Layers - Step 1

I've been working on a series of small 4x6 inch layered pieces, and when I work small, I usually use the same process for each of them while experimenting with color, application, and imagery. So I've decided to share my process as a bit of a tutorial, and to let you in on what goes on inside my head as I work.

Layer 1 - Watercolor

With this series, I cut up a few pieces of Strathmore Mixed Media 400 Series paper and then began experimenting with watercolor. I relish the versatility and the transparency of watercolor paint, and I enjoy playing with brush strokes, stamping, and stenciling. I can quickly add a starting layer without much thought, set the piece aside, grab another piece, and try another color or another technique. With this piece I used mostly vertical brush strokes, and varied the value of the color. I didn't cover all the paper and left some white showing. With other pieces in this series, I stenciled using plastic mesh, stamped with bubble wrap, and painted random lines and shapes. I try to push myself out of my comfort zone and use colors and techniques that I normally don't use.

Stay tuned to see how this piece evolves.

Studio Time

Despite the sheer exhaustion from teaching elementary art, the busyness that springtime entails, and constantly trying to promote the retreat. I have managed to make it into the studio a few times over the last few weeks. Besides working in my journal, I've managed to begin a series of small 4x6 inch layered, mixed media pieces. I enjoy the small size because I can work on several at the same time often following the same basic process but experimenting all the while. Some pieces will grow into finished work, and others will stall and stagnate, but it is all part of the process. I'll reveal more as they develop.

Have You Registered?

June is quickly approaching, and we're hoping to have our very own retreat. But we need your help, and we need people to register ASAP. We're getting to a point where we are going to have to decide if we're going to have it or not because we have yet to meet our minimum. If we don't reach the minimum by May 15th, we're going to have to cancel, and we don't want that.

So many people have said they were coming but haven't registered yet. If you've been waiting to register or simply have been putting it off, don't delay any longer. Even if you can't come, we still ask for your help. Please share this as much as you can. We ask that you please post on your blog, Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest. Your friends, family, and readers may be interested, and we would greatly appreciate the help.

Details for Journal Fodder Junkies: the Retreat

Thursday, June 20, 2013 - Sunday, June 23, 2013

Embassy Suites Dulles - North/Loudoun in Ashburn, VA (just minutes from Dulles International Airport)

$450 for 3 full days of journaling madness

Participants are responsible for all lodging, meal, and transportation costs.

Please visit the retreat page for more info and to register. Don't forget to click the Buy Now button just below the registration form to complete the registration and reserve your spot.

We hope to see you in June.

Free Downloads

I've just created a page on the JFJ website full of free PDF downloads. Right now there are 30 downloads available. Most are resources that I use in my elementary art classroom, but some deal directly with the journal. More are planned for the future. Let me know if you want to see something specific or if you have comments, feedback, or questions.

All are protected by copyright, and are for educational purposes only. By downloading, people agree not to reproduce, display, sell, modify or distribute any of the material without written permission.

They are completely free for download, but there is a Donate button for anyone wishing to show their appreciation and support monetarily. I appreciate any support.

Click here to go to the Downloads page.

Art at hypnocoffee, Purcellville

Thanks to Dave, I hung a show at hypnocoffee, a local coffee shop in my town. Hypno has only been open for a few months here in Purcellville, but their shop and roaster has been open in Shepherdstown for a while now. Dave, who visits the Shepherdstown location nearly everyday, talked to the owner, Tony, and got us both shows. Dave's work adorns the walls of the Shepherdstown shop, and mine the Purcellville shop. It's cool to have simultaneous shows.

So if you're in Purcellville, VA or Shepherdstown, WV, make certain to stop by hypnocoffee to take in the art work of the JFJ and have a great cup of coffee. Hours are 7:30 AM to 6 PM everyday.

Experimenting

I love layers, and I love paper. This is an experiment that I did today with cutting layers from plain, white drawing paper. This 9x12 experiment uses a type of image that I have been exploring a lot lately. It has ten layers of the 90 lbs paper and is glued together with Elmer's glue stick, hence the buckling. But it is only an experiment, and I'm hoping to do more in the future. I would love to do this with a thicker paper, a bigger size, and more layers to have the relief effect more apparent. I'll just have to see where it goes.

