Sometimes, You Just Have To Do It Your Own Way  Art Journal Page

©2015 Tracey Hewitt

There’s been a lot going on here over the past week. Most dramatically, a shed fire. Another one. It’s been a while since the hay shed went up in flames – seven years, I think – but, surely one shed fire in a lifetime is enough for anyone – right? Maybe not. This one had no hay in it… but it did have an old Toyota, a ride on lawnmower, and a few other very useful bits and pieces; as well as a tractor parked right beside it. Not anymore. That thing’s now a pile of molten metal and ash.

However, my precious daughter-in-law and granddaughter, who were the only ones around for quite a distance when they noticed they had an ENORMOUS campfire - and no marshmallows - are safe and unharmed. Their house, which was closer than any of us would have liked to the fire, is also safe and sound. Bullet dodged, fire out, and heavy sighs of relief heaved.

 

The fire has nothing to do with the next thing on the agenda - but everything to do with this journal page - which is teaching another round of ArtJournaling classes, which might be some of the best fun it's possible to have! The page you see here is the result of some preparation sample and demo pieces for the classes. It also started with some writing about that fire. This is what is so transformative about the Art Journaling process (well, really about any creative process, but I love art journaling, because it truly is accessible to anyone). You can write out your worries and your woes, get lots of crap off your chest, and proceed to obliterate it with funky colours, patterns and scribbles, transforming that icky experience completely. You can still see snippets of the writing in odd places, which ultimately become just another layer of line and form.

 

Detail:  Sometimes, You Just Have To Do It Your Own Way

This was put together using mostly spray inks, stencils, and a mask I cut based on a photo of Keelan on his wedding day, as he was walking toward the altar. (Or, to be more precise, the gate and arch set up in front of the garden bed in our backyard for the ceremony.)

 

The stencil had been cut, waiting to be used for a while, and I grabbed it without thinking too much - just needed to get the page done, and I was keen to see how this mask would come up. It morphed from an account of  blazing destruction; to cool, strong colours carrying a great sense of independence and hope for the future. I don’t know about you, but that feels pretty transformative to me.                                                                                                                                                                            

Try Something New

What does it say about your personality when you have an idea to try something you know bugger all about, and think "I can't do this, but I'm doing it anyway?" I don't know, either, but here are the results! For a long time, I have thought that adding a few videos of works unfolding and techniques in action might be fun for me, and interesting for you. I have a lot to learn, and will possibly need to relocate to an area where I can access a much bigger Internet data quota (apologies to the Aussie Government, but this NBN thing isn't working out so well for us out here), which isn't such a realistic idea. I think there is a lot of research and education in my immediate future if I'm to follow this notion any further. 

However... this was fun for me, and I hope you find the video a little bit interesting. It's a time lapse look at creating a background with tissue paper on canvas for a mixed media work. The background was done without any firm idea of what the focal point might be. That realisation came a little later.

Small Wonders 

©2015 Tracey Hewitt  Watercolour and mixed media on canvas

After the addition of some acrylic paints to introduce a little colour, it occurred to me that this would be the perfect background for another challenge I'd been hankering to take on. A photo of our Granddaughter, Payton, in a rare moment of stillness, had been whispering it's longing to be drawn or painted for a couple of months. For someone who, a few years ago, wouldn't even attempt to draw a face or human form, because "that's not my thing, I just can't do them"; I'm pretty excited to have captured a resemblance to a human being, much less enough of a resemblance to a particular human for her parents to know she was the model!

 Her features were sketched in, with Derwent Graphitint pencils. These babies might be my favourite art supply. (Even as I type that, a hundred other little special art supplies are clamouring in my mind to be named favourites, as well!) These pencils - as the name suggests - are much like a graphite pencil, with the added appeal of a range of beautiful, subtle colours, as well as being water soluble. They're not as intense as some of the other water soluble pencils out there, so the results are soft and delicious. A little watercolour for the pink in her dress and lips, a few touches of inky black for details, and she was done.

