12.29.2010
Art Journal Vol IV: Spread 45 — Deeper
Self-care is something that is deeply important to me, and I continue a practice I started in graduate school, which is to keep an art journal specifically for my self-care as a therapist. You can read more about that here and here.
12.24.2010
Remembering
Last year my classmates and the art therapy community lost a great mentor, Carol Lark. This week, my class learned that we had lost a classmate, Adrienne. It is at times like this that my words fail me and I turn to art.
For some moments in life there are no words. ~ Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory
So I got out a canvas that I had, and began painting. I knew that the labyrinth would be an important part of the image—for the metaphor of the journey, as well as for Carol. I also knew that I wanted to represent all of my classmates. I also had thought that I wanted to include birds. When Chris remarked that it looked like a tree, the image came together. My classmates represented as birds in the tree, with Carol and Adrienne represented by the birds flying. When I was reminded in a facebook post of Carol's mantra "remember to breathe" the image was complete. Adrienne and Carol, you will always hold a place in my heart. This is for you.
For some moments in life there are no words. ~ Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory
So I got out a canvas that I had, and began painting. I knew that the labyrinth would be an important part of the image—for the metaphor of the journey, as well as for Carol. I also knew that I wanted to represent all of my classmates. I also had thought that I wanted to include birds. When Chris remarked that it looked like a tree, the image came together. My classmates represented as birds in the tree, with Carol and Adrienne represented by the birds flying. When I was reminded in a facebook post of Carol's mantra "remember to breathe" the image was complete. Adrienne and Carol, you will always hold a place in my heart. This is for you.
12.23.2010
12.15.2010
Art Journal Vol IV: Spread 44 — Sticks and Stones
12.14.2010
Art Journal Vol IV: Spread 43 — Snowing
12.13.2010
Year II: Week 42
My guy and I have weekly art nights, and keep art journals together. Read more about it here.
His:
Mine:
I moved offices this week (into a new office which is a "real" art room—sort of!) and in the process of packing packed my house keys and car keys. It was an ordeal. I originally thought I had locked them in my trunk; I had the locks popped and no keys. I had packed my entire office to be moved over the weekend, and was honestly a little worried I would not find them. Today when I came to work, they had found the keys in the move. I was so thankful. It was not so much being without them (as they are only keys that can be duplicated) but the idea of losing something "so important" or at least seemingly important that bothered me. Lesson learned—no more packing with a cold!
A thankful week
His:
Mine:
I moved offices this week (into a new office which is a "real" art room—sort of!) and in the process of packing packed my house keys and car keys. It was an ordeal. I originally thought I had locked them in my trunk; I had the locks popped and no keys. I had packed my entire office to be moved over the weekend, and was honestly a little worried I would not find them. Today when I came to work, they had found the keys in the move. I was so thankful. It was not so much being without them (as they are only keys that can be duplicated) but the idea of losing something "so important" or at least seemingly important that bothered me. Lesson learned—no more packing with a cold!
12.08.2010
Art Journal Vol IV: Spread 42 — Walking barefoot in the grass
Self-care is something that is deeply important to me, and I continue a practice I started in graduate school, which is to keep an art journal specifically for my self-care as a therapist. You can read more about that here and here.
Today was the last group for an intern that I have been working closely with. There was a running inside joke in the group "walking barefoot in the grass" and that is how I will always remember the group and the intern. For our "termination" group we did an intervention that I learned from a great mentor—Carol Lark. We painted watercolor paper and then tore off the four corners to make and envelope. We then ripped each of the torn corners in half (which made 8, or into more pieces—enough for each person in the group including the self). We then wrote a message to each person in the group—a message of hope, wishes or anything positive. The end of group was a ritual where each person was able to read their message to all the other group members and give it to them for their envelope. It was a great way for everyone to communicate how much the intern had meant to them, as well as for the intern to give back to the group (a transitional object of sorts). I glued my envelope in my journal to remember this group, the intern, and in many ways Carol.
