art journalling

Back a few posts ago, I mentioned that I'd finally begun some intentional art journalling.  A cross between art with no/few words, and a more conventional diary composed mostly of words.  Separate from an artist's sketch and notebook, art journaling is another means by which anyone can discover the self.  Whether it takes particular courage and or any special talent to do this remains to be seen.

I chose to use 9" x 6" sheets of water color paper.  This is a handy size for me and the loose sheets can be arranged in a variety of ways as the journal progresses.  Chronological order is obvious (date each sheet!!) but the pages can also be sorted by color, mood, theme, etc.  I know many of you are in love with your Moleskine's of varying sizes, but for some reason the flexibility of individual sheets of paper appeals to me.  There are no rules in art journaling!!!!!  I even bought a pretty box covered in yellow roses (my favorite flower) to keep these first sheets in.

please click for larger image

One of my great pleasures is to read about and study whatever catches my interest.  All the local librarians are used to seeing me standing at the check-out desk with arms full of quilting and art books.  And now, I'm reading about art journaling.

In a book by Diana Trout, Journal Spilling, I found the following quote [brackets mine], which has banished forever any qualms I might have about the utility or purpose of writing and making art.  Cyril Connolly was a British literary critic.

"Better to write [make art] for yourself and have no public than to write [make art] for the public and have no self."

Some quotations are sappy-gooey in their sentiment, but not this one from Connolly.  And reaching back into ancient days, one of the quotations that prompted several life-changing 180's in perspective on my life several years ago, is this from Seneca,

"On him does death lie heavily who, but too well known to all, dies to himself unknown."


Ideas to think on as we ease on into the weekend and into the rest of our lives.........