Big Fearless Painter Adventure

This week I began the six week Big Fearless Painting Adventure with  Connie Hozvicka of Dirty Footprints Studio. I’m gona be honest and say I don’t really have words for my experience yet. I’m feeling connected in a way a cannot describe. Last night I did an exercise that surprisingly  turned in to this bird. I feel like this bird is leaving so much behind ignoring so many things that are demanding her attention. But she is focused and gainging clarity in her new direction. Oh how I want to be that bird.

Gel Medium Transfer

Tried my hand and doing another Gel Medium transfer. The black and white image had some thicker lines and I think that made all the difference. I already had a journal page with some paint and text from magazines on it that this worked great with. It was a nice foundation to pull color forward with. The idea to change the image to the face was not planed it was a happy discovery. However with my little one sleeping going to find my color pencils and paint was not going to happen so I hatched some brown in the face with a brown marker and let my white sharpie paint pen leak out so I could smear it with my finger AGAIN a happy discovery.

This video gives great instruction and inspiration.

You can also print on a transparency – Planning on trying that next. Here are some quick snipits of the process for this journal page.

Snipits of the process

Octopus Spread

This summer has been unique. Filled with changes. We put our home up for sale and the process has sent me into a weird state of awareness. Everywhere I look I see butterflies – even inside buildings. I’ve been reading about their symbolism and journaling about the changes and transformations happening in my life. Its nice to know I’m not the only living thing out there that feels like change always comes at a relentlessly fast pace. This awareness also brought to my attention some areas of my life that were just draining. Entranced by a photo of an octopus I looked up its symbolism and needed to journal one of the questions coming up in my mind. How will I recognize something that is draining me when the most draining areas of my life are camouflaged and labeled honorable? Had to art journal about that. Great quote from the animal symbolism site:

The octopus can detach a limb at will to serve as a distraction against would-be predators. We ourselves have the ability to cut loose excess baggage in our lives in order to achieve our desire.

After practicing faces for several days I’m excited about where I am at today. I’m amazed at the progress in a couple days practice. Shading the face with colored pencils is next – SCARY I just got these to the point where I like them. Love Suzi Blu’s idea of using your final as a template so you can go back and trace over your original art if you mess up. I think that has been what has held me back from drawing the absence of the ever popular UNDO. Finding some freedom in it now.

Day 1 -  Art Every Day of the Month

I’m challenging myself to participate in the Art Every Day Month challenge hosted by Leah at Creative Every Day. I was having a lazy day yesterday…and didn’t start till late last night. I have a feeling this will be the case again tonight. Here is a journal background I started late last night.

A swan from a furniture store that was going out of business. I’m not sure why I have always been drawn to them – I love water and just figured it represented water to me. Until recently. During one of my retreats in my fortress of solitude I read a magazine article about a woman who had reread the children’s book “The Ugly Duckling” and had seen it in a whole new light. Instantly I knew why I was drawn to the swan it represented a transformation I so longed for. Reading the article spelled it out for me, the real tragedy of the story is that the ugly duckling doesn’t believe in his own inner beauty – NOT the others making fun of him. This trinket has spurred me to journal. I’ve been checking yard sales for an actual ugly duckling children’s story book that I can collage myself into.

I found a glass mosaic candle holder. I love the fact something broken can come together and make something so beautiful. It gives me hope that the pieces of my life that I don’t understand will one day come together and make something beautiful.

I’m currently getting over a battle with the flu and spent most of  the last 2-3 days up in my bedroom and I was so grateful that I had been working on making it a soul-loving space. Who knows maybe my soul being happy helped fight the virus

Retreat Journal Workshop

I’ve entered the waters of creative journaling with the True North Arts Personal Retreats Online Workshop. I have to admit I’m VERY bad at finding time for myself. Week one of the workshop described the idea of Cultivating Awareness. One of the journaling exercises asked the question: “What I most yearn for in a retreat right now is…” I yearn for Perspective, the ability to take my anxious thoughts captive, and the knowledge to see where I begin and others end.

I loved this quote “And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to become a blossom.” — Anais Nin