so much fun and richness. Needless to say, I was spent by the time I got home, hence my delayed reaction.

Fall Paintings

Getting ready for Journalfest in 1 week! I have a slew of handmade journals to sell as well as these new mixed media pieces. I am working to bring the stories that I typically tell en masse, in journal form, to the canvas. Personal, nostalgic, whimsical and layered. The deer have been making their way in and out of my backyard this fall, and they too, become a part of my story.

Finding My Way

Here is a piece of mine published in the Sep/Oct 2011 issue of Somerset Studio. This is a piece that I created during Misty Mawn's online class, which was included in an article about the shared experience of her class. This started as a contour drawing that I then decided to finish off as a loose painting. Misty's classes, in person or online, are an opportunity not to be missed. As always, she creates an environment full of beauty, inspiration, great music and endless ideas.

Roots and Shoots

I took two fantastic classes with Orly Avineri at Artfest this year. I found her classes to be relaxing and energizing at the same time. Her style of teaching suited my mood so well, the assignment were guided, yet every person created something unique. I enjoyed the element of randomness, lack of control, or even knowing what comes next. I felt freer to just make and disconnect from the outcome. Sure enough, the end result was satisfying as well. My eyes were opened to the direction in which I can take my work. I am always used to seeing my work in journal format, page after page, personal and potent. But there was something about liberating my work from the book form that made me look at it differently. No longer just personal and sometimes private pieces, I could see it more objectively, as art. Where my journals should be my playground, they are actually more precious to me, and on the canvas, my work felt freer and relaxed. I'm looking forward to a whole series of journal inspired mixed media pieces that break out of the book form, allow themselves to be seen and be open to others.

Playing with Paint

These are some paintings I did earlier this year. The top one is a watercolor of my trusty Diana+ camera. I love everything about this camera, down to the color, so of course it made a great subject to practice with watercolor. The bottom piece was painted with acrylic, and she is wanting to be worked on a bit more. I think I may add text to both pieces, surrounding the camera and figure.

Checking In

Hello all! I may have been MIA from this blog, but I have been busy working away. Plenty of journal pages in progress, some sketches, and many, many books have been made. I am getting ready to vend at Artfest in April for the first time, so that's what I have been up to. I am tremendously excited to be able to share my love of handmade and repurposed journals as well as my journal art with others. I'll do my best to get some more pics up soon! For now, enjoy these prelim sketch ideas.

Back from Journalfest!

Iv'e been back from Journalfest for about a week now, and I am still basking in 3 full days of play in my journals and time spent with new and old friends. I took two days of workshops with my friend, Juliana Coles, and as usual, it did not disappoint. My first class was Expressive Drawing which was outstanding. I love to draw, and it was great to learn new techniques and ways to incorporate them into my regular journal pages.

The next class was mapping Me with Orly Avineri. This class was wonderful and relaxed, and it was a joy to turn off my brain and just take it one step at a time. I loved the guided format, not knowing the end result, but trusting that each step would get me there.

Finally came Juliana's Book of the Night class, which she is also offering online! It was so much fun working on black backgrounds and using all my spooky images. To top it all off was the journaling/masquerade party. It was a fantastic time of costumes and music and playing in our books! I am missing everyone and am so happy that I had the opportunity to sign up at the very last minute.

P.S: Thanks Susan for some of the photos I poached to post here!

Precious Fear

This is a piece that I did some time ago. I am not sure why I never posted it, I think I was unsure if it was finished. Looking at it now, it is telling me what I need to know. How fear keeps us from living if we allow ourselves to bear its full weight. That living without it's presence is impossible, but if we can tune into it maybe we can work with it, not against it. Little reminders to move forward to take that step, to sometimes leap without looking. For me that means saying what I mean, not dancing around what the right and wrong words are. It's exhausting trying always to please, trying to never say the wrong thing. Anyway, I digress... Fear often keeps me from my passion. It keeps me out of the studio, and from really pushing myself to my full potential. It has been the reason that my work and books remain only for me and not for others. Either to sell or to teach. I'd like to think I am brave in life and certainly in love, but that passion of mine I keep pretty well guarded. There are big dreams afoot and I know what is standing in the way. I am standing in the way of myself, and at the moment it feels harder and harder to hold that position. Here's to the future, and letting go.

Artfest-Day 3

Top photo: Pieces in varying degrees of completion.

Second photo: Pieces with just a base layer of collage.

On day 3 I took Freshly Renovated with Misty Mawn. We made small sized mixed media pieces that will then get bound into a little book/journal. The idea was to start with a base layer of collage that we then work back into with paint, stencils, stamps, crayons, etc. Misty showed us how to paint faces, along with so many other techniques that I can barely remember at the moment. It was amazing watching her demo, she worked so fast and could pull together a pice in minutes. I know the speed was for the sake of the demo, but still! Once again, I feel I really learned something that can take my journal pages/work to the next level. I love the idea of reclaiming an image and making it truly my own.