That little butterfly she's so intently looking at? That is a perfect example of the glorious serendipity of layering materials and media. It wasn't until after I'd drawn Payton in, that I noticed that little butterfly on an underlying layer of tissue paper, perfectly placed to seem to be sitting on her hand, and the focus of her rapt attention. Sometimes, there are forces at work when we create that simply cannot be explained. Happens to me all the time. And, it's the best feeling. 

 

I've just made a disturbing discovery. Sometime last year, in the middle of some epic convivial confusion, the email address used for receiving notification of your comments here was closed and I neglected to change it in the bowels of the settings here. So... Some of you have made lovely comments here, and it would appear you have been ignored! My most sincere apologies! I love to receive comments here. That glitch is all fixed up now, and I promise if you use your precious time to comment here, that I will respond!

 



 

For the month of February, I've accepted a photo-a-day challenge, run by Lisa Clarke from ABC Open. The theme is - can you guess?

Water.

That's a fun one. Lots of scope for getting that camera off auto and testing out what it can really do.

This was day two's challenge - Water Coming Out Of A Tap. This was taken with a really fast shutter speed to freeze the movement of the water as it shot out of my garden tap.

What's great about a challenge like this, is that it stretches you - makes you look at things closely; differently - and kick starts that creativity that may have become a little sluggish. ABC Open is great for that. They have projects on the go all the time - writing, photography and video - from all over Australia. You can get inspired by other peoples efforts, or jump up and create your own. Go check it out.

 

 Right now, I'm off for a walk to take today's photo - A River. Luckily, there's one a hundred yards or so from our back door, so locating it wont be a problem. Coming up with a creative way to take a picture of it, however, may be another matter, but, I'm up for the challenge.

Art Journaling - It Feels A Bit Like Therapy

 

Does this pile of luscious goodness look like fun to you?

 

 

How about all this snowy, fresh paper and clean brushes?

 

Wheel that trolley out onto my back verandah and into a gorgeous autumn afternoon, and the stage is set for some serious Art Journaling fun.

 

 

A while back, I sent out feelers to see if maybe one or two people might be keen to spend a bit of time here exploring a few art techniques and materials in the safety of their very own Art Journal. While I love where I live, it is a small community, and I thought I might be lucky if I could find any takers. To my surprise and delight - there were nine! All keen to excavate the creativity they hoped was buried in them someplace. 

 

Over the course of three hours, they were introduced to Dyelusions Sprays, Distress Stains, stamps, stencils and all kinds of markers and pens, which they used to create some really fun backgrounds and play with lettering styles. Of course, many of them (OK - most of them) looked a little horrified when I suggested it was time they write - in their own handwriting - in their journals. When I asked how many of them hated their own writing - hands went up all around the table. What I told them in essence, was this:

 

 Every mark we make, every word we write, comes from us. Is us. Our essence cant help but show up in everything we do. Hating our handwriting (substitute voice, thighs, drawing, tummy, crows feet, toes, teeth.... you get the idea) is to hate a unique and authentic part of ourselves.

 

I know we all do it (I am guilty of it often!) But, I'm coming to believe that we have more to give when we give ourselves a break. When we are OK with ourselves and our efforts.

 

 

I reckon they all found the tip of their creative icebergs. Which makes me really excited for next week, when we'll have a play with acrylic paints, try drawing faces and dedicate a page to our Inner Critics. I've named mine "Muriel" (apologies to any wonderful and beautiful Muriel's out there...) and she can be a real shrew. Should be fun to share our stories and see the portraits these great girls create of their own versions of Muriel.

 

Making Time for Art

 

This sign just went on the studio door. I've never had a sign like this.

 

Let's back up a little, and explain some things. I recently signed up for ArtBiz Bootcamp. This programme for artists is offered by Alyson B Stanfield, of ArtBiz Coach fame. In the past, I've learned lots from her book and a couple of other classes I've taken with her. This 'assignment' was week one, fundamental stuff. It's taken me almost four weeks to actually do it!  You wouldn't believe some of the stuff I told myself about how and why this wouldn't - couldn't - work for me. I won't make you want to poke yourself in the eye with a pencil by telling you all about those excuses in detail - just know, they were lame... really lame. What was exciting though, was how great it felt to finally choose to commit to some not negotiable time frames to call studio time. I think I may have even heard an hallelujah chorus off in the heavens somewhere - though I can't be sure about that. (It may have just been Garfield objecting to a lack of appropriate cat food in his bowl).

