21: Becoming Brave

I thought I'd share another one of my projects completed under the tutelage of the brilliant teachers at 21 Secrets, an series of online art journaling workshops.  This latest was called Becoming Brave, and we were guided through the creation of a small tabbed journal.  Images and thoughts below...but first, I thought I'd share my own steps towards Becoming Brave:  First,  I added a profile image on this website, primarily because I needed one for an interview I did about art therapy and art journaling.  And second, I did an interview!  Do read it here, I'm hella proud. 

Each of the following pages were cut out of cardstock, and are tabbed.  The left image is the front, and the right image is the back.  I made holes and tied a gold string through the holes (see image above).  Blank pages can be inserted between the tabs for journaling, and the project can be modified easily for any sections you wanted.  Love the idea of breaking up your journaling into sections.  Me, I have a birthday coming up and so I wanted to identify my goals for my new year.

fearless in ... BODY

I've mentioned before that something is seriously screwy with my hormones, and I'm really struggling to get my body regulated, and trying to find a doctor to help seems so very hard.   I want to get strong, be healthy and find good answers about my body, but I am most afraid to speak up when it comes to dealing with medical issues.

I primed this one with lots of purple paint, added an image transfer of a woman's body - and you can see the words "feeling hormonal."  This transfer was absolutely beautiful, it had a soft purple-y glow.  Then this image of the perfect Barbie - I look at her and hate her.  On the flip side of this page, I included an image of a woman doing planks - I love planks!  More words.

fearless in ... WORK

Work is so ridiculously overwhelming.  I'm having a hard time letting old concepts about work go (running a race that is not worth running) - there is something much more fundamental about what I have to offer.  And I don't think its being appreciated or rewarded, and so I am trying to not only find the inherent value in what I do but advocate for it.  Maybe from here, I'll figure out my next step.

On the back, I found this image of a ward of sick people, all staring at the camera, and covered it with an image of paintbrushes.  On the front, I found this cave painting - I did a thick matte medium on it to do an image transfer.  And added the words.

fearless in ... LOVE

I hold my relationship precious.  Right now, it is him and me.  I want us to build a nest together.  I want there to be one more.  

For this one, I did an image transfer of the birds in the hand, and wrapped it around the square.  As I was doing all the image transfers, they picked up paint from the table I was working on, and look so darn cool.  The image was so strong, and the colors just right - I added the words, and drew a little picture.

fearless in ... LIFE

This is one I still don't get completely (art making is awesome like that).  If you start at the back, there is an image of a fish jumping out of its pond, and the phrase "the how, and when of making it happen", leaping towards the front of the image which has a pile of books, all on a background of lush mountainside.  I know I am plotting a move, I know that I want many things to happen, but I'm not sure how to do any of it.  I also know I have this secret dream of getting my PhD....

21: Child's Play and Abstract Adventure

I stumbled on this amazing community of women who make gorgeous art, and was compelled when they announced an online art journaling course called 21 Secrets.  There is something wickedly decadent about the title, and the course is even better.  I wasn't sure at first (I didn't want to watch videos), and frankly, I can't keep up.  Each class could easily stand on its own and provide months of creative fodder.  The videos are awesome, and I'm totally inspired. And of course, I wanted to share what I've been up to...

21: 3 Little Words

I just started 21 Secrets, an online series of workshops to provide new ideas for art journaling.  Yay!  For all of the classes, I am using an altered book.  I hopeful that I'll be able to look back and remember an exercise or technique and be able to use it as inspiration in the future. 

The book itself is providing me a little bit of frustration:  the book is titled Dracula.  Yes, Dracula.  So peep in the background of my journal pages to see little tidbits on the original (although no Edward) vampire.  I'd like to point out that the word mapping exercise is on top of a map of Transylvania!  Ha, love how those things work out. 

The first class I signed up for is called 3 Little Words.  Over the weekend, I've been playing with words, series of words, phrases, poems, and lots of paint.  And I realized that I forgot something:  I like to write poetry.