I’m so happy to be over Iris’ blog today, where she shares an interview from me.
We both are teachers in the coming online class Radiant Art Journaling and this is very exciting because we have been, her and I, crossing paths for years and years now. So please, head over her blog to know more about what makes me me as an artist (and more ;)). And you can also discover interviews from other of my colleagues in what promises to be a wonderful class <3
I was SO happy when Connie announced that everyone can now join her “30 Journals 30 Days” project.
Everyday, from July 1st to July 30rd, she gathered interviews of Art Journalers from all over the World. Some were beginners, other started a few months ago, and some do Art Journaling for years. This is what makes this project rich as it is. So many stories shared, so many different style, so many different reasons why people journal. It was something I was waiting for everyday this month.
I know I wasn’t the only one that was not-so-secretly wishing to be a part of this project 😉
SO if you want to join, you can ! Connie explains it all in her blogpost (linked earlier in this post). You can see the blogpost with all the links here: 30 Journals 30 Days: YOU.
I started my first journal on July 13rd 2008, so a little more than 2 years ago. But when I started it, I didn’t think it was going to be very “arty” as my intention was to build a Creative Journal (I didn’t know about “Art Journals” at that time, and there is a slim but existing difference between the two).
I have been keeping diaries since 1992, I was something like 7 or 8 years old when I received my first diary as a birthday present; you know, the colourful one with a tiny key. I have bunch of them, filled with thoughts on everyday life and more “profound” sometimes. I glued pictures, items etc so it was more visual. I am an over-thinker, I think so much that it often causes me insomnia (I wish I could have Dumbledore’s Pensieve, trust me !) so pulling words out of my head onto the paper is an effective relief.
I never thought I was an artist, never. I was bad at school in the art class, even if it was a subject I liked and was interested in.
I never was able to draw a face, and still today: the faces I draw are everything but realistic. I take it as a “personal style” and not as a “weakness” thanks to my Journal.
In two years of art journaling, I gained self-confidence. About myself, about who I am, about who I want to become, even about my body.
It helped me setting goals. And it’s the first tool I use on my Healing Path. In my life, Art Journaling goes hand in hand with my Spirituality.
Thanks to Art Journaling, I am becoming an even better ME.
Last Summer, I signed up at Emily Carr (which is Vancouver’s institute of art + design) for a class about acrylic paint (like a 101 class) and learned they have what they call a certificate program: you pay a “entrance” fee, each class seperately when you take it, and you have 3 years to complete a list of precise classes + 48 hours of any other one(s), you have marked and at the end, if you passed everything, you get the certificate. It’s a BIG deal for me.
And Art Journaling helps me to create bounds with wonderful people like anything else did.
I love gesso as it allow me to build great textures, acrylic paint is my “must have”. I discovered Caran D’ache watersoluble crayons (Neocolor II) and I am in love with them ! My palette knives are also a tool I use frequently.
I love Teesha Moore work, it’s so precise and her style is recognizable between thousands.
Lisa Sonora Beam speaks to my Soul, as if her journaling process was making echo somewhere in me (and I deeply suggest her book, if you don’t already have it).
I wish I could hang out with Samantha Kira and journal outside or in a café together. Her videos on YouTube were more than helpful and I love her weekly vlog.
Connie because she makes it simple and intuitive and that’s how I dream to journal: by stopping to overthink it and just enjoying the process.
All began for me thanks to Suzi Blu‘s YouTube channel two years ago.
Donna Downey for the freedom her art journaling inspires me (and I can’t stop but hearing her saying “oooooh this makes me happy” in a giddy voice :D)
I am discovering a lot of awesome Art Journalers, it’s like a big family from all over the World, too many to name them all without unpurposely forgetting someone.
I would like to say that we are ALL artists; it’s just that often, we have a wrong idea of what being an artist really means.
Your journal is YOUR place, you can draw and write whatever you want. You don’t have to eldulcorate your feelings in it. You don’t have to feel this guilt. There is no “right” or “wrong” way of doing it; for example I love putting the date (even when it takes me longer to do and it’s spread on several days) on every pages, so later I can remember it and see the evolution.
No need to buy expensive art supply, but you can if you want. The rule is simple: there is absolutely no rule in keeping an art journal. If you’re affraid of the critique, keep it to yourself or chose wisely with whom you want to share.
The hardest part ? STARTING IT. But I warn you: nothing we’ll be the same after you’d entered the Art Journaling world…
I am revamping my blog and am building a kind of website to “gather it all”: inner-voices.net for the soon-to-be website.
https://inner-voices.net/blog for the english-speaking version of the blog. https://inner-voices.net/fr for the french-speaking version of the blog.
Twitter: @NolwennP
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/InnerVoices.net
My YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/NolwennBC
FlickR: http://www.flickr.com/photos/nolwennp/
I am a young woman born and raised in France during more than 23 years before becoming an expatriate with a husband and two young daughters, in Vancouver (Canada). I’ll turn 25 next September and for me, this is huge and I’m very excited about it.
I was a very creative child but put it aside during teenagehood. I am an avid journaler, I’ve written diaries since I’m 7 or so and writing is really something I need to free my Soul.
I discovered Creative Journaling in 2008 when I was suggested a book by Anne-Marie Jobin (art-therapist from Québec, who is a huge journaler and help people through combining drawing & writing. It’s slightly different that pure “art journaling” as it’s a powerful healing tool, where the “art” part has no aim to be pretty or elaborate.
Art Journaling helped me discovering I am an artist, and I have messages to tell through it; so I also started painting outside the journal and fell into the Mixed Media universe.
I also want to help people through art, even if I still don’t know exactly how at the moment. I know the Power of gratitude and try to help and inspire people thanks to it (that’s why I started my weekly ritual called Gratitude Friday, where I invite people to join and share what they are thankful for each week. A lot of people come to me saying it helps them seeing the bright side of their life and that is changes everything. I am nurturing some projects in this way 🙂