Thursday, February 21, 2008

Journal class

Last Sunday was quite a treat. I attended a Journaling class presented by Kelly Kilmer. There is something about "making" these journals that really speaks to me. It gives me great satisfaction to gut one of my old business books and I feel magical as I create new covers and sew in new, fat pages that are thirsty for paint, paste, images and words.

Kelly is very generous with supplies. The amount of paper and images she makes available is nearly overwhelming. One of my struggles has been to allow myself to prepare pages for writing another day. I have a creepy little voice inside that says you must plan the entire page, it must have a theme, etc. In other words, I haven't allowed myself the fun of just going crazy with paint and background material. The problem that creates is that when I am on fire to write, there are no painted pages on which to write.

No more! thanks to Kelly. We had plenty of time and I painted and pasted with wild abandon. Phew! it felt good. Here are two of the pages patiently waiting for my pen. Please note the wickedly raggedy edges of the pages. I cannot begin to tell you how I am drawn to the irregularity of all of this.


Kelly gave us a prompt to capture what was happening that day. To make a great day even better, I was there with two of my daughters. One of whom you all know as Katydiddys. I hope, one day soon, to be directing you to the blog of the other. She is quite an artist and writer herself.

I never realized just how uptight I am about procedure and order until I started all of this art stuff. I brought home the journal I made in class and unconsciously decided that I had to finish the other two I am working in now before I could work in this one. Well, that book just called and called to me. It did not want to wait on the shelf for years like the first journal that Randi
Feuerhelm
lovingly taught me to make. Last night I gave in. This is the page that sort of made itself from some sketches I'd made long ago.

Early this morning there was a 6.0 earthquake in Nevada that was felt here in Southern California. I think it was actually me, opening up and letting go....................!

Here's to living in the moment and as the moment. Wishing wildness to you all.

11 comments:

Kelly Kilmer said...

Laura,

I LOVE your pages! I hope you have the grandest of times and more earth shattering moments working in your new book!! :)

Hope to see you all again! In the meantime, have FUN!

Alison Gibbs said...

Hi Laura what fun to do a class with your girls.
Your pages are fabulous.
It must seem difficult to journal in them all over your lovely artwowrk.
Alison

Anonymous said...

Mom, I love your pages. I had such a good time with you and Katie. It was a really special day.

reinaswan said...

Wow... Amazing art.

Patience-please said...

Oh, that is a lesson I need to learn in the most desperate way. The pages are wonderful.

all the best-
Patience

Tara said...

Laura

How gorgeous--thanks for sharing

Michelle Frae Cummings said...

wow, you've been busy! The journals are great! what a fun class! I love it when the class instructor gives alot of free "extra's" too!

Laura Bray said...

See? I knew I wasn't crazy! I just read this now and I hadn't commented. In bed with baby trying to get some rest. Love, love new journal pages. I wondered what that earth shaking, ear splitting moment was. Congrats on letting go.

MB Shaw said...

Hi Laura,
Thanks so much for posting a link to Art Pub, but how embarrassing that our moderator closed down the group before my contest ended, yikes! Anyhoo, I want to recognize everyone who took the time to comment and add a link. So, if you send me your snail mail address (privately of course) I will send you a little gift. And naturally I would be so thrilled if you wanted to change the link to that of my personal blog which will *not* be deleted anytime soon, tee, hee. http://mbshaw.blogspot.com/
I am currently caring for my father (who just had surgery) but will be back home next week and will mail your treat!
Thanks so much.
Mary Beth Shaw
mbshaw@mbshaw.com
www.mbshaw.com

ps...stay tuned as the ole Artpub gang regroups....

Judy Wise said...

Nice pages - I find them really inspiring. I love the randomness of just putting things together and finding the connections. You do it beautifully. xo

randi said...

Hey I didn't know you took a class with Kelly...she's one of the big boys. Her holes line up and everything.