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9/25/2015

A Collaboration

I like collaborating with others. I think sometimes it can be scary. What if that person who asked us to collaborate won't like our "stuff?" What if we mess up? What if they say there are no rules and you end up altering something the other person really didn't want altered? What if............ I've collaborated twice over the last several years and thoroughly enjoyed it. Most recently I've been collaborating with a woman who's in my mixed media/art journaling class that I lead most Saturday mornings at my local AC Moore craft store. Connie called me one day to find out more about the class. I hung up the phone with her thinking "she gets it. She gets this art journaling thing. She gets me." I did not know if she really would show up and if she did if she'd keep coming back. She did and she has. So we've been passing our Strathmore 5.5 x 8.5 inch water color journal back and forth to each other. Connie's and my style is totally different which is what's cool about it. What's interesting is the blending of our styles to create something totally new is so interesting. So, we will exchange our books not knowing...... we agreed no rules, we agreed to trust each other, be respectful and trust the process..... she might start a page and I then might add to it or start something on the opposite page. We have jumped around a lot. We don't really know if any of the pages are really finished yet. Connie's and my choice of colors or color palette is very similar except for this orange she "threw" at me. I mean how was she to know that orange was my least favorite color to work with unless it is around the Autumn season? So I took up her challenge and tried my best to celebrate orange. I think the neat thing about any collaboration is that collaborators bring their own stories to the canvas, which then can spark new ideas and opportunity to play in a different way so the art takes on an entire new feeling. Does that make sense? Seeing these images on the screen looks and feels differently than in paper form. I am reminded by Julia Cameron's words: "The courage to create is a courage to make something out of what we are feeling." You can find more of Connie's work by going here I am linking to Paint Party Friday where there's a lot of courage and creativity going on. And thank you Connie for our collaboration, for being who you are, and for "getting me." Thanks for visiting. Until next time.

19 comments:

  1. I like what you and Connie have done. To my eye your styles are not so far apart as you think, put up next to some other works of art.The orange pages look warm and wonderful.

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  2. Your collaboration appears to be a happy one. I've never been a part of one, but it truly is a leap of faith. Blessings!

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  3. These are very cool! I can see each of you in them! ♥♥♥

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  4. Very interesting collaboration projekt. I like the face and colours around her.
    Have a great weekend ♥

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  5. Love what you made, it turned out so well. Hugs, Valerie

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  6. Oh, I liked this text and your honest thoughts!
    Trust, that's the thing, glad that your co-work was smooth in thought and action!

    I do like that color palette.

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  7. Art collaboration is great and so productive, so challenging but it makes you grow in the end :)

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  8. I am totally enjoying our collaboration! I really look forward to seeing every page you start or add to. Like you, I'm not sure if any of them are finished yet. I think we'll know it when they are. I'm so glad to have found you and that I was able to become a part of your art group.

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  9. I have never collaborated artistically with anyone. I do think it takes a lot of courage and trust. What you and Connie are doing is collaboration at its best. The art work is lovely. Good luck.

    Thanks for visiting my blog and for the lovely comments.

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  10. It is amazing when you find people who just get ti isn't it... we spend so long with people who don't get it, that it is such a relief to find the goodies... great post

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  11. I have never collaborated with any one as far as art goes. I think the same fears would come to me as well. However, this art is simply beautiful and amazing. Very fine work.
    Nicole/Beadwright

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  12. What a wonderful collaboration. The pages are super! I always felt that doing collaborative work was a way to take each of us out of our comfort zone allowing us to grow and learn from each other, and I always had the best experiences-and a shelf of fabulous collaborative books to admire:)

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  13. I get it! I find it scary to work in other's art journals. This is a wonderful collaboration and I'm so happy i's the perfect match for the both of you. thank you for sharing it and for your kind comments about my post. It meant a lot to me.

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  14. Stunning collaborations!! A brave venture with a talented partner has made some extremely powerful art! The thing about a colab it's like any art we create we may not LOVE all of them! These are stunning and there is a creative chemistry here which is fortunate! Such talented ladies your styles are still uniquely evident! Beautiful work!!

    Hugs Giggles

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  15. Oh Jo, these pages are gorgeous! I have been following you quite some time and I really cannot see what you did and what Connie did. It looks as if it's been made by one artist. Beautiful work, and such a great idea to work in eachother's journals. Although I can imagine it can be scary sometimes...

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  16. Hey, that;s funny, I have been following Connie's blog too and love her work! No wonder I like these journalpages, when 2 of my favorite artists are collaborating in them :-)

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  17. This collaboration turned out wonderful, Jo. Love the results! And great that you touched on some topics/questions about collaborating with others. Lovely blog. :)

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  18. That is so neat! Love the collaborated pieces. Something about the 2nd one especially attracts me...

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  19. Sweet and it is scary collaborating but you have to just trust. I am the orange queen so you would face a challenge with me, ha. xox

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