Life is full of beauty. Notice it. Notice the bumble bee, the small child, and the smiling faces. Smell the rain, and feel the wind. Live your life to the fullest potential, and fight for your dreams. Ashley Smith Robinson American Author and Speaker
I have observed art journal pages by other artists done on a black background. I have admired. But I have this interesting habit of pouring out too much paint. In this case it was black gesso. I had primed a few pages and then in my typical haste got a bit carried away. Two pages were quite overladen with black. I had chosen torn out magazine pages to put between to "protect" the pages from each other and perhaps do a tiny bit of transferring. Fun! I then took it upon myself to apply pressure as well. The next day, when I finally got back to the pages the two which had been especially laden with gesso were, of course stuck. This was my special journal. I do mixed media. So I ripped and tore - came up with an interesting composition of black and white for a background. Then looking for that to glue on top - the word "beautiful". How perfect - especially combined with the word "home".
The above is a work in progress. I have to wait an hour and half tomorrow while Greg has dental surgery. The next day I have to wait an hour while my daughter has an appointment with the therapist. What better time could there be for writing in my journal, especially on prepared lovely pages with images already attached.
I had a wonderful day with the opportunity to complete some more journal pages and ... well, here's one I just completed. To learn more about this presentation check my last post.
birds, and journaling, which I love. I have been inspired hugely by the ARTjournaling magazine which I mentioned in my last post. Birds, a favourite of mine, seemed to be appearing in numerous hints and splashes in the pages presented within.
At about the same time I was able ... well read about it on the journal page. Click on it to get an enlarged version which will allow you the reading.
I have been doing many journal pages in the past days as well as working on a couple of canvases and preparing for another couple of surprises. I am hoping to post more in near future. Until next time - angels be with you.
So much inspiration: I love mixed media art and I tend to find bundles of inspiration around me. Sometimes I am almost overwhelmed with all the fabulous ideas available. Sometimes I am bursting with enthusiasm to try my own spin with the inspiration I receive from books and magazines. I have not actually seen this book yet but I know it is overflowing with inspiration. I originally encountered Susan Tuttle with "artwords" when she was providing weekly prompts. She then informed that she was working on a book, so would have to discontinue "artwords". While somewhat saddened I was also excited for Susan. Susan's book "Exhibition 36: Mixed Media Demonstrations + Explorations" was published last fall. Susan is now offering a second giveaway at her blog. I am so proud to invite you to view this book at its Amazon location.
If you are not familiar with Susan's art you must also take time to have a look at her blog. Susan's photographs and descriptions, I find, are absolutely amazing.
Yummm. My body is only able to absorb a couple of pages at a time as I get so tingly all over when I look at it. I long to jump directly into my journal and continue experimenting. I want to grab my tools of the trade and create.
Until next time when I hope to return with more on journaling.
If you want the truth, I’ll tell you the truth: Listen to the secret sound, the real sound, which is inside you.
I have been leaning towards warmer colours in my art the last while. I adore blues and purples but for some reason the yellows and oranges and pinks are seeming to be dominant in my thinking lately. That canvas I have been working on has become quite "dark", moody but I am not certain where that will take me yet. I am doing much layering on the piece and as I have not grown terribly accustomed yet to working on canvases I agonize about going over something yet again in the process. But how succulent is that? Definitely not. And so I share this tiny journal page without words. I suppose the colours and subject speak clearly enough. What shall I call it? Perhaps I shall call it "spring". Perhaps I shall call it "sumptuous". What do you call it?
Words I need to remember as I think on "sumptuous", "succulent" spring".
Don’t wait until everything is just right. It will never be perfect. There will always be challenges, obstacles and less than perfect conditions. So what. Get started now. With each step you take, you will grow stronger and stronger, more and more skilled, more and more self-confident and more and more successful.
In the last couple of weeks I felt quite often that the word "floundering" wanted to hold some huge space in my thoughts. Then I stopped to look back at all the good that has happened in the past years and I found much that this video represented was so true. Thank you dear Elena.
I had done the following piece about three years ago. At that point in time I had already identified that hope was very important.
I observe the "darkness" of the above creation. Yet it was probably about the same time I wrote the following poem.
The Color of Hope “Is what you see hope?” Oh yes, It is hope.
Hope ~ In abounding quantity. “You do not give up. You will never give up. You must never give up!”
A time, A place, I feel like giving up. And again. And again. It haunts me.
Maybe that is the black hole inside of me!
Optimism is hope. I strive to optimism.
Maybe that is why pesstimism angers me so.
Patience also walks hand in hand With hope. If there is not patience, Hope Will be near Impossible to find.
What color is hope? It can be Orange, Yellow Or Pink. Blue is my favorite. It can be Blue. Or Purple ~ Majesty, faith.
But regardless Of the color of hope, It is bright. There are angels hovering all about. Hope.
And even yet I see darkness in the words. I have come to be much more relaxed with the understanding that some people choose the path of pessimism. I have come to realize that rather than anger me I should just try to step away from these folk that have chosen a different path. Sometimes that is more difficult than others. I have to say that I still let others' impressions affect me (part of the reason for the floundering?) but I am not nearly as concerned.
I try to remind myself of the individuals I have touched in the past years by something I said or more recently by something that touches in one of my creations - be it a video or photograph or words or art. I am astonished at the number of views for some of my photographs like the following which has received over 2000 views, at this point 95 comments and 41 people marking as a favourite.
The number of views on my videos has been astonishing. The most viewed video is this one called "creating an art quilt - tutorial".
This one about art journaling has had over 3000 views. I am so pleased to be helping people in some way with the sharing. Maybe you would be helped by it also.
The list goes on. I am certain that if you took a moment or two you also could find many ways that you have touched people's lives. Sometimes we have to think about it but I am certain that you could make a VERY LONG list.
I do want to return momentarily to the difficult years. I created this digital art last week. Click on the image to get a larger version at flickr so you can read the words.
Please remember you can find links by clicking on the words with different colours and if you click on the images in posts you may get an enlarged version so that you might be better able to read the words, as in the link to "suicidal tendencies". "They said" speaks to the suicidal tendencies (particularly of about five years ago) and depression (long term). I do want to emphasize that while I chose no medication, that is certainly not for everyone. It is what I chose but there were some family and friends watching closely over me, offering prayers and support. If you are going through a situation in which you are feeling hopeless and especially if you are feeling alone, medication is probably an excellent choice. I have included a couple of links to the more difficult times. If you want to search for more feel free to go back to earlier days on my windyangels blog. You can do so by going to one of the links mentioned above and scroll down to just above the delphinium photo. You can go from there to older or newer posts.