 

What I wanted to share with you though, is that this action - choosing some times, printing them on a bit of card, and hanging it up - created a big shift in the way I think and feel about my work as an artist. Like I'm taking myself seriously.

 

Sometimes small actions can have big consequences....

 

What little thing have you done that has led to big things? I'd love to hear. Tell us all about it in the comments.

 

The Angels Anthology Evolves onto Canvas

After drawing lots of practice faces for Pam Carriker's Angels Anthology class, I finally felt ready to tackle the canvas and paint. Firstly, a few bits and bobs were laid into impasto gel , which also had some marks scraped into it...along with the word: Grateful.

I missed taking photos of the stages between the first photo and the finished piece - I may have gotten just a little caught up in bringing her to life, and forgotten to pick up the camera. (By the way, her weird looking eye is a reflection picked up by the camera - she actually has pretty normal looking eyes in reality!)

She's not the Mona Lisa, by any means, but I'm pleased with the result...it looks recognisably like a face!! 

And while I don't know that I'd go so far as to say I conquered my fear (of faces); I will say I gave it a swift kick in the butt - and am keen to continue to give it a good shake up.

Drawing Faces

Drawing faces has always kind of terrified me...

Made me break out in sweat, or hives, or something. Yet, I really want to be able to draw a face, and I do have this belief that it does you good to do something every day that scares you (just a little). So...I signed up for a class with Pam Carriker - an online one, called An Angels Anthology - focusing on using the art supplies and 'stuff' you have, to create a mixed media collage. There happens to be a face in this class, so I figured that a fun class, focusing on all sorts of other things, rather than THE FACE, might be a sneaky way to trick my mind into letting go of the anguish surrounding faces.

In the interests of full disclosure, I should include an image here of my first attempt....Argh...

But, with Pam's help and encouragement, I drew another and another, and in the end, got totally hooked on drawing faces, and even got a couple I thought were pretty good.

I may even be ready to tackle the face on my canvas sometime soon!

Pam has a bunch of tutorials on her website, Living Art at the Speed of Life, which make you just itch to grab that sketchbook or journal and get creative!

Have a great, creative, wonderful Sunday!

Campfire Coaching

Here's an image from a few years ago...our hay shed burning.

Looking at this picture takes me right back there. The emotion I felt standing there is bubbling inside me as I write....(perhaps because my husband made an attempt to go in there and rescue a tractor; in spite of our firstborn trying valiantly to discourage him, yet ended up following him in there anyway...leaving me watching, dumbfounded, terrified and angry that if the whole thing blew up, I wouldn't even have bodies to bury...yep, that'll be why this image makes me a bit titchy!)

But that's not really what I wanted to tell you about... I thought of this particular image because I've recently been to a Campfire Coaching session with Mick Cornish. Mick very generously ventured up this way to offer his wisdom to our flood affected community. And he's got plenty of wisdom.

 In some ways, the "Campfire" seemed as big as this shed fire. Mick is a coach - business, personal, life...you name it, he'll have something to offer. Now, I have to admit that had he not made this generous offer to our community, I doubt I would ever have sought him out. But I discovered so many things - had so many 'ah-ha!' moments - that I'm really, deeply pleased to have had the opportunity. Mick explored beliefs, communication, choices, procrastination...just to name a few. And I love his motto - "it's not what happens to us that determines our destiny, it's the decisions we make about ourselves in those moments when life happens". After a couple of days with Mick, I realise what a mighty weight of truth this statement carries. 

I'm trying to figure out what decisions we made about ourselves when this shed fire happened... I may need more time on that...but I do remember thinking (once my precious family was safe and out of harms way) it was a terrible pity we didn't even have any marshmallows!

Last week, I spent a wonderful five days at the McGregor Winter School, in Toowoomba, attending a drawing workshop with the very talented artist and teacher, Deb Gilmartin. By the end of the week, I was able to render this eye...which was thrilling! My precious prince Keelan was convinced that I had traced it...took some persuading to convince him that I had, in fact done it freehand! And that is testament to Deb's great teaching skills. I haven't drawn in years, and while the high school art class drawings I did all those years ago were passable, I have lately felt the lack of satisfactory skill and technique in the sketching arena.

