Happy Friday, Shiners! Cheryl here!
As some of you know, I started an art blog on January 1st of this year. Well, I actually started it in February of 2010 after I participated in a Burridge Workshop but I didn't commit to posting to it until 2011. Details, details.
My art blogs features music I like, photos I've taken, poems I've written, quotes I love and finally, my drawings and paintings. It's been a challenge for the painting section as I'm only a part time painter and don't paint quite as much as I would like but I'm working on accepting the fact that I'm a busy person and sometimes my boys, my house, my friends and other commitments and responsibilities win my attention. In the grand scheme of life, all of those things will lend a hand in what I create.
What I'm loving most about the art blog and one of the main reasons I wanted to commit to sharing my work are my journal paintings and how they've evolved.
I fell in love with my journal at the Park City, Utah Arts Festival in 1999. It was my 30th birthday gift to myself. It has the most beautiful watercolor paper in it. Because I loved it so much, I kind of hoarded it not wanting to just draw mediocre pages but having that fear attracted just that- mediocre pages. Worse than medicore! Darn right bad!!
At the workshop, Bob displayed Derwent Watercolor Pencils and, of course, being the good student that I am, I purchased some when I got home. They're great. You can use them as regular pencils and draw on the page but then take a brush and some water and blend the colors and it just turns out beautiful. You can also wet the page and then draw with the pencils. You get a real intense color that way.
And ten years after purchasing the most beautiful journal I have ever owned, I no longer experience the fear of mediocre pages because of experimenting and learning how to draw with the Derwent pencils and I draw/paint in all the time. It doesn't hurt that I found the company that makes the journals online and I'm already planning a future purchase.
The reason I wanted to share this Iona Handcrafted book is 1) it Shines; 2) the impact of jounaling your life, dreams and ideas is a small thing that will have big results for future generations; 3) It's not mediocre in anyway; and finally 4) it will allow for you to create. The journals come in all sizes with several leather colors and paper options.
They are a work of art in their own right and worth the investment. Everyone should own at least one and trust me- you will fall in love with it and just like me, plan for you next. In their gallery section, they show you a few examples of how others have drawn and written in their journals so take a peek at that.
I hope you'll stop by my Art Blog and check out my journal.
Shining off until Monday when we'll have another great Yellow Envelope Project nominee!