Opening the door...

Rotten Apples

I hate this page. Nothing works, the colors are horrible and everything I did to save it just made it worse. Nevertheless here I am displaying it, if anything for the simple point that art is a process and sometimes you make really crappy art. I salute you, horrible page. You've shown me what not to do the next time around.







For the last few days, I've been in a very "paint splatter, makes no sense, what is going on here?" type of mood. What's pretty cool is that the pink// sky blue one got a note from Linda Woods. If you don't know who she is, she is the author of two books that I just love, "Visual Chronicles" and "Journal Revolution" (which is the book I bought for my father to get him on the journaling band wagon.) While my mantra has been that I am doing this for me and that I share because I enjoy doing so, it is nice to have someone whose written a book on the matter give you a thumbs up.

PROJECTS!!

I have a few projects in he works that I hope will just help me with my goal of being creative on a consistent basis this year. One of the things I'm going to do is create a mini studio in my basement. I have a walk-out basement with a huge amount of space that I really do not use. I'm going to create a work space/studio for myself there. I'll be working on saving my money to create it (No CREDIT!) and hopefully having that space all to myself will help me set time for myself.

The other thing I have going on is creating a pretty room for my daughter. She's asthmatic and isn't allowed to have things like mosquito netting, drapes, etc... in her room to reduce the amount of allergens she is exposed to.




So, we're going to create a special place for her so that she feels she is getting her "girlie" room without compromising her health. Part of this is creating a series of mixed media paintings on a little mouse girl that I've drawn and she seems to love. I'm sketching out ideas in my journal and perhaps when we finally move into our own home, I will be able to make one of those paintings a mural on one of her walls.





So much to look forward too, I can't help but be excited.

Art/Journal Prompt.

I like the various prompts out there. So many talented people just inspiring one another and that, is encouraging. Sometimes though, I would like to inspire myself and so I create my own moment of thought that pulses, blinks and scatters out into the expansive cosmos or whatever it is you wish to call it.

nolens volens \NO-lenz-VO-lenz\:
Whether unwilling or willing.


I like this saying. It's Latin and that alone makes it cool. (Ever notice that everything sounds more grandiose in Latin? No? Give it a try.)


So, where was I? Oh yes, Nolens Volens. What makes an artistic soul? Is it the steadiness of their line or the smoothness of their curve? Is it their value of color or their ability to render beauty in black and white? Does the artistic soul rise above in surrealistic splendor or instead, does it explode in a brilliant kaleidescope of impressionistic light?

In the end the word Nolens Volens describes it best. The artistic soul is driven to create, to express to visually expound whether willingly or unwillingly and no amount of previous talent or skill can derail the drive to do so.

So I learn to create, regardless of quality or quantity because I can and most importantly because I must.


*Feel free to leave your own thoughts in comments or trackbacks.*

Hello Yellow, Batman!

I was feeling, "sunny" so I changed the layout a bit. My layout's so bright, I've gotta wear shades. (Yes, that was an 80's reference.) Not sure how long I can stomach the yellow but wooo, Sunny days.

The right frame of mind.

I have been reading this book called, "Drawing on the right side of the brain, which was highly recommended by an artist friend of mine. It is fascinating and validates some of the feelings I had about not being able to, "see," what I wanted to draw.

In that book, they discussed how children easily tap into the creative or visual side of the brain but eventually our creativity is destroyed by a careless remark or uninterested teachers. Which I find to be true and sad. There are so many variations of art and some art is there to celebrate you, not to hang in some museum gallery. Plus, who is to say that your art in another thousand years will not be considered something of great worth or value? Art is subjective, art is expressive, art is well, art.

With this very enlightened view (and with the blessing of my artist friend) I went into a local chain discount store and bought up 10 8x10 canvases (at $1.99 a piece you just can't beat.) I think I will encourage my children (or in this case my daughter since my son is too busy reading about dinosaurs.) to paint, paint, paint! Paint it, marker it, glue it I just do not care! At the price that the canvases were going for, I say why NOT allow your children to freely express themselves and then hang their artwork. Validate their creativity! Why delegate the refrigerator as the place to put children's art. I say, give it the respect it deserves and hang it in their rooms, hang it in your living room, heck, let the newest piece have a place of honor on a pretty blank wall in your hallway! Think of what message you are sending them:

You are valid, your art is valid.

And that is my wisdom for the day.

More Pages from my Moleskine

New year, new journal

So we begin the new year with my lovely moleskien. I need to paint on canvas again and stop finding excuses why I cannot. Sometimes art isn't about doing something gallery worthy but just painting because you need to just put it down on canvas.

A year in review

Don't you think your life is important enough to chronicle?