I AM an ARTist ~ Art Journal Workshop

Yesterday I had the wonderful opportunity to attend an Art Journal Playshop at Tranquil Space with Kimberly Wilson. I had heard so many wonderful things about this workshop from many others (including Lisa and Valerie) in the DC area who have attended, that I couldn't resist signing up for it.

The idea is to connect with visual images and create an artistic representation of one's emotions, thoughts at any given moment. You can continue to art journal solely via images, or you can also begin to write over your images for different themes. For example yesterday we worked with our 2012 bucket list, things we are most grateful for and also a self care reflection.

I started with a blank journal

Kimberly mentioned the hardest thing is to just put color on paper. We can be paralyzed by blank paper. So.... her 1st instruction was to just put color on paper, whether you color, pastel or paste pictures on it....you just can't mess up.....just do it. Plus, you never know...your mistake may become a masterpiece. (Isn't that how most discoveries are made after all....from so call mistakes and accidents) :)

Look closely: left side is pink pastel and right side is orange & yellow pastel

By the way....Kimberly also encouraged us to open the book in the middle and begin anywhere. As an accountant (not to give accountants a bad name or anything), this was a difficult thing to do with my linear/left brain processing. I sat and looked at the opened, in the middle, blank books many moments before deciding to GO FOR IT!

Playshop sponsored ephemera provided by Kimberly ...LOVE the sparkly glittery heart!

Glittered heart = perfect timing for Valentine's Day = LOVE

Our first writing cue: Either pictorially or in written form over a decorated page to document our....

....2012 bucket list. This was actually relatively easy for me to think of because I just recently documented my 2012 goals on this blog.

We learned how to LAYER!!! Who knew how many different techniques there were to art journaling, which can add complexity and design to your art and journaling by adding layering of various sources: tissue paper, envelopes to store ticket stubs, ads in magazines that open up like books or pamphlets can be glued into the journal and decorated with meaningful visuals

The next writing cue, was to either document what we are grateful for or our self care goals for the year. I chose a gratitude list.

Could you ever imagine how cute lists could be?!?!?!

So far...this is my FAVorite art journal page

Some other fun insights I gleaned from this workshop:

*Double Stick Tape is amazing

* Imperfection is beautiful

* Art Journaling can be ADDICTING, all I did today at work was want to come home and cut magazines and paste them in my art journal

* I don't need to feel inspired to write something profound today, I can always decorate pages today and write some other day

* Art Journaling is stress relieving and in that fun, corny, super great way makes me feel like a little kid again

* It's a great way to make like minded friends...I see a few artist dates in my future

and finally.....

....I AM an ARTIST

Some other great shots of the playshop festivities, pages to be decorated in the future:

Can't wait to journal about
my dreams of places to visit

A layering piece about self care

My absolute favorite actress...with a beautiful and my recently favorite quote

Looking forward to journal about 'care free' ideas

Top 10 take-a-ways from Art Journal workshop

Layering effect of my Self Care section ~ YUM  Veggies

My biggest take-a-way was just to have fun, let my right brain roam, be careful to not stay up to midnight playing...and just let the creative juices flow when they are ready to! Looking forward to Kimberly's next session sometime mid-summer!

 

What are you most visually attracted to...next time you are reading a magazine I encourage you to start clipping those favorite images...stick them in a folder...and when you are ready, return to some childhood playfullness!