Something Different

I led an art journaling workshop again at my local AC Moore (arts and crafts) store on Saturday. IN previous workshops I have been working on giving them prompts in the beginning to kind of loosen us up. Sort of like getting ready to play. And at the same time I try to share with them something new. Like working with Citra Solv or the gelli plate or deli paper. I wanted to try something different this time. I wanted to build a sense of community with the group, to suggest that we share or create something together.I did not tell them in advance what we were going to do. I gave them each a piece of card stock and gave them a prompt. After each prompt was completed in about 5-6 minutes I had them pass their work to the person on their left. Glue down some images or an image that speaks to you. Move some paint around with a credit card. Draw a flower. Outline something in black pen, marker or paint. Add some pink, purple and red paint. Cover something up. Write your name with your non dominant hand. Draw some hearts. You get the picture. And so it went. It was interesting for me to give them a prompt and then have them ask me questions. They wanted to know, should they cover the page completely with images. I don't like pink, purple and red together they said. I'm not good at drawing flowers. My answer was "Do what ever or how ever you want to do it." There is no right or wrong. After each prompt what was on the paper grew and grew with comments and oohs and aaahs. I think the coolest part of it was all of us looking at our originals and seeing what had been added (or taken away) by someone else every time it came around. Someone might not have liked how it started but was excited to see how it ended up. I thought it was so interesting to see through someone else's eyes. I could feel a lot of "what if's." And that's really what playing is about, I think. What if I did this because there are no rules. We had a lot of fun and two hours went by very quickly. I loved seeing the look on their faces as they played, loosened up and let themselves just have fun, and do it as a group. I think they had so much fun they gave me permission to take pictures for this post and that makes me very happy. So, thank you Faye, Marion, Liza, Laura and Martha for such a fun two hours spent with you.

Happy 2014 !!

I found some new inspiration to welcome in this new year. One of the things I found is this amazing artist who makes amazing books. Books of all kinds. I have followed some of her work on her website and on You Tube. Kiala Givehand is her name. I like her name, too! She has come out with an inspiration deck for mixed media. It's a deck of cards with a different prompt on each card. On one card the prompt might be to use spray inks on a page and then blot. On another card the prompt of adding a quote or using water color or adding ephemera. You can deal your self a certain number of cards and work only with those cards or pick out ones you want. I bought a deck and had a blast. It challenged me to work differently, more freely, and I used items I might not ordinarily use. I had so much fun with this process I forgot to take photos of every prompt. Here are a few I did remember to take. I followed the prompt of using spray inks and then blot with a paper towel. I added collage pieces. I added stamps and added a border. I drew something. I thought I was done.The last prompt was to add a quote. I had to sit on this for a couple of days and then ran across one that resonated with me at the time. I really like how this turned out. I have no doubt if I want to create something quickly and without a lot of thinking or staring at an empty white page, I will pick up this mixed media card game/deck. But do check out Kiala Givehand who is not only a book artist but also a poet and creativity coach. I will share more adventures in the days to come. I feel excited and energized with the new year here. Thanks for visiting.