I’m back from teaching six workshops at Art & Soul in Hampton, Virginia! I made it! I left to go there with only 1 hour of sleep, and I started with an all day class and a night one–all in the same day! But I survived and all of my classes went well. Luckily all of the students were wonderful, which made it all easier for me.
I started this journal spread while I was teaching a journaling class there. Although I can’t always work during the classes I teach, it really is helpful for both me and the students if I’m able to. They can see how my work progresses, and also I think of things to tell them that might be helpful with their project. Most of the spread was done in class, but I did the finishing touches this morning. The journaling class was titled "Creating My Desired Life", and it’s something I’m still working on! (Creating My own desired life that is–and creating one that isn’t slowly killing my body that seems to be breaking down more and is in more and more pain because I’m working it too hard.)
I’m terribly exhausted, but don’t see time for a reprieve. My entire book that I’ve been working on is due June 1, as is a knitting editing job I have. Plus I have some weekend workshops at my studio, and an open house! So yeah, no time to just collapse for awhile.
P.S. The main alphabet stamp I used in this spread is Crap Toy. I have it in two sizes, and I used the smaller size.
Hi Tracy:
This is one of your wonderful students from Hampton (the one with the “gel medium issues”). Something I’d like to thank you for—-aside from being a flexible and human teacher who doesn’t get all bent out of shape over some wrinkles in the glued down ephemera. (All puns intended). I’ve had this nagging, worried feeling/question about art journaling and I think I was too afraid to ask this question of anyone at Hampton—-or maybe the appropriate time just never presented itself. I’ve often wondered: is the purpose of art journaling to “spill” one’s deepest and darkest secrets……….or is it to create beautifully put together works of art with words on them? So here I’ve been struggling with this thorny question and then I saw a bunch of your pages in two books I purchased at the show—True Vision, and 1000 Artist Journal Pages (which I bought for half price on the last day of the retreat—-it was a bit battered, so I don’t feel guilty) and for the first time I was reading real, raw, strong, painful words—-which of course are the kinds of words many of us want to put down in our journals. Thank you thank you thank you. I was tired of reading fussy little lists of things to buy, or places visited, or famous people’s quotes along the lines of “reach for the stars.” Don’t get me wrong, I am a strong believer in reaching for the stars, but life is much more complex than that….and is often filled with tears, sadness, anger, and loss. Your journals are honest and real, and they will be my model for the honest words I want to write down and not scratch out or otherwise cover up. I had a great time at Hampton (my first art and soul retreat) and took a couple of your classes. BTW,a teacher on my last day demonstrated puting the gel medium on our working surface, NOT on the thing we were gluing. So I can still do that if I get lazy, but your way does seem to keep the wrinkles away. (!!!)
XXXXX Stephanie
I wish I lived closer to you so I could take more classes.
I’m writing from NYC.
http://www.unionmaide.etsy.com
P.S. I know how hard you worked at the retreat. You deserve some days off to rest and revive. And to drink a lovely glass of wine.
Hi Stepahnie!
As for the gluing–everyone has their way of doing. I like to apply the glue to what I’m gluing down. And when I’ve found students having glue problems, applying it that way seems to fix their problems. But what it comes down to is try different ways, and what works for you is the way to go!
Now for the journaling–my belief is if I get it out, whatever it is I need to get out, then I can deal with it and grow/move one. Some people see these things (or my journal pages) as negative. I don’t see them that way. I see them as being part of who I am and what shapes me. So how could that be negative? I see painful and negative as being too different things. Some people like to put quotes down on their page and make a nice happy picture. It’s not my style.
For me the process is part of the journey, and the process is the important part. My goal isn’t to make a lovely piece of art that I can show people. My goal is to journal through words/paints/colors/images whatever I’m dealing with at the time. It doesn’t mean that’s how I always feel. It’s a slice of life and how I’m feeling right then. I often gain insight into my situation through journaling about it. I feel if I were to stuff anything down that seems “dark” or uncomfortable or “negative”, then it would just fester inside of me, never seeing the light of day, and would just get worse.
I am a very self-reflective person, so this style of journaling is natural for me. Some people it isn’t. And it’s very healing and cathartic for me. For the people who just like to make pretty pictures or their journal pages are more about what it looks like when they are done, maybe that’s where they are in their life, and they aren’t able to scratch below the surface because they are afraid of what might come out. So, that’s where they need to be right then. I’m where I need to be right now.
I’m also a HUGE believer on being positive and focusing on positive things. But there are real things that are part of life that need to be dealt with. And this is my way of dealing with them. I don’t see it as being negative or dwelling/focusing on the negative.
It sounds like you are ready to look inside those cracks and crevices to see what wants to be explored. Things aren’t as scary as when they are allowed to come out into the light!
It was a pleasure having you in class! And thanks for the kind words. I post my journal pages here as I do them. But If you want to see more of my jorunal pages from over the years, I have them here. It sounds like you would like to take one of my journaling classes!
best,
Traci bunkers
Hi Traci – so fun to see your pages and to share in this wonderful discussion about journaling – I was in a class with you last year at Hampton and continue to revel in and enjoy the things I learned there – rest up… life is short
best wishes…
Elizabeth Bunsen