21 Secrets Coming SOON!! Sneak peak....

in the background, you can still see the ghost of my self portrait

So, a few weeks ago I began the exciting new journey of filming my first on-line workshop. We are still in the editing phase and tomorrow I get to see how it is all coming together. I am excited and a little nervous...but mostly thrilled to finally be able to jump into the online workshop world and work with individuals that I otherwise wouldn't be able to meet, talk/share with, and more importantly... touch on a deeper level.

After filming the techniques for The Savage Mirror workshop, I ended up with a self portrait (the demo I did for the workshop) that needed it's story brought to life (something I have each participant do with their own portraits)... last night I dove in, and this is were the page currently sits. My eye, and the expression of it is what drew me into the mirror... that is what I wanted to keep. The pages are still in progress, and more needs to be pulled and pushed, more text to be brought forth, and more symbolism incorporated as the story unfolds. I now wish I had my camera to film the progress... but I did take these stills. I will share the continued metamorphosis and final piece with all of you that sign up for the "21 Secrets Art Journaling Workshop." You still have a small window of opportunity to learn how this portrait came about and to join me in the Savage Mirror workshop!!! I hope to see you in a few short weeks!!

Click here for more information about
 "21 Secrets" and how to sign up.

"She Let Go" in progress.... 

21 Secrets 2014!!!!

Click here for more info on 21 Secrets

Last week on my Facebook pages, I mentioned and teased you with the upcoming On-line class I'll be teaching. Before giving you all the details I want to first give a bit of my background, for those just tuning in or that have just recently started following my blog.

My journey with visual journaling began back in 2007, back when I needed a creative outlet besides my graphic design. I have drawn and painted on and off my whole life; for years I had been making books as gifts for others; I had been using the combination of typography and imagery in my design work for over a decade; yet at that time had never combined all this into one art form. In 2007, I hadn't heard of the term "visual journaling", I just wanted to start keeping a sketchbook again. That "sketchbook" quickly morphed into a book that contained both imagery and my writing. I was inspired by joining online sketchbook exchanges, and sharing my visual journal pages with others through my Flickr stream. This lead to being published in 1000 Artists Journals, by Dawn Sokol. I was thrilled and excited to be included along side so many others that shared my newly found passion for documenting their lives. I was just beginning to realize how many others were needing this sort of artistic expression. Soon after, I was approached, by the amazing duo Teesha and Tracy Moore, about submitting a workshop proposal to their upcoming art retreat Journalfest. I swallowed my fears and submitted what I had to offer. That was 2009.... I was hooked. I love being surrounded by like minded creative souls who have a passion for expressing themselves in the book format. Over time my journals have morphed, grown, and matured. I have continued to teach workshops as I am just as inspired by my students as they are from me. My Visual Journals have changed my life, saved my artistic self, and helped me to grow into the artist I am today. They are sacred to me, and a blessing I am thankful for. Through them I have been introduced to artists I never imagined I'd meet and converse with. Through them I have been able to bare my soul and document my "life story."

The past year or so, I've been approached by many individuals to offer online classes. Something I kept adding to my goals list, yet it kept getting pushed down the list as life events dictated more attention.  This past year, I have been embracing the mysterious ways that the universe has been working in my life, allowing those things that have been on my "wish list" to present themselves... and wow have the floodgates been opening!!!

I am excited to finally announce to all of you that the time has come for my first online class!! My popular workshop, The Savage Mirror, is going online!! But I wont be alone in this adventure! I am partnering with 20 other amazing souls to offer you an amazing visual journaling experience! I have joined the 21 Secrets visual journaling family for 2014!! 

Here is the information about The 21 Secrets!

21 SECRETS is celebrating it's fifth year of gathering talented, inspiring Artists eager to share their art journaling secrets with you in a BRAND NEW FORMAT that will make your experience with 21 SECRETS much more personal and in alignment with the rhythms of your own creative life!In other words.... YOU RECEIVE ALL 21 WORKSHOPS AT ONCE IN A DOWNLOADABLE eBOOK WITH UNLIMITED ACCESS! YOU KEEP THE VIDEOS, WRITTEN CONTENT & VISUALS!

