My first art journal entry:)

 I am so glad to finally have embarked on a journey I’ve been longing to begin for more than a year now:)….been pouring over blogs, splurging on books,oggling at artists’ work online and staring at my own amazing collection of acrylics,color pencils,crayons,water colors,sharpies and what not:)….

Guess it’s all been cooking up in my head all this while:)  and now,here we are:)…and it feels good…cathartic:)…..words and images and colors that enhance one’s thoughts and combine to create an unusual language:)…I love it:).

A year of struggling with what to do after the page has been gessoed…..of debating between using acrylics or water colors……images and words to use and paste and how…..what to say:)!!!!Thankfully,it all seems to have come together here and there is so much more that needs to be said and shared and expressed:)…and a need for it all to get better and better all the time:)….thank you for being a witness to my journey:)

Creating an art journal has now turned into an obsession.In these last two years,I’ve bought various kinds of notebooks and sketch books and sketch pens and colored pencils and water colors and brushes and what not and ,lovely books on how to begin and keep journaling….and I have been working in spurts.

Hopefully,now,I have  begun to be a regular at journaling…even though my approach to keeping mine is eclectic…it has addresses,tips,notes,thoughts,doodles and now,thankfully,has begun to have sketches too…

What I have definitely decided to keep at to begin with is doodling in color.I have found that therapeutic and am sure it’ll lead  me to  more ideas and expression styles as we move on…..at it:).

Hope to keep posting my entries off and on….and hope to blog more regularly now…this too is something O would love to do often…hope my Time angels are reading this:)!lol:)!

Conversations:)

The only thing I’ve been at consistently ever since I came back frm the US is making beads…and this is one that I made today.

Initially,my palette of colors was limited to transparent blues and greens and amethyst…more because they are very well behaved:)….and i don;t think there was a consistent pattern/style that the beads cd boast of….now,I’d like to think I’m getting bolder with using color and am more comfortable playing with colors that are loud and happy:)…this chapter of my journey has just begun and I am just so curious to see what kinds of beads will want me to make them in due time:)….

There is a whole family of beads that precedes this one and I will post them soon…..hope to make more of them so there can be some happy earrings and bracelets:)….let’s see:)!

I’d read the quote sometime ago and then I read the book a little while ago:)!..well am still reading it….

The frog’s a metaphor fr the job that needs to be done first thing in the day,even if one finds it terrifying or revolting or….anything that enourages one to procastinate without feeling guilty…and thereby,reducing the possibility of feeling good about having done a major job that’ll take care of a fe others by virute of having been taken care of:)…

Let’s talk about my frog….it’s a whole clan:)!been croaking and staring at me with their pretty bulbous eyes ever since I began working towards getting ready to attend a Silver clay conference and a glass bead gathering in the US…

It is so difficult to choose what to do first and then sit down to do it….in my case,metaphorically,when I pick up one frog to swallow,there are others that promise me the same kind of ,or perhaps even better, nirvana were I to “eat” one of them rather than the one in my hands….” a frog in hand is worth two in the pond”??lol:)!

Some froggies I’ve made meals out of are the charms and the beads I need to take with me…today,I’ve ahad a frog feast:)!

One super sized toad that tells me it’s just a prince waiting to turn the magic on in the pictures I keep promising myself to click and put on the blog:)….still haven’t done that:)….should ,in a bit…..hopefully in a bit:)…the froggie prince will surely be released…it’s just a matter of time….or am I procastinating:)!?lol:)!!

More frogs have been promised freedom from their bodies tomorrow….and hopefully, we will celebrate the feast and the freedom here in a bit:).

Arrivederci:)!

The quest for ideas to create an ideal journal led through many sites online, many books and magazines and and many things to ponder….the desire to jot down ideas fr beads/shapes/colour/designs….anything and everything related to what I do has led me train myself to “see” and render what I see as best as I can and I have realised that this has led me into the amazing world of art journals and journalling….perhaps I will begin making my own journals very soon too…

I am excited about my next trip….for more than one reasons:)…..my journal will go with me:)…..last year,I carried a notebook after I was inspired by an artist friend who kept a separate journal for each trip…and her journal was a delightful treasure trove of notes and ideas and inspiring enough for me to awaken to the concept and magic of keeping a journal….

