My Studio Mess is Legit!
(AKA: My Three Ways of Art Journaling)
My studio table is a hot mess! It’s not just because I have a plethora of wacko supplies–obviously paint, brushes, water — but also Gramma’s antique sewing patterns, string soaking in tea, packing tape and a heavy duty dispenser…
No, my studio mess is mostly because I juggle several journals at once — kind of like how in the business world one might have several clients or projects going on at once. These different journals help keep me fresh while working different skill sets. Totally legit!
I have:
(Regular) Art Journals — for creative, exploratory and emotional freedom
Way finding Journals –simple; more visual, using things I collect along the way
Gina Rossi Armfield’s No Excuses daily art journal — my daily nudge to do anything
My mom, artist Karel Cline, made this journal for me!
1. My regular Art journals (above) are where I work out; where I get my “Ya-Ya’s” out. I let myself work ugly, pretty, frilly, drippy, dark, detailed, muddy, free. I used to hurry and bang these pages out in 20-30 minutes, now they go on for days!
My latest Wayfinding Journal.
Washi tape, an envelope for secrets, cut-outs from magazines, and postcards in my Wayfinding Journal.
2. Wayfinding Journals (above) are my journaling records of how I go along my way… Greeting cards, ticket stubs, quotes, stickers, photographs, magazine cut-outs all go in here. I let them be fun and aesthetically pleasing, kind-of like a funky, creative modern-day scrapbook. I adorn those pages with washi tape, stencils, dots, lines, words.
Way finding Journals are what I teach children (at Makers Mess!) and adults, giving them a safe and super affordable place to play and experiment. (Check out more class info here!) Students use these not only as portable time capsules (i.e., covering the year of 2015 or a special vacation), but also for gifts (birthday, anniversary, graduation, baby).
NO EXCUSES Journal 2016!
3. My No Excuses day planner journal (above) helps me remember the who, what, where, and when of the year. Gina Rossi Armfield is genius in her creation of this project! There are no judgements. It doesn’t have to be pretty. It just IS. When I’m really stuck, that’s where I go. Just to get something on the page!
Sometimes all three crash in a hot mess~ sometimes it almost looks civilized. But it is all legit!
