Friday 27 February 2015

An Illustrated Life



As a practising artist and art teacher, this is what I observe..........within us all there is a silent language that reveals the truth of our thoughts, feelings and emotions far more fluently than words alone.

Creating an art journal can be a wonderful place to explore and articulate that silent language, to play and process daily thoughts and experiences, without words and without it taking the shape of a conventional diary. 

An art journal can grow into a place to source new ideas, grow inspirations, and play with the dreams that flow in and out of our conscious or even sub conscious mind.


I keep art journals all the time and almost for a multitude of purposes. Right now I am in a situation where a very portable practice has become essential and so am working on a daily visual that has helped me focus or contemplate on the essence or small moment of a day...so I have created it as a calendar...


I make a small space for each day, just enough for a vignette, a small creation.....it could be a doodle, a collage, or both, a word, a quote or headline  !!


You see I have a compulsion to fiddle and play inside a sketchbook, each and everyday.So it looks like diary but I wouldn’t call it a diary, in the conventional sense, it’s more like a place to collect the residuum of a day, so an entry may be based around a current event, a funny remark or thought,  the weather, wildlife on Lamma, a good idea, an outing, a saying......anything !

Like the day Dorothy Cat came back after 7 weeks absence, or the day that Claire and I laughed even more than normal ! My haircut at Hollywood Hair, the Stephen Hawkin film, or day it was unexpectedly sunny!




February is busy month at Flowers Towers, what with Valentines day, Chinese New Year, day trips and birthdays !


So there was lots to say......


The great thing about art journaling is that you do not have to be an expert in any special art method ! And you do not need an art studio. Art Journaling can be Art-on- the-Go, Art in-Small-Spaces and Art for absolutely anyone at all who fancies a dabble and a play and of course it can be as shareable as you like......you might not wish to share your journal pages with anyone at all!


A few Chinese New Year Goals and wishes to be hidden in the Lai See packets......


Year of the Goat papercuts


Nothing like TV Watching Doodles and look.............even more to come ........


The year has just begun....so watch this space !!

What will March bring I wonder..................

Why not make a calendar page for yourself my friend, try doing a month for March and see what happens, no rules, just experiment......map out some spaces and off you go!



or you could join our Joyous Journalling workshop weekend in May.

Good Luck and have fun 
with 
love
 from 

Katie xxxx