Why Art Journal?

Why Art journal? I have a deep belief that all of us are creative beings. That creativity is a core characteristic of being human. Many of us believe that being artistic is about talent, or skill. Being able to draw a tree or create the perfect perspective in a landscape. Unfortunately this shuts many people out of the pursuit of creativity.

If there is one thing I want people to get out of what I teach and offer at Craftiness, it's that anyone can do this.

Art Journaling is the act of using color to express yourself. That's it. That's all it had to accomplish. There is no end goal, no finished product to aspire to, just the act of creating. This act has a biological effect, creating endorphins in the brain. You'll know you've accomplished it when you hit that "zone," when you look up and realize you've lost track of time. It doesn't matter how you do it either. I use texture and color and layers to accomplish my work, but for you it might be collage, or photography, or working with clay. I will say, my techniques can be a quick way to turn a person back on creatively, tapping into the timeless impulse to play.

Art journaling is also not precious. Since the process is the point, then end product is only as valuable as how it serves you. And I've said it before, but I truly mean it, if you don't like it, you're not finished. Keep going until you like it! And you can like it now, and decide you don't like it later and add more! I've repurposed old pages that don't serve me any more. Pages I made "trying" to create a certain look, that then remind me of my frustration instead! Every time you add a new layer you're doing just that, "adding." The previous work and layers are still there, sometimes peeking through. So adding more doesn't erase what you've done, it adds more meaning, more intention and more opportunity to create something that resonates with you.

So if you're looking at my work thinking, "I could never do that" I encourage you to give it a try. Invest in the process, not the final product. Tap into the part of you that is having fun and ignore that part of you saying you're not doing it right. It's worth noting that it took me years (13!) to find my style and finally let go of that voice myself, I didn't start with so much color or texture, I worked my way into my style. But I had to take the first step, which is what I offer to you. Come, art Journal with me and see where you end up in thirteen years!

(I offer free Art Journaling demos on Facebook Live every Friday at 11, free Facebook Live mixed media demos throughout the week and more in depth Art Journaling classes via Zoom and, when the pandemic has died down, in person. I also sell a variety of beginner kits that can get you started on the process.)