"And the Story is Happening" by Sabrina Ward Harrison

I was so happy to find that my local Dick Blick had copies of Sabrina Ward Harrison's new book, And the Story is Happening. I have almost all of her books (one of these days I would love to get her self published books but the cost has been out of my budget for awhile.) Her books are pure eye candy and very inspirational. Her latest offering, while not like Spilling Open, Brave on the Rocks or Messy Thrilling Life is also wonderful to look at but the buyer should be aware that it is a made to work in journal. It is along the lines of The True and The Questions. It has pages with layers of paint, pages of photographs, pages with handwritten prompts scrawled across them (I love Sabrina's writing.) It is an entirely made for you book ready for YOU to add YOUR personal touch. There is also an envelope full of collage ephemera at the beginning of the book (I photographed some of it above.) 

I won't be working in it. I have a very, very hard time working in a book that hasn't been made by my own hands. However, I will be adding it to her other books on my shelf ready for a moment of inspiration whenever I am in in need of it!

Some things that I have heard from my students and friends that Sabrina's work inspires them to:

Take more photographs

Play with their handwriting

Be more honest on their journal pages

Play with color

Play with collage

Open their eyes to color, shape, line and to actually SEE inspiration in the world around them

One thing that most folks should be aware of is that her work, while being offered as an art journal, her pages are actually tweaked. She went back in and reworked pages, etc... They are not journal pages as in the sense of, "here's my book, take any part you need as is" but rather, made for publication, tweaked pages (I met her at Vroman's in Pasadena when Spilling first came out. She discussed this and has also mentioned it in a few articles as well.) In a time where folks are worried about perfect pages, you need to realize this. YES, her pages are lovely, amazing and totally inspiring but they have been reworked for publication. 

This is something that I keep telling my students. Please, please, please stop comparing your work to what you see in books and magazines. Make it for YOU. Don't worry about what everyone else is doing. Don't compare. Push yourself and keep trying. Don't give up. Work your pages and with time, practice, trial and error they will sing of YOU. I am quite sure that is what Sabrina did. I know for sure that that's what I am still doing and hopefully you are, too! 


Hopefully Sabrina's latest offering will inspire you to pick up your scissors, glue stick, pens and collage materials and get working on your own messy, imperfect, brave, thrilling and uniquely yours life!