Today was the last group for an intern that I have been working closely with. There was a running inside joke in the group "walking barefoot in the grass" and that is how I will always remember the group and the intern. For our "termination" group we did an intervention that I learned from a great mentor—Carol Lark. We painted watercolor paper and then tore off the four corners to make and envelope. We then ripped each of the torn corners in half (which made 8, or into more pieces—enough for each person in the group including the self). We then wrote a message to each person in the group—a message of hope, wishes or anything positive. The end of group was a ritual where each person was able to read their message to all the other group members and give it to them for their envelope. It was a great way for everyone to communicate how much the intern had meant to them, as well as for the intern to give back to the group (a transitional object of sorts). I glued my envelope in my journal to remember this group, the intern, and in many ways Carol.
Year II: Week 41
My guy and I have weekly art nights, and keep art journals together. Read more about it here.
His:
Mine:
Where would you go if you had a magic carpet
His:
Mine:
12.05.2010
Year II: Week 40
My guy and I have weekly art nights, and keep art journals together. Read more about it here.
His:
Mine:
I think it is funny how we each talked about our negativity in this one... I guess having just talked about that with each other, it was fresh on our mind. Mine has pieces of broken glass on the face, not as tears, but to remind myself about reflecting positive images, even if "broken".
Not anymore...
His:
Mine:
I think it is funny how we each talked about our negativity in this one... I guess having just talked about that with each other, it was fresh on our mind. Mine has pieces of broken glass on the face, not as tears, but to remind myself about reflecting positive images, even if "broken".
12.04.2010
Year II: Week 39
My guy and I have weekly art nights, and keep art journals together. Read more about it here.
His:
Mine:
My grandmother has Alzheimer's and a couple of weeks ago I read this quote on Postsecret, and it touched me, for it summed it up completely. It is so hard to see her now, she is but somehow isn't, my Mammy.
Someone Special
His:
Mine:
My grandmother has Alzheimer's and a couple of weeks ago I read this quote on Postsecret, and it touched me, for it summed it up completely. It is so hard to see her now, she is but somehow isn't, my Mammy.
12.02.2010
Art Journal Vol IV: Spread 41 — Art Surprises
11.30.2010
Art Journal Vol IV: Spread 40 — These Eyes
11.21.2010
Try Writing in Your Art Journal
I made this page up to show the art journal groups that I work with, and to encourage them to add text in their art journals. It is also a reminder for myself to utilize several types of text in my journals.
- Masking Tape Mask - Put masking tape down where you would like your words to be. Paint and let dry. Peel up the tape and write in the area masked off (I chose to stamp in this version but you could handwrite as well)
- Draw your own set of lines to write between
- Cut out letters from magazines to spell your words
- Write with a gel pen in a light color, and outline the letters with a dark gel pen (using cursive font)
- Write with your non-dominate hand
- Create 3-D lettering (Check out Teesha Moore's Youtube Series on Penmanship for more information)
- Use letter stamps
- Go over each letter several times to give it a scratchy effect
- Fill in the bubbles of the letters and outline everything in a contrasting color
- Cursive writing with the bubbles of the letters colored in a variety of colors
- Cutting out full words from magazines
- Write with a white crayon or oil pastel and create a watercolor wash on top of it
- Use a bamboo pen and india ink (experiment with different pens and found objects such as sticks)
- Write with a gel pen in a light color, and outline the letters with a dark gel pen (using a print font with small serifs added)
- Block out each letter with color (here I used oil pastels) and stamp letters on top of it
- Write with a gel pen in a dark color, and outline the letters with a light gel pen
- Write on masking tape and add to your journal
11.19.2010
Art Night Round Robin
I have started an art group that meets monthly to make art together, and we have decided to do our own round robin (read my guest post about starting your own art night). Last month we had a Journal Binding Party and this month we are going to swap our journals for the first time. Now at our monthly art nights we will have time to work in the journals, but will still be able to take them home and work on them longer between meetings.
I decided to use the tall and skinny journal that I bound for my art journal, and to have the theme be what inspires you. I plan on using the journal as a source of inspiration in my own art.
I decided to use the tall and skinny journal that I bound for my art journal, and to have the theme be what inspires you. I plan on using the journal as a source of inspiration in my own art.
And here is my spread about my own personal inspiration..
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