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/

Shopping

Wow, can't believe it's been so long since I've taken the time to blog. Amazing how time gets away from you.



Last Monday my computer finally died. I'd been getting prepared to get a new one, this event (death) really stepped up the necessity of getting one. Mark went with me to do a little shopping for a new one and I ended up with a really nice HP with a 22" wide screen monitor. I LOVE IT! There is so much I can do now that my old PC just couldn't handle.

Here's a picture of Mark and me that I snapped during checkout at Staples. It was a fun way to spend the afternoon with my brother. First we walked through Ikea for over an hour (got in there and couldn't find our way out! Of course we weren't trying really hard to escape, didn't even look at the map we had!) then ran over to Staples to check out their computers before we headed to Best Buy (where we had planned on shopping). Found the PC I had been looking at, and planning on buying at Best Buy, on clearance at Staples for a great price!

Also picked up some programs I had been promising myself once I had a computer that could handle them, like Photoshop Elements 6. Ended up at Borders a couple days after I got the computer and picked up a book to learn this new (to me) program. I've only started the book (now on chapter 3) and I love the program. It is so great for managing my photos and eventually I hope to know how to do a little more hybrid scrapping! I don't want to become a digi scrapper, I love the feel of paper and glue too much! But it will be great to work more with my photos before printing them. Another program I got, but haven't installed yet because I'm trying to force myself to learn PSE6 first, is Cricut Design Studio. I know I'm going to love this, it will take my little bug to new heights! May reward myself for getting part way through the PSE6 book by giving myself permission to load the Cricut program and playing a little.

Life is good...shopping with my brother is fun...having a brand new PC for the first time in my life is amazing!