With time and more research,my insight into journalling has increased…and my journal,the one I use every day, has come alive..with colour and texture and more…and I can’t wait to see how I respond to everything around me when I go travelling:)….

I’m glad I ventured into this zone of creativity and am surprised at the avenues it has opened fr me…and the awareness the process has created:)…..

Yet another instance of the magic that happens when one follows one’s heart:)!

Grazie mille:)!!!

Over the last few months,I’ve been drooling over some amazing books on creative art and art journaling:

Artists’ Journals and sketch books: Lynne Perrella

Collage Unleashed:Traci Bautista

Kaleidoscope: Suzanna Simanaitis

Journal Revolution: Linda Woods,Karen Dinino

The Decorated Journal:Gwen Diehn

A lovely artist I discovered online is Judy Wise.

Besides flipping throught these books off and on,I went around collecting stuff i’d need to create my journals..and luckily,most of it was already there in my studio-a variety of paper,an assorted collection of pens and paints and brushes..the only thing I hadn’t heard of so far was Gesso….well,I had…when i was reading about beaded beads..but that’s another story:)….

Anyways,finally,I diluted some gesso ,picked up a broad brush and went around painting sheets with it in my notepad,my diary,my art journals that I’ve out together using all the reams of fancy paper that’s been waiting for salvation fr quite some time in my studio and I’m ready for the next round:)!

The next round shd see me using acrylics and wax crayons to add layers……let’s see:)…will be here to share the experience as soon things happen:)!

Arrivederci:)!

The course is being conducted by a well trained healer from Holland,Helena Hutte.She told us about how her teacher has a personal garden where these flowers are grown and their essence extracted and poured into bottles personally,without using machines.It just makes it all so personal,and therefore so special:)!

Attending the class was a very fascinating experience.We balanced and cleaned each other’s aura…..learnt how to tune in to one anoher intuitively….did a very interesting “tree” exercise…and used various flower essences intuively to heal one another.

I loved how I felt during the entire process…there was a surge of energy and well-being but there was also a mild exhaustion of sorts…there was so much to process:)!

There is so much one can learn and keep at at all times…it is overwhelming to just try and think of how much there is to learn and explore.

The Flower essences we worked with are not yet available in India….but the exposure to this relatively new realm of healing and therapy has been awesome.

Tomrrow’s a new day….and there’s quite a lot of new things to look forward to in the class…will be back with it all in the evening then:)!

 What finally emerged can only be celebrated tomorrow,when I take them out of their fibre blanket home….but so far,they “feel’ good:)….mottled beads nearly square,quite a friendly shape,with squiggles in white on top….I’ll post the pictures tomorrow.

 It felt much better making  the beads as they inspired rather than fight the spirit and insist on making what “I” wanted to make…it wasn’t happening….ideally,I aspire to make beads that are a perfect shape….to me,that announces a certain mastery of the medium and expression…but to quite an extent,nature chooses otherwise:)….and by the spirit of nature,that  is perfect:)!

 For the time being then,it looks like my beads wanna have some fun:)!….happy,colored eclectic,their own shapes….and my willingness to let go and go with the flow:)!

 So,off to bed early tonight,after a sound session of meditation ( I do that off and on),but from now,it’s meant to be a way of life…and yoga early in the morning…come what may:).

Will begin with this and add more to it in time:)……the idea is to fine tune the mind to a higher level of receptivity of the happy energy of the Universe:).

 Hasta la Vista:) 

 Every day,I promise to come here and write…..think…speak aloud…and every day I go to bed regretting not having done so…not today:)…

 I’m here…and let this note be my mark for today…..I;ve been getting my picture postcards framed and they’re being put up on the walls of my studio……framed postcard collages are glamorous compared to tonnes of postcards plastered on the walls with Blue tack…that’s not too bad an option…only one must keep putting them back when they fall off…

 Anyways,happy times are here:)…..have a huge pile of books to read….ideas to toss around and explore…beads and jewelry to make…and stuff to write….and mull about….

 A friend picked up a very delicate set of earrings and a pendant on a chain today….Carnelian,dyed pearls on/in Silver:)….I am glad the pretties found a loving home….was looking fr a pic to upload here…mi dispiace,niente:(!

 ArrivederLa:)!