Conversations in Art Journaling: Writing
For my 4,000 blog post, I thought that I'd try something new. I want to introduce a series that I'm calling, Conversations in Art Journaling. I'd love to discuss thoughts and feelings on art journaling and include you in the conversation!
Over the years my approach to art journaling has varied and changed. From the early days of painting pages and simply writing on them to progressively adding bits of found paper to leaving paint behind altogether for a few years to explore collage to bringing paint back into the picture and seeing how far I can push myself.
One thing that has stayed the same is my desire to be as open and as honest as possible on my pages. It is something that I see many struggling with (including myself at times.)
There are people who don't write on their pages (whether it be out of fear of what they will or won't say. Some fear their own handwriting. That it will "mess it up" in some way.) There are people who use the words of others (quotes, song lyrics, book passages, etc...) for some of the same reasons. They print out quotes and use them on their pages, refusing to add their own thoughts and letting others speak for them.
Why? Why are we so afraid of our own thoughts, ideas and experiences? Why are we afraid to commit pen to paper?
This isn't to say that I don't think that you shouldn't use quotes or song lyrics in your work. Or that you shouldn't use words or quotes cut from books and magazines in your artwork. What if you took these ideas and take them one step further? What if you respond to the song lyrics or quotes? What if you dialogued with that bit of cut out text onto your journal pages?
I love to glean a bit of inspiration from other folks' conversations, book blurbs and more. Yet, when I add them to my journal, I want to add my own experiences, my own musings about why their words are important enough to add to my work. What is it that created a spark that I had to use their words on a page that I created? I also want to use my own handwriting. There's something to be said about putting pen to paper (even when you run out of space, your text isn't straight, your letters are imperfect, your spelling and grammar are off.)
There is something magical, meditative and very present about putting pen to paper vs typing on a computer. There is something imperative about using your own words and ideas in your journal with your own pen.
What's holding you back?
Comments
"Privacy in which to grow deeper into oneself, to my way of observation, seems to be a really under-used power tool for some."
When I work in my art journal, I am looking for connection. Connection with myself as well as connection with others. I have no problem sharing my thoughts, ideas and feelings because of this. I think that sharing my visual as well as written journaling helps to make both myself and others feel less alone. It's my way of reaching out to myself and others and looking for something shared, some shared sense of being human and the experiences and feelings that come with it. I have had many, many people over the years thank me for doing this and I wish that others would feel that they could do the same.
That said, if one is in a place that isn't safe, obviously, there is a concern for privacy as well as safety and discretion is advised. Write first and then paint and collage over your pages but do what makes you most safe if you are in that kind of a position.
Although I can understand where you are coming from, at the same time, if most of us used "privacy as a power tool", the world would be at a loss for the many published journals and diaries that so many of us reach for on a regular basis.
@Karenliz What a gift to yourself and your daughter.