A week with Deb and I think that's cured. She taught a dozen of us a number of 'tools' to use to get our drawings down in a manner with which we were happy. The class was titled: Learning to Draw and See as an Artist, and Deb used a lot of theory from Drawing from the Right Side of the Brain by Betty Edwards, and Drawing with your Artist's Brain by Carl Purcell to help us get our right brains in gear...we drew blind contours - studying our subject, drawing without actually looking at our page; and we copied a sketch - upside down! Deb taught us to see angles and measure relative distances and to 'see'...which is more revolutionary than it sounds! The greatest revelation of the week was that what we 'know' we see, or 'think' we see isn't always what is really in front of us. The simple act of concentrating on an object for long enough to draw it's details gives you a whole new understanding of that object.

Do you suppose that could be true for husbands, too? If only I could keep him still long enough to draw him....

Whispering Time Again!

Do you have any idea how badly I want to show you the entire page in Peta's book?

 This round of our Chinese Whispers Collaboration belongs to our fearless leader Peta Lloyd, who created the cleverest pages. This has been so much fun! I can't divulge the theme...but what you can know is that included in this is a silk paper pocket (complete with treasures), handmade paper, a microscope slide, skeleton leaves, paint, stamps and embossing...among other things!

The studio looked like something had exploded in there by the time this was finished. It's possible that every container had been opened and the contents spread far and wide in the hunt for the perfect 'bits' to grace these pages.

Each time I post these snippets, I wonder if it's remotely interesting to any of you...or really only significant to those of us in the collaboration. Yet, the challenge of each month attempting to decipher the latest theme with nothing more than a few visual clues is quite consuming and I'm enjoying the stretch and learning that's accompanying the process. This however means that there's a little less time for producing other work that I can share in it's fullness with you.

The important thing I want to suggest to you is to consider being part of a collaborative process...you will bend, stretch, get a headache and grow! It's a wonderful, fun thing and a wonderful way to get to know people in a way that we don't always get an opportunity to.

Consider yourself encouraged to give a collaboration a go!

Link with Love

Recently, I told you about my delighted discovery of Brene Brown (she who is responsible for me working on "Honouring the Ordinary"). Today, Brene linked to a blog which has made it it's business to address one of the Internets thorny problems - I think the direct quote from Kal Barteski of Link with Love explains it better than I ever could:

"Welcome to LINKwithlove.org.
It is our goal to inspire positive change in the way art, photography, design, words, music, film and ideas are shared on the Internet. We believe that intellectual property needs to be handled with love and respect. We believe in the goodness of people. We believe in the power of the Internet. We believe that Maya Angelou was absolutely right when she said "when you know better you do better."
We need your help. We need your support. Learn more. Spread the word. Post our badge on your sites to show that you LINK with love.
This is just the beginning.. "

As it happens, I have just today returned from the Textile Art Festival in Brisbane (from which I have much to share with you...), where I was once again reminded of the endless talent in the world, and sadly, also the ever present problem of artists hard work, so generously shared, being 'borrowed' and not credited - especially on the Internet. (Where I have written 'borrowed', you may be more accurate in substituting a stronger, less well intentioned sounding word!)

So, from today, my blog has a Link with Love button; because I believe that every artist should always be credited wherever their work is shown or shared - lovingly, respectfully and correctly...and if I ever overlook that here - please let me know.

And, do yourself a favour and check out Kal's blog - her work is beautiful!

Also, if I can tear myself away from the glorious bundles of goodies I have brought home from my trip - I'll share some photos and info here with you  soon.

Art and Soul Workshop

Last weekend, artist Sarah Larsen, from Thangool, travelled to Theodore, having offered to run a free Art and Yoga day for residents of Theodore and surrounds, in the wake of the December/January floods. After a beautiful Yoga session (which I have no photos of - mostly because I was blissed out on the floor, relaxing, after enjoying much bending stretching and twisting...) it was down to Art business...Sarah began by showing us how to make marks with charcoal, and set us to work making as many different marks on our sheet of cartridge paper as we could in a short amount of time. Fun!