Showing Up

In an attempt to show up more, I have been documenting the days that I work in the studio, as well as the time I spend working on art or in the journal outside of the studio. By marking this down on my calendar, which is in the back of my journal, I can see just how much I am showing up, and it becomes a great motivator to show up even more.
How do you find ways to show up? How do you stay motivated?

Show Up

I have been having trouble showing up lately. Work, life, and sheer laziness have been keeping me from the studio, my art, my journal, and this blog. Although there is a natural ebb and flow to the creative process, I have been feeling disconnected from myself lately. I am working on finding small ways to reconnect.

What keeps you from showing up? What distracts you from your creative ambitions? What gets in your way? Why do you allow it? What are your priorities? How can you find small, meaningful ways to connect to your art and show up more?

Journal Fodder Junkies: The Retreat

Now that the new year is in full swing, we can turn to promoting our biggest event of 2013 - OUR VERY OWN RETREAT. After teaching workshops across North America in 2012, we decided to try something a bit closer to home, and we have booked a space at a local Embassy Suites in Ashburn, Virginia. We are offering three full days of Journal Fodder Junkie madness from June 20-23, and will share ideas, techniques, and concepts taken from our two bestselling books. But don’t worry, we have enough surprises in store to keep it fresh, exciting, and new.

The cost is $450 which covers the tuition for the workshop, and we are limiting this special retreat to 30 people. Participants are responsible for travel, lodging, and food expenses, and we do have a special rate with the hotel.

For more info or to register for the retreat go the retreat webpage. Hopefully you can join us for this amazing journey, so make certain that you reserve your spot soon. If it’s a success, maybe it can become an annual thing.

Inspirational Blogs

I am very honored to be considered a Very Inspiring Blogger by my good friend Erin from art-is-try and Artistry Studio. I met Erin more than four years ago, and I have been amazed at her journey from middle school art teacher to thriving artist. I am often jealous the she has been able to make a permanent exit from teaching public school - an exit that I would like to achieve someday soon. I am still humbled to be part of her journey.

As for my own rundown of inspirational blogs, I don't spend much time online line gleaning inspiration, and I stick only to a handful of tried and true blogs and websites. These are my top three.

Erin of art-is-try would be first on the list. I guess we're part of the mutual admiration club, but when I look at her stuff, I am completely blown away by what she does. And she does so much. She creates beautiful journals, amazing encaustics, rich journal pages, and amazing photos. She is so thoughtful with her comments and feedback, and she has been a great artistic accomplice always encouraging and nudging.

Steve of Go Flying Turtle would have to be next. I have known Steve since we were freshmen in college more than 21 years ago. Although Steve has stepped away from the land of blogs and such, his blogs are packed with years of old posts. Steve loves to draw from nature especially using his own photos as reference, but you'll find all types of artistic adventures on his blogs and website - mixed media, acrylic paint, photography, and comic art. And that's not to mention his reviews of music. His Splotch monsters are a delight, and here's hoping that Steve comes back to blogger-land some time soon.

Author Patti Digh would have to round out my top three. I have three of her books, and I feel fortunate to have had the opportunity to meet her three years ago when she gave a reading in Cullowhee, NC. I enjoy her website and the blog that she shares with two friends, 3x3x365. Patti's words are always inspirational, and she really makes her reader's think. She often shares the work of her Verbtribe workshop participants and full-heartedly believes that anyone can write. On 3x3x365, she and two others share a photo a day everyday of the year accompanying their photos with poignant words. I want to be Patti Digh when I grow up.

I wish that I had a longer list of inspirational blogs. I just don't get around the ol' Internet like I used to. You can always check out my list on the sidebar for a few other blogs and websites of note.

Thanks so much to Erin for making feel appreciated, and thank you to everyone who visits and lingers a while. I hope that my blog can continue to be an inspiration. Now if I can just get back in the groove of regular posts.