With each 21 SECRETS membership you receive the following

• 
  
  • A downloadable eBook that contains 21 art journaling workshops which include instructional videos, supportive content, and inspiring visuals by talented, professional Artists.  No longer do you need to login to a website or find your password--you can keep this eBook on your computer or iPad!

• 
  
  • Unlimited access to all the workshops at once!  You pick and choose which ones you do when and go at your own pace!  There is no time limit--these workshops are yours to keep!

• 
  
  • Membership to the private 21 SECRETS Facebook community and 21 SECRETS Flickr gallery where you can share your art work, be inspired by others, and receive warm, supportive feedback from other members and teachers.

• 
  
  • The opportunity to learn a variety of art journaling approaches, techniques, and processes that will energize your creativity and touch your Soul.  

• 
  
  • Be a vital part of a supportive, loving Artist online community that is going on it's fifth year and celebrates everyone's unique expression and supports all Souls in growing more confidant as Artists.

Even though the workshops don't begin until April 2014, TODAY is the Pre-Launch which means you can get it at a heavely discounted rate!!! Here is the breakdown of the pre-sale discounted prices:

THE NEW 21 SECRETS PRICE SCHEDULE

$59 for buyers 1-50

$69 for buyers 51-150

$79 for buyers 151-300

$89 for buyers 301-500

after 500 members, the cost goes up to $98 so signing up early is going to be a lot more cost effective!!!

To Learn more about 21 Secrets, the workshop I am offering, the other amazing teachers and their "secrets to share", and to sign up click here!!

learn more about all the 21 Secrets instructors!!

Please note: Each instructor has an individual affiliate link, so when you sign up though my link above, I will get credit for that, which in turn is how I receive payment for working with you during this fantastic workshop.  Though, even if you choose to sign up through another instructor's affiliate link, we all benefit from having a full event... we are one big happy family over here!! I look forward to working with you in April!!

31 day Challenge Continued...

Though I didn't "sketch" everyday, I did work through quite a bit during the month of January. 

A lot of it deeply personal, some of it just for fun. Most of it with the idea of expanding on pages. The book I worked in is a very small moleskine type sketchbook with thin pages. I loved the size, but wish I would have put all these in my daily visual journal. I've decided to sew the pages into my visual journal so as not to loose the pages, and to keep them in order of my life. I've come to appreciate the chronological order of my books. I can see where I have been, how my life has changed, the challenges I've faced, how I have grown or how I fight the growth. It is life. 

Day 16: "court ordered"

A very long day, sketched this while waiting for a meeting to start at the courthouse. 

Day 17:
A little bit on the lighter side. fun sketch of my Junker Jane bird that hangs out in my studio

Day 18: 

Sketched while waiting for my daughter to give a make-up presentation to her teacher. Spent the morning conferencing with all her teachers and counselor trying to figure out how to salvage the semester. She has been so ill that I've kept her home for the past three weeks. Ugh!!

Day 21: few days behind... :/
goofing around, not very successful, but what is goofing around for anyway

various inks and acrylics (mostly applied with my fingers)

After sitting with this piece for awhile I decided I do like it after all. Now I'm going to paint some larger versions on wood. 

Day 22: first night of teaching the "Savage Mirror" workshop to a few friends... 

This was the beginning of a demo.

Day 23-
2nd night of teaching my "Savage Mirror" workshop. 

This technique uses water soluble graphite and gloss medium.
I still need to add a bit of text, but I don't know what it will be just yet... waiting for her to tell me.

After much thought this quote resonated:

You get your intuition back when you make space for it, when you stop the chattering of the rational mind. The rational mind doesn’t nourish you. You assume that it gives you the truth, because the rational mind is the golden calf that this culture worships, but this is not true. Rationality squeezes out much that is rich and juicy and fascinating.”

-Anne Lamott

Day 26:
Sneak preview sketch of the piece I am working on tonight... will make it's way to Flying M tomorrow for the annual Valentine for AIDS art auction.

Day 28- 30

 And the finished piece for the silent Art Auction.

"A Wasted Love" ~ with a Bleeding Heart Dove

mixed media ~ acrylic, ink, paper maché, string, old book cover

And so it begins.