Our efforts were all unique - every one's marks very much their own. What Sarah did notice though, was that all these sheets bore marks that were twisted, tangled and somewhat reminiscent of flood debris...hmmm....interesting...

As the day progressed, Sarah demonstrated some techniques and encouraged us all to explore...

We worked on heavy brown paper with charcoal, white and black gesso, adding torn papers and some acrylic paint towards the end. I couldn't resist this image of the old aluminium teapot against the work on the brown paper...what a neat water container!

This is my young friend Andrea (whom you've met here before) at work on her piece. The most fascinating part of the day (for me, anyway...) was when Sarah 'interpreted' every one's works. We spent the day working very freely, feeling no pressure to make it look like anything or be anything - after all, this was just brown paper and charcoal...nothing precious, no expensive materials. We just followed a few directions, and before we knew it, papers were covered in marks, motifs, symbols and scribblings. To Sarah, these marks were clues, telling her stories about each of us. I can't speak for the others (I darted off the next morning to visit my Mum and go in search of something to wear to our firstborns wedding, so haven't had a chance to chat much with the other participants), but I, for one, found this to be a very cathartic experience. I became aware of a few things that had been bubbling under the surface for a while, and the act of creating something around them simply allowed me to let them go. I have long had a great belief in the healing nature of the creative act, and this wonderful day once again assured me that there is tremendous power in the act of creation.

We had to have a clean up (I think all our hands looked pretty much like Meredith's...) before we settled in with a Yoga session to finish. It was a wonderful day, full of laughter, sharing, learning, exploring and perhaps the occasional tear. Our most heartfelt thanks to Sarah who really gave up two days to give us this one day. Also to the generous (anonymous) lady in Sydney and the Theodore District Health Council, who together funded the materials, and incidental costs so that Sarah could deliver the day as she hoped for it- with no cost or preparatory stress to participants. As a community, we continue to be humbled and overwhelmed by the generosity of others - many of them strangers - as we go about reclaiming our town, lives and livelihoods in the wake of the floods. There is a box of left over materials from the day, and we plan to get together and continue to explore creatively. Who knows, perhaps the world will come to know some new artists as a result of all this?

Coptic Book Binding

A few days ago I had one of the best days in a long time...



One of the artists from our recent book collaboration, Ollie Bath, was the tutor for a Coptic Book Binding workshop, organised by Biloela Area Visual Artists - affectionately known as BAVA in these parts.

Ollie demonstrated how to cover the grey board to create the book covers...

and how to fold a delicious assortment of papers into 'folios' and 'signatures', mark, poke holes and - miraculously - hand stitch all the board and paper together to create a beautiful book.

Ollie, Judy & Liz surveying our days work...

Eight of us created these beautiful books with an assortment of handmade papers, scrap booking and specialty papers, tissue and mulberry papers, even sketch block papers torn out of the block and with the little holes from the spiral binding left on the edge (which, I have to tell you, is too cool for words when you flick through the book!)

Holding one of these in your hands imparts a kind of quiet contentment that is truly rare...It's hard to explain just what it is about these books, it's an intangible feeling. The weight of the book in your hand; the array of textures and colours...they have a special beauty I am clearly struggling to define!

I pick my new baby up at least three times a day...just to hold it and look at it. Soon I will decide what use to put it to - I think it is destined to be an art journal, but till then, I'll enjoy fondling it at every opportunity!

Thanks to Ollie and BAVA for a truly enjoyable day!

Fresh Eyes Get Busy In My Button Box

I was lucky to have my young friend Andrea visit the other day. Andrea shared her scarf knot with us all earlier in the year, and she is a clever little chicken, as is evidenced by this drop dead gorgeous necklace she made during her visit! We were chatting away in the studio, she spied my button box (in reality there are button boxes...) and wondered if she might string some of them up in to a necklace? Of course! So she set to work, with wire, buttons and beads... and look what she created! It was such a treat to watch her sift through the piles of buttons that have been sitting idle in those boxes for years (and when I say years - I mean generations!) and bring to life something as special and unique as this - something I would never have created with them in a million years!

