Sweet Red Clover... Blog Hop Questions

My Friend, Sweet Red Clover, asked me to answer these questions for a blog hop she is part of right now.  Click her link to see her wonderful work.  The blog hop is at  Simplytrece

Summer Postcard

1. What am I working on?

I am participating in a postcard swap with Tennessee Stampers this month.  90% of my art time is spent in my art journals right now. I participate in challenges when I feel called by the challenge.  The Summer of Color 2014, The Documented Life Project and Journal 52 are my current challenge projects.  Having said that, my goal is to work in my art journals daily so I usually do more than three pages a week.  I’m working in at least 4 different journals right now.  Three of them are altered journals (I’m using old books as my substrate.)

 2. How does my work differ from others of its genre?

I think the main difference in my art journaling is that mine are more about the art and less about the journaling.  I like to work in old books and journals but I don’t actually journal much in them.  If I am going to journal, I have a private journal for that.  I prefer to use single quotes to express my feelings and thoughts in my art journals.  Another difference is that I don’t do faces.  Many art journalers are into drawing faces. I gave it a try.  Faces frustrate me so no faces for me.

3. Why do I create what I do?

This page is done in a recycled
Word Perfect Manual

My first thought was, “For the same reason I breathe.”   I have to in order to live.  I feel more alive when I am creating.  I work in art journals because there is something very freeing about them.  If you saw The Sound of Music, you will remember Maria running across the field with her arms held out.  That is how I feel when I’m working in my art journal.

I like the size. I like shape. I like that I don’t have to find a place on the wall to hang them. I like that I can pick one up and carry it with me.  I feel very accomplished when I have one of my journals filled with lovely pages of art.

My art journals contain a lot of recycled materials in them.  I wish I could tell you that I am an avid recycler.  I’m not.  I do, however, get a thrill from repurposing something into a piece of art. I get a huge amount of satisfaction out of taking pieces of “trash” and making them into something beautiful.

Paper Napkin Art Page

One of the main reasons I like art journaling is because there are no rule. I don’t worry about acid free paper or straight edges.  If I drop paint on my substrate… oh well, it’s just another layer or mark that adds texture to the page.  

4. How does your creating process work?

Art Journaling is a meditative process for me.  I very seldom have a plan.  The only thing I do consistently is start with gesso on my substrate.  Sometimes I start gluing pieces of paper to the page.  Other times I start by adding colors.  It’s an intuitive thing for me.  I just seem to know what comes next.  I just keep adding colors and layers until it feels right.  Many times I have no idea what the quote will be until I’ve finished the piece. 

I took a handmade paper art class from Beth Grubb http://bethgrubbcreative.com/ and she said, “Let the paper speak to you.”  I understand what she means now.  The paper, the paint, the journal all speak to me.

Art Journaling is a form of therapy for me. It’s a time when I can go into myself and “just be.”  There is no pressure, no rules, no stress.  I can be tense and anxious when I sit down to work and when my piece is complete, I’m rested and relaxed.

Thanks, Sweetred for asking me to participate!!