A Year of Art Journaling

Ten Year Blogaversary

2018

had it's share of challenges..

but it also had

great love.. adventure

and 

lots of creativity..

as always ... gentle reader..

I will give you a month by month

of techniques, ingredients and a little synopsis ..

as usual 

I am 

 so astounded to see the body of work at the end of the year..

it feels like such an incredible accomplishment.. 

 not simply the creative work, piling up year after year

but

 I have clear illustrations of 

how I have grown spiritually and creatively..

my marks say

I have been here

and I have lived well..

  

January

As many of you know, I always begin the year with a self portrait..

It is always quick, 

and it allows me the opportunity to tune into my feelings about 

who I am and where I want to go..

It also creates a focus on how I am feeling about being an ancient artist..

it creates an understanding and acceptance with the aging process..

I found my kindergarten photo and had the idea of creating a 

"tongue in cheek" portrait of 

a before and after comparison..

and I loved the way it turned out..

My hair had just recently grown out enough to be completely white

and though shorter than I was used to..

I was tickled to see that it was still pokey...

Age is a blessing...  

Ingredients: Black gesso, acrylic paint, personal photo, paper ephemera, colored pencils, paint pens, washi tape.

February

My second tradition, for those who are new to my blog.. is a love letter that I write to myself every February as a remembrance

and a devotion to self love..

 I list all the things that I love about myself..

I don't know about you... 

but

I was not taught to love myself..

I was taught to love others..

but how do we accomplish that when we dislike or even worse...

 hate ourselves?

Writing this has become easier each year,

as I continue my practice..

Ingredients: Gesso, micro beads, acrylic paint, lace and fabric scraps, thread, paper ephemera, sheet rock joint tape, tissue paper.

March

I have always been obsessed by edges..

edges are everywhere..

and the ripped and torn papers

create the finest edges..

the shredded papers of March were inspired by the beach visit we took and I was transfixed by a row of shells along the beach and suddenly... 

began to create a collage in my mind's eye..

funny

how one thing will spark creativity 

especially when it has no logical

relationship to the other..

Relationships..

I have been chewing on a few severed relationships in my life

this year, 

a couple over hatred,

prejudice..

things

 I will not tolerate  

so the pages represent

that turmoil

and the gentle weaving of a new beginning.

Ingredients: antique and vintage papers, mono prints, colored pencil, pencil, gel medium  

April

We have a short gardening season here..

sounds crazy I know, but Florida is not all palm trees and sea shells..

we actually live in a pine and live oak forest

and winter mornings can be quite chilly..

so.. when I get to spend time in the gardens,

I am present... 

and April pages reflect my gardening..

weeding..

hoeing..

planting..

pruning..

putting my fingers in the earth and communing with dragonflies

and crows..

Ingredients: Acrylic paints, vintage ephemera, tissue papers, colored pencils, pen and pencil.

May

Every month brings something new..

they all have their own

issues..

as the 5th month

I often find there are changes that take place..

and in May two of my friends

simultaneously 

suffered the death of their husband..

It is excruciating to watch and be unable to 

really assist..

words are so ineffective..

so I put the feelings that I had.. my empathy

down on paper..

the little dots represent the holes in life

when one, anyone, 

we love, 

adore..

 passes 

from this plane of consciousness to the next..

so many holes, 

too many to count really..

Ingredients:Black gesso and acrylic paint, paint pen, vintage ephemera, wrapping papers, colored pencil, pencil.

June

I am not a political artist..

I will leave that to others..

I think it is important to know who you are and what you want to express..

but in June, I documented what I called

civil war..

the nation's fabric being torn at the seams..

I felt it in my bones and skin..

the wretched being in the center..

our collective psyche..

Ingredients: Acrylic paint, antique book pages, antique ephemera.

July

The theme of July was estrangement..

and there are several threads on this spread..

representing more than one person

and different issues..

 suffice it to say..

that it is easier to love someone unconditionally when they are no longer

a part of your life..

and conversely..

distance is always an obstacle of healing..

and assistance.

Ingredients: Acrylic paint, antique papers, ephemera, wrapping papers, gel medium, pencil.

August

Reflection is always good..

and I spent some time in August writing beneath the images

about my personal responsibilities..

specifically

 about how I can become a better communicator..

which was not a learned skill in my family..

dots again..

this time representing sea foam, 

piling up at the end of the wave,

like thoughts on the shore..

the sea is always such a healing place..

Ingredients: Acrylic paint, pencil, graphite pencil, aquarelle graphite pencil, antique ephemer, tissue paper, metallic gelatos.

September

The worst part about aging is having lived through history..

watching history repeat itself..

and being unable to effect change

The simple illustrations are always the best..

sowing and reaping..

what goes around, comes around..

the silence of women..

those days are 

numbered.

Ingredients: Gesso, Acrylic paint, antique papers, antique ephemera, tissue papers, wrapping papers, pencil.

October

There was magic afoot in October..

I could feel the changes coming..

like a dark cloud lifting and separating..

revealing some truth that had yet to be realized.

I suppose it had a lot to do with our adventurous upcoming trip,

but nature was simply singing to me..

swarms of dragonflies were in the yard and butterflies were too numerous to count..

I was content to listen to nature sing..

Ingredients: Antique book pages, transparency, mono prints, tissue paper, Acrylic paint, pencil.

November

It was a rough ride back from the continent..

two weeks of rough seas..

and grey skies..

like being tossed on wicked thoughts..

and I held onto the rails for balance

though there were many things that happened in November..

my pages had a mind of their own.. 

Ingredients: Black gesso, acrylic paint, metallic gelatos, colored pencil.

December

Cold mornings 

and grey days..

but my spirit was lighthearted as I searched for 

treasures..

December is always a bricolage of wrapping papers and bits of ephemera, that 

always seems to pinpoint

my feelings..

the only thing that I was short of

 in December

 was time..

Ingredients: Acrylic paints, tissue paper, wrapping paper, antique prints, antique ephemera, antique lace, Caran D' Ache water-soluble crayons

And now dear readers,

January pages will be here soon,

and a new video this week, 
where I will take you into the studio 

and show you all my new work..

including a flip through of this journal..

and some paintings..
sketches..

so much to do this year, 

it is really exciting..

As always, I am so grateful to you for 

reading and commenting and faithfully

following me..

I am simply..

gratefully yours..

xox