Journal Revolution

The book of the month at BPS book club this month is "Journal Revolution" by Linda Woods and Karen Dinino. It was a good read, if you are into this type stuff like I am, and I found myself really inspired again. Ali Edwards' "Life Artist" and this book have made me start thinking about my art in ways that I haven't thought about before. I've decided to start my Art Journal, to revolutionize my creativity and give myself permission to explore and be free in expressing myself through my art.




Here are the first couple pages from my journal (these are totally separate and different from my scrapping layouts, and that is how it is supposed to be). I will continue to scrap, but the journal is a vehicle for exploring and expressing myself and the artist inside of me.


The first page (Fly Time) is my feelings on turning 50.

Then I had to get my "one word" for 2008 into my journal.

"Dream Unspoken" expresses my long ago wish to be able to create "real" art, my dream of being a traditional artist. During Jr. High art class I realized I just didn't have the talent it takes to really paint masterpieces, but the desire still lives inside of me. Everytime I see the sun set over the ocean I wish I had the ability to capture the colors, the feelings, the power I see with paint on canvas.





Now I know what you are thinking, what is she doing? These pages look so messy and unorganized! But that is the idea of Art Journals, just picking up a paintbrush, a pen, or a piece of "trash" and turning it into your own expression of feelings, thoughts, of your own art.


"When the sound inside you is dissonance, ready-made decorative papers and prescribed layouts won't do. We need "tactical maneuvers" designed for our full range of experiences and emotions, ready to leap tall buildings and scrawl over bridges. If you are used to creating archival scrapbooks or to writing pages a day in journals, take note: This type of art journaling has a different purpose and a different method. When creating journals that are uniquely yours, you are fee to use color, paper and words in ways as unconventional as your thoughts. The media we choose for our creation, from picking ink over paint to adhering with a staple or glue, affects the emothion we convey. Therefore, the most important tactical maneuver is letting go. Let go of convention, let go of expectations, let go of what you think should be. Breathe deeply and feel what your emotion looks like." (Journal Revolution, page 11)

You can view the Journal Revolution Art Army here: http://flickr.com/groups/artarmy/pool/