Back in May I started the Get Messy May journaling challenge and while I didn't get very far in that challenge, I did do Kellee Wynne's grid journal class. I was smitten! And I've been making them ever since.
I've been thinking a lot lately about how being an artist requires constant bravery and courage. Not the 'ATTACK!!!' kind but the 'reinvention of self' kind. We are constantly forging new paths, acquiring new skills, honing a critical eye to new-to-us genres, mediums, subject matter. It's a GRIND!
As mentioned in my last post, I've been enjoying making small collages in my small journal.
Limited parameters help my brain SO. MUCH. during my creative process, be it subject matter, materials, colour palette, series of 3 or 5 or 7, I pretty much always limit my options in some way.
Something I've been doing lately in my art practice is make small things: paintings, theraupeutic doodles, collages. I purchased 4 - 4"x6" art journals which may or may not have something to do with this. I love their size and portability. But it is the collages that are really floating my boat at the moment.
Recently I've been embarking on a deep dive into abstract expressionism — intuitive painting — slapping paint on the canvas. And in every piece I've created so far, I come to point where I suddenly realize I'm using a very small brush trying desperately to preserve sections I'm already in love with, already conceptualizing the end product, and in every single case, I am less than halfway finished.
