This is the first time this journal has had a public viewing. But I thought it would be useful to share, as spend a lot of time in workshops trying to encourage people to take up the habit of art journaling. Even though I'm now 88 books, and 9 years this week into this, I had to start somewhere. Had to get over the daunting thought that I wasn't good enough to make marks on pristine white paper. Give myself permission to take the time to bring a book alive with my writing and drawings.Take those first brave marks to overcome the voice telling me my work was rubbish. But, what made me do that was a feeling that I had something to say that wasn't being said.
My first journal is full of drawings of my then three-year-old son, it was he that filled my life and filled my pages. He's 12 now and needing me less and less as he grows in independence. I took three months to fill a book back then, now I get through a book a month. These books have provided an anchor when seas were rough, and give me hope now as know that whatever happens I can always create in the face of loss and destruction in the world. So, if you are thinking of taking up art journaling, then please do, make those first marks. After a period of time, if you stick with it, you'll show that you've created something and put something out into the world that wasn't there before. And as the world continues to wobble on its axis, that can only be a good thing. x
Share this post