There were buttons from dresses my Nana made 40, maybe 50 years ago, charms I've had in that box for well over 20 years...

And an earring I believe belonged to my Aunty Myrtle - long since having lost it's back, and a few 'stones' from the setting. All cast off's and bits and pieces that have been saved for "something someday"...but I've never done a thing with them. I'm thrilled that this beauty is out in the world now, and no longer shut away in a box!

One of my favourite things in the world is to watch someone else create - it's such a fascinating process, and each of us approach a pile of materials in a way that is totally unique to ourselves. We can learn such a lot, and have our thinking expanded considerably when we watch someone else's synapses firing.

Thanks, Andrea...I enjoyed watching your necklace take shape more than you know!

Ice Resin Adventures

Finally, the bezel is complete, the collage cut and placed, and, the most exciting part - the resin is poured! It's a little hard for you to see in these photos, but the Ice Resin  used here domes up beautifully, dries crystal clear and is generally just fun, neat stuff! This little tower piece was done as class work from the Of Towers and Turrets workshop, I talked about a month or so ago.

There were a few other bezels hanging around the studio...pendant forms and ring forms, so I figured I'd set up a few pieces to pour while I was mixing the resin and had a batch on the go. I discovered - much to my delight - that Ice Resin is really quite easy to work with, and gives a fabulous finish. I also discovered that it is very effective as the permanent final resting place for wayward bugs! I'll be a little more careful about removing the lamp from over the pieces (a very effective way to eliminate the tiny air bubbles that rise up as it sets) before the evening influx of winged creatures that seems inevitable in this neck of the woods! Not to mention, be a little quicker to carefully place the upturned plastic container to protect the resin filled pieces from said insects, dust and the inquisitive fingers of grown men who seem unable to resist touching!

An accidental discovery was that the resin renders the paper from old books quite translucent, so where I added the word 'searching' it seems more part of the piece than it would have if I'd coated it with some gel medium before pouring the resin, which is what was done with the collage papers, so as not to let the ink run and get all muddied up and sad. What a happy discovery!

I think my favourite is "Searching" with that eye peering out at you, which is in fact a detail of work in one of the Altered Book Collaboration books, titled "While You Were Sleeping". Which is your favourite?

Collage Sheets with Your Own Artwork Using Photoshop

 It's possible you won't recognize the painted background I showed you a few weeks ago as being the background to this collage - I almost feel sad that I covered it up. But, that was the next step towards making my tower pendant, so cover it up I did! Now, I have to share with you that I'm really not happy with the face...But, faces are something I have gone out of my way to avoid for years, and I've decided that I can do it...I just need to get instruction and practice.

And practice...and practice...

And one day I'll paint a face I'm really happy with...maybe not this week, but some day!

However, I posted this image not to share with you my insecurities about my face rendering abilities, but to give you a quick 'how to' on creating a collage sheet...Now this was fun!

Firstly, scan your original artwork and save the file in your desired folder. Then crop some 'sweet spots' as Sharon Tomlinson calls them, being super careful to save the crop as a different file name and reverting the image to the original after each crop (I had to scan my image twice...because I didn't quite follow that step!)

I cropped lots



and lots



of very sweet spots...

I wanted plenty of options

to work with

and these...

aren't all my sweet spots!

But, I'm thinking by now...

You get the idea!

The fun really starts when you crank up Photoshop (I used Photoshop Elements 7).

Open all your cropped images, and your original if you like, in your project bin at the bottom of the screen. Click on File in the top left hand corner, click New, then Blank File. Activate the Move Tool in the tool bar on the left of the screen at the top. Now, click on a cropped image, drag and drop it onto the screen, resize it to your hearts content, click on the green tick when you're happy with the size and shape and move on to the next one. you can fill your whole page with different sized crops. Save your collage sheet as a JPEG file, and you're good to go nuts and print it up! I found the print quality was better if I closed out of photoshop and printed from Windows Photo Gallery - but experiment and see what gives you the best results.

This might be old news to some of you more technically literate among us, but it was a revelation to me! I hope it's a revelation to someone else out there too!

Time to head back to the studio and play with some resin! Stay tuned for a completed tower pendant in the very near future.