And so it begins, Long overdue images are starting to leak out of my mind and onto the paper now... This one is from a dream back in February. It isn't complete yet. I have too many design deadlines this week to allow myself time to work on it. I am anxious to get back to it. I am anxious to release all the others that are pushing their way forward. I long for a reprieve of life's demands so that I can hide away with my old friends who never disappoint me. my brushes, my paints, my pens, my inks, my pencils...

In progress. Mixed media. From the Book of Dreams.
"This is no F@%&*#g Mid-Life Crisis"

Whispering Truths

this began as a demo for my "Savage Mirror" workshop, which i finished up this past week.

i am so behind on my journals. i am so behind on creating art for myself. it feels very heavy on my shoulders, as i have so much that needs to be plucked from my brain and worked out in my books.  over the next few weeks i plan on lifting that load, even if it is just a little bit. stay tuned.

"Whispering Truths" from the Book of Dreams visual journal

Art Unraveled 2012 ~ Phoenix AZ

I can't believe how quickly life flies by!! In one week I will be traveling to AZ to teach at Art Unraveled. I am so excited to meet new kindred spirits and give hugs to those that have already touched my life. 

I will be participating in the Saturday Market Day with lots of personal work for sale, then kicking my heals up with a lot of the other instructors in a mad art making contest that evening! 

I am looking forward to Saturday's fun, however the following 3 days are what moves my soul and gets me excited. Three full days of sharing, teaching, connecting, and watching newly aquatinted  friends learn and grow as artists. Yes, this is were my bliss comes from. My natural high. 

Below are the three fantastic workshops I am teaching this year. Even though my Learning to See class is bursting at the seams, I may have a little room to squeeze a few more in... Transferring Memories is also almost full, but has room for a few more. The Savage Mirror will be an intimate class, but has been potent and life changing for past students. It truly is one of my favorite classes to teach.  

Transferring Memories : Sunday

In this workshop we will learn over a dozen different techniques on how to transfer images and text directly into a handmade origami memory book!

Learning to See : Monday

Learning to draw isn't about learning how to use a pencil (we all know how to hold a pencil), it is about learning to see the world around you. I'll be teaching my visual journaling style + shading values techniques with a pencil that will bring depth and dimension to all your journal pages.

The Savage Mirror : Tuesday

 He who knows others is wise. He who knows himself is enlightened. ~ Lua Tzu

Lets spend a day getting to know ourselves, seeing ourselves for who we truly are or where we really want to be. Don’t be intimidated by the thought of having to draw a portrait, we will get around that!! I promise. We come to the mirror to express what is in our hearts, through the use of guided exercises, collage, expressive drawing, painting, and writing. The savage mirror reflects those traits and dreams that the human eye cannot see but are nonetheless obvious when revealed.

If you have any questions about my workshops please feel free to contact me. I would love to hear from you!!

Road Blocks

‎"The times I have the most to say are the times I can't talk" 

I feel perplexed by the truth and frequency of this statement. I wish I could find the right words when they are truly needed. Words that do not sound insensitive or a jumbled mess. It always seems to take me far too long to unclutter my head enough to find the source of my muteness and to open up. Most people are not patient enough to stick around long enough to hear those deep vulnerable parts. The spoken word has never been my friend. 

My life has been on an emotional roller coaster for the past year and a half. There are moments that I am able to quite my mind, look at fears, and come to the realization that this journey, this soul path that I have embarked on, is exactly where I need to be. That in this journey I will become strong. I can't wiggle back into that former skin that no longer fits. Even though I have been running into road blocks, such as my hysterectomy, the path is still there... and I long to sprint down it fearlessly. 

The art of PLAY retreats

Late last month I traveled over to Seattle and Port Townsend for a 4 day art retreat called "PLAY". I wasn't teaching, I wasn't taking classes/workshops, it was 4 days and 4 nights of uninterrupted studio time. I completed more in those 4 days than I normally do in a month of studio time at home. Here are the pieces I worked on....

