The Circle--new Moleskine Journal

Yesterday I worked all day on a collection that I had started before the holidays, part two of my
"Midwinter Night Dream in Yellow" . I don't know what it is, I love the color combination of yellow, black, silver/gray, and white. It is just so cheery and refreshing which is needed in our midwinter blah that we (me) are having right about now. It's cold and gray outside (although not as cold and gray as some areas of the country) and I find myself dreaming of the sun beating down on my skin and daisies poking their heads out from a long winter's nap. I need winter, don't get me wrong. I need to slow down, nest, refresh myself and my senses but as soon as January hits, all 10 days or so after winter sets in..lol...I'm ready to go on to the new season! Now I can, through my paintings!

I actually finished the collection although these are NOT the completed shots of the paintings. Since it is WINTER, it was getting too dark at 4:30 when I finished to take the paintings outdoors and photograph. This house is so dang dark, I can barely get a good shot during the brightest of days indoors. grrr

One of my birthday presents to myself this year well, actually bought with birthday money was a NICE Moleskine journal for watercolor painting. I chose the watercolor paper because it's heavier than the sketching journal so it will take collage and acrylics more so than the other.
Let me preface with the fact, I'm not much of a journaler. I like to sketch, draw out ideas, make lists in my sketchbook, but rarely do I incorporate anything that resembles journaling. Now UNDER my paintings I do...but mostly by the time my dear customers or friends see the paintings, the journaling is all covered up for the most part.

I decided that in 2009, I'm going to complete a journal come hell or highwater. It's going to be a stretch for me because I tend to think of my art time as needing to create something of value for someone other than myself and the journal is just for me so it's not a high priority. BUT, it's a good place to practice new techniques, try out new color combinations, and it's a safe place to let the river flow of my feelings out.

As you can see from this picture, I have the journal out as I'm painting. I laid down the extra paint as I went on to new colors in my journal. This is one of my first pages and ohhhhh how scared I was to do ANYTHING to this book!! It's so beautiful in it's pure state, I was afraid I'd somehow ruin it.


I'm not completely sure this is a finished page but its a start. I can always go back, right? Or is that against the rules? Perhaps I need to set some guidelines for my journaling. What does everyone else do? My friend, Pam is giving a 5 week course on journaling if you're interested in trying out some great techniques and in need of some inspiration or guidance. She's a wonderful artist who is an expert on journaling (she has a new article featured in the new art journal publication by Stampington out this month). I'm sure I could learn a lot from her but am holding off taking the class right now because I have a big purchase I want to make in the form of a laptop or desktop or both. Everyone else, run on over though!! You'll find the link to the right on her sidebar. I still may sign up, after all, I did a lot 150 dollars this year for classes in my new art budget. :)

This page is about letting go of a person that has had a hold on my for just about forever. Just when I think I've got things behind me, something else happens and the circle repeats itself, hence the significance of the journaling in the circles. Don't worry, nothing overly dramatic has happened just a little bump in my road. I've learned to not get myself in a tizzy over actions and words of others. You can't control OTHERS, you can only control yourself and your reaction to others. Right? That's what I tell myself, anyway!

I'm going to start a flickr set for my pages just to see how I develop over the year.....so stay tuned for the new and improved pages!

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Don't forget to enter my January giveaway in the post below! All you need to do to enter is leave a comment about your greatest accomplishment in 2008. Easy peezey. If you want an extra entry, then link the post back in a blog post of your own and come back and comment with the link. I love hearing all the great things you accomplished last year!!!! It's good to reflect back and say, I really did do this or that, and be proud of how far you've come!!! I'm always inspired and uplifted by my readers words :) Thank you for sharing your thoughts with me!