Broken wing

I tend to work with themes at any given time in my life. Most often my theme centers around bunny slippers. I know,,, something very sweet from my childhood. At this present moment my theme is centered around my recent event of damaging my rotator cuff. My wing. It hurts to paint,,,but I will get through this.

A new journal that I am working in

This is not really an old journal, but it is one that I am reworking. I take my old work in the journal and embellish it with my new style. Some pages I will keep just the way they are. This journal is one that I bought at Daniel Smith several years ago. It is from India and the pages are super thick. I like that. The pages can hold a lot of medium and collage. On my next post I will try to show some "before" and "after" shots of the same work as I re-invent the pages.

My work still carries the strong images of masks. I am not sure what that is all about, but most of my people are wearing masks. I kind of like that. Maybe I am hiding behind a mask too.

xo

Journal pages

I created this in the old ledger I have been working on. I love how it wrinkles when I use water colors on the pages. They always flatten out so if you are concerned about wrinkles when you make your pages don't be,,, you can always flatten them with a book too. I call this spread "What do you say after you say Hello"!

Owls

I added some background color to finish this piece. Now that I have finished I think I liked it better with the plain white background. I really do love the lines in this old journal ledger, they add interest. I love how it crinkles with wet watercolors too. It always flattens out later.

New work in a larger journal

I like this larger format, it measures 9 x 12 inches. Most of my current creations wear masks, but for some reason these characters don't even mind that they are not wearing masks! I created this piece with watercolor, Pitt Pens, and used collage elements from an old anatomy book.  I'll try to get a better photograph when it is not raining outside!

(update,,,,,,,I was able to photograph these in better lighting)

Some new pages in an old ledger

Here are a few pages in my old ledger journal. I love to see the lines coming through the paint. The pages wrinkle a little, but I don't mind, I like them to have character.

A little piece of art

I made this for an artist friend to put in her journal. It measures 4 x 6 and is on heavy cold press watercolor paper. I love the heavy weight paper and the texture it gives.

Old ledger journal

I often use just what I have around the house to paint in. I got this old ledger journal at a garage sale for .25 cents. I love the lines in the background. I think it adds character. I don't mind that the pages wrinkle from the watercolors, it gives it personality. Plus the pages will probably lay flat when it has been closed for a long time.

Created in a vintage journal ledger, water color, pan pastel, graphite.

Plastic bag recycled journal

I made this journal over the weekend with my lovely art friends. It is made from recycled plastic bags. They are all fused together, about 6 layers, and then cut and shaped into the size of journal you want to make. The pages are from left over scraps of watercolor paper. The pages are bound with a simple single signature (a technique that I learned from Teesha) and waxed linen thread. I really love this technique, but I didn't think I would at first.  I love holding it, the texture, and the bumpiness.  The button was made by me in a ceramics class I took in Kirkland a couple of years ago. This project goes really fast and can be made in a couple of hours, I like that!

Reconnecting

Here is another page from my journal. The journal measures 5 x7 and this painting is small. It is created mostly by watercolor and Pan Pastels. As I revisit this page I am reminded of old love, new love, and the possibility of finding ourselves once again.

xo...

"The Secret"

"The Secret"

I have been working in my watercolor journal again. These pages were made with watercolor, graphite, and some Pan Pastels. It's nice to get back into my journals but I long for texture and depth.  The second submission is influenced by an exhibit of "Carnival" that I saw at the Burke museum over the weekend.  I love masks.  Perhaps I have been hiding behind one all of this year.  Recovering, exploring, and finding myself once again.. xo...

And I will wear my pretty dress

I created this in my little travel journal. I take it with me everywhere. It is approx 3 x 5 inches in size. This piece is created with watercolor and Pan pastels.

A little page in my little journal

Here is a page from my small journal. I used watercolor, pit pen, and pan pastels. I really like the softness of this one, as I usually tend to choose bright colors. This is approx 3 x 5 inches. (click to make larger)

A good reminder, trust your crazy ideas!

More art journaling

I created this little owl in my small leather artist journal. I am using a few rubber stamps to add just the right touch. The words "take note" is a rubber stamped image. I used gesso to cover up the old design.

I am using a small face as part of the design on the right for this page,,, a small element that doesn't take over the whole drawing. I like that!  I added some journaling thoughts after I completed the drawing.

I incorporated my rubber stamped image in the design of this drawing, see how her hands are part of the rubber stamped image?

I am still working in my small leather journal. (see previous posts) Adding lots of new elements, gessoing over the old, and painting new images. My favorite art supply right now is gesso!  I am really loving the way my new/old journal is turning out!  More pages are coming soon.

Artist Journal

I have been neglecting my etsy shop to be able to create more art in my art journal. I just love creating through each page and adding more,,,until I can finish and go on to the next one. These pages are about painting face profiles. I am really not happy with the way these came out. I need to work on face profiles more. I am obsessed with images with hearts in them right now, so a lot of my art has hearts. I tend to go with a theme until I get tired of it, and think of something else.

I think these characters have a lot of personality, but they just aren't "me" yet.   They had a need to be painted though, so here they are.  That is what journaling is about for me,,,exploring, creating, and becoming better at what I do.
xo...

A new print and an artist page from my journal

I have always loved this bird guy that I painted about a year or so ago, so I am making him available as a Giclee print,,,he will be in my shop later this week.

Here is another page in my journal. If I can paint a page a day I should be finished with this artist journal in a couple of months! Does he look like anyone you know? :)

Journal love

Journal pages

I created a couple of new pages in my journal. I really like how these are turning out. I wanted to show you the leather journal itself. It is made by Susie Shipman over at Island Bound Books (you can google her). The craftsmanship of her journals is amazing! Look at the stitching! And the fabulous hand made iron forged button! The paper is thick, can hold any medium, (I use acrylics),,,and they are works of art within themselves. I love them!  Since I loved the journal more than my old artwork, I decided to paint over the old pages.  I really love all the old texture showing through underneath.  I am happy I took a chance to re-do these.  Never be afraid to paint over something you have and start over.  I am sure you will be happy with your new results. 

More of my leather journal

I have been busy painting on canvases, and I am getting ready to fill my shop with lots of goodies. In the meantime, I have been working in this journal,,,that I LOVE. There is so much texture and see through words/images from my old journaling. I am covering up the old stuff and adding new. (click on image to make large)

Have a nice weekend.