"Entangled" 

4"x4"x1.5"

Mixed Media

Painted for the 2012 Valentines For Aides art auction

My first attempt at translating work from my Book of Dreams onto a large canvas. 

"Clarification" 

36"x18"x1.5"

Mixed Media

"What We Leave Behind" ~ from the Book of Dreams journal

First spread in my new visual journal, the view from my seat at Play!! Note all the art supplies piled on the table ;) 

What an amazing experience! And so many beautiful like minded souls, I miss them all.

Fears

I began this page in my Book of Dreams as a demo for my Savage Mirror workshop. After returning home I felt compelled to finish it as soon as possible before my thoughts escaped me. 

The ogre that sits up on my shoulder reminds me that my nose is way too big...but that is what happens when i get distracted while drawing and that is perfectly fine with me. This exercise is far from being about accuracy in the drawing. I do like the way I rendered my hair though... I'll have to do more dipped pen over acrylic. 

The gift of Journalfest

Visual journals are a very important part of my artistic expression. I am often asked, “What is a visual journal? Like a diary?” My answer is, “Well, not exactly. It is more like taking your sketchbook to a whole new level”. For me it is a visual documentation of my life, my dreams and desires. I combine thoughts, feelings, and memories through the written word, but for me it is primarily about the overall visual experience. At times the pages are immensely personal…yet at other times the pages are meant solely for experimenting with new mediums.

Journalfest (Art Retreat) is in 6 weeks, the end of October!!! Artists and instructors, from all over the country, will be teaching visual journaling techniques and bookart forms. If you have never been too an art retreat, this is one you deserve to go to. Consider the new book “Destination Creativity: The Life-Altering Journey of Art Retreat" by Rice Freeman Zachery. On Sale now at Amazon.com

My visual journals have altered my life as an artist, dramatically in fact. It may seem cliché, but for me it is true. My first experience with Journalfest, three years ago, was a highlight in my artist career. Last year, I wasn't anticipating just how much my artistic life was going to be altered but between the classes I participated in (both as an instructor and a "student") and the individuals I meet a shift happened in my soul. A very exciting shift! I strongly encourage all of you to give yourself the gift of an art retreat. Journalfest is an intimately size group of artists/craftsmen that are excited about exploring the art form of Visual Journaling. 

I will be teaching two classes this year at Journalfest, "Learning to See" and "The Savage Mirror". Visit the site for the full lineup of workshops and registration details. JournalFest 2011

"Watching You ~ F03"

"watching you" - mixed media
in my Book of Dreams Journal

It took a long time to finally get around to working on this one. I prepped the pages way back in Feb. Couldn't quite decide how to approach this dream... yet again it is best not to think too much and just let the image emerge and tell me where it wants to go.

I have two or three more dreams that I need to work out and get in my book before I forget about them. One was about balancing a tornado on my finger tips while a doz or so other ones were barreling down towards me.

He Is Here

A recent self portrait painted for the Treasure Valley Artists Alliance (TVAA) installation at the Modern Event. Many of the members painted portraits that were all hung in a grid style on the side of a local building. It was impressive to see! I wish I had had my camera that night.

Anyway, this portrait is directly related to the dream I had back in 2005 about my dad. I forgot I had written the dream down and happen to come across it in an old notebook just a week before my dad's heart attack. I included it in the visual journal I kept while daddy was in the hospital. About a month ago I sat down with him and shared my journal with him. We both cried. Reading the dream to him was particularly difficult. But I feel so very blessed to have these extra moments, days, weeks and months with him. I know most who have experience what our family went through never had the gift we now treasure. More time.

click on image to see larger

"sweetheart"

 

"sweetheart"
part of my "book of dreams" journal & "the savage mirror" project

mixed media: collage, image transfer, acrylic, sharpies, transparencies, china marker

Broken to Harness

needed to throw this to the wind...
part of my Book of Dreams and new project that has been bubbling in my head for a few months: The Savage Mirror.

mixed media: acrylic, sharpies, graphite, watercolor crayon, and image transfer

parting ways D'03

parting ways D'03
Originally uploaded by rightside
stayed up all night drawing and painting.... can't even begin to describe how better I feel.

mixed media
Book of Dreams - "parting ways D'03"