Evolution of an art journal — the art and syllables of Mandy T.

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I am a collaborator … and a story-scribe. That is why I have invited art journaling friends to share images from their art journals. Some posts will include glimpses into their stories, favorite quotes or inspirations — but the focus of this series is visual expression {collage, doodles, painting, photography, music, etc.}. The mission of this series is to present a wide variety of art journal pages — different styles and media, utilized by women from a wide variety of personal beliefs and backgrounds.

Because planning and dreaming {envisioning} what we want for our {wild and precious} lives begins with creative expressions {and excavations}, Braveheart. And our choice of expression is unique and specific to each of us … Dare to experiment with various artistic techniques and discover what you enjoy, what expressions “feel” right for you — what allows you to creatively remove layers and uncover your dream seeds. ~stargardener

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So, art journaling … Something you have always done? What is your practice? {example: times per month/week/day}

Up until a year ago, I’d not considered myself a journaler. The tedium of writing and writing everything that happened that day just didn’t fill me. It felt a bit narcissistic, if I can be so honest. (and probably ironic) When art journaling entered my life, I found a way to not necessarily chronicle the days, but process them. For me, art journaling is more about making sense of things than it is about recording all of it.

I’ve gone through a few cycles in my art journaling experience. There are seasons where I journal every few days, then there moments, like the one I’m in now, where I may fill a few pages in a day. The frequency usually increases in times when I need to climb in my head and sort out the piles of thoughts and emotions that get tossed in there throughout the day.

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How did you first learn about art journaling?

Actually, I first learned from you and Mandy. Both of you simultaneously “opened” your books to me, by encouraging me to take a few tiny steps in to the world of self-care, in the form of art journaling. I was going through a time of uncertainty in my life, with regards to my work, my passions, and my beliefs. So many pieces were shaking and falling off the tree and I needed a way to pick up the clean fruit & toss the rotten fruit.

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In what ways has art journaling proved to beneficial? therapeutic? relational {example: something that introduced you to new friendships/situations}

Art journaling is a sort of secret club. But the funny thing is that it’s not really a secret. I think the dividing line is between people who “get it” and people who don’t. Those of us who “get it” seem to speak a similar language. We understand each other in ways that reach beyond the paints and pages of our journals.

For instance, I’ve had the privilege of teaching art journaling classes in my area, and have introduced art journaling to dozens of men, women, and children. And, within a short while, I can see who “gets it” and who doesn’t. It’s interesting to watch, actually. And the process can’t be forced. They either fall in love with art journaling or they walk away from it.

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How do you typically art journal pages? doodles? collages? handlettering? paint? sketching?

This is an interesting question. For most of my art journaling experience, I’ve preferred a messy mix of acrylics with a collage element or two. My pages were colorful and intense, balanced, with a bit of writing or captioning to bring the concept together, and my joy was in the world of altered books. These were the days where I could spend much time and table-space on a page.

My season of life has shifted and I’ve gone “back to the drawing board” in my art journaling style (haha that was such a bad joke!) Now, I have a very convenient and portable set of supplies. I have a mixed media notebook, and a Koi watercolor travel kit with a few pens and pencils inside it as well. I keep these tucked in my purse. I can art journal anywhere, indoors or outdoors, and I don’t need to wear my “painting clothes” or pull out my self-healing mat to make a page.

I found that there were too many obstacles to my art journaling, in a time in my life where I really, really needed to be art journaling, so I made things a lot simpler. It works. Right now, it works very well.

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What is something you would share with someone who was curious about beginning an art journal?

Be patient with yourself until you find your style. I often remind my students that their pages won’t always look like the examples I show them in class. In fact, I encourage them to experiment with the techniques until they find their own “way” of using them. We each have our own heart language; we just need to learn how to speak it. For example, you and Mandy both lean towards a collage style with choice words & phrases. Even though you have similar elements (scrap pages, stacked words, etc.) I can still take one look at a page and know if it’s from you or from her. You both have distinct styles, and I really like that!

P.S. Mandy and I consider Mandy T. our third partner in The Art Journaler; her love and presence in our lives has changed us in marvelous and mysterious ways {as the three of us say, “yes”…}

	.: about Mandy T. — She is an ever-evolving artist who’s current obsessions include mixed-media and iPhoneography. She fell in love with a preacher ten years ago and they make their home near the Georgia coast, where life is almost always sunshine and rainbows. And she’s learning that faith, much like life, isn’t always sunshine and rainbows. Mandy vulnerably shares her life and faith through various forms of art, be it painting or singing or writing.

Mandy’s artistic expressions …

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