Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Pagan Art Journaling

After a bit of thumb twiddling when the idea was first announced, I decided to join the 52 Weeks of Pagan Art Journaling at Aradia's Cauldron. If you haven't heard about it, click the link on my sidebar to see what it's all about.

For lack of a better terminology, I am a shameless journal whore. Be it art journals, sketch journals or written journals; I love each and every type and have at least one that I'm working on at any given point. It just so happens that this was the reason why I wasn't going to join this journal fun originally. I've been slacking enough in my massive art journal (which I've hit the official halfway mark of 250 pages in) but as serendipity would have it I found the perfect old book from the 1940's that I got for free at a book sale while cleaning up my shelves. It's small at 4"x6" and only has 141 pages.

Some folks hate that I work in old books, but I'd much rather give them a new life then see them end up in the landfill or the fireplace! So, with no further rambling, here are my first two pages based on Aradia's prompts:


Intention: What are my intentions, what do I hope to get out of this experience?


Heart: What fills my heart? How do I feel about love and how does it relate to my pagan path?

(Why yes, that is indeed an anatomical heart merged with an acorn.)

I've decided to go all art with no collage in this book for two reasons. The first being that I want to keep from stretching and destroying the binding like I did in my other art journal and the second is so that the only things that are put into this book flow freely and entirely from within myself. I'm tackling each of these pages with no preconceived ideas of what I might like to put on them; I lay down a layer of thick acrylic to cover the text (I seem to be out of Gesso) then grab my pencil and just sketch. Once done, I make a sloppy watercolor mess (as watercolor does not absorb into acrylic at all).

So far, I'm really enjoying the project and I fully intend to journal if anything pops into my mind outside of the prompts as well.

Will you be joining in as well?

7 comments:

  1. hmmm. I'm so inspired... but so unsure if I could take the plunge.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I think you already know I'm all in! To be honest I had set the intention to art journal at least once a week, then within three days the 52 weeks of pagan art journaling appeared! I can never say no to serendipity like that!
    So unless circumstances etc prevent it, I will be showing my art journal pages each week and hope that others will be with me showing what their minds are like!
    PS I am wondering if we are on the same wave length, as my art journal for this week also has an acorn in it, with a heart inside, that I had a dream about and so included in my journal... spooky or just co-incidence? You tell me!

    ReplyDelete
  3. You are amazing.

    My "art" is decorating my home with other peoples creations.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I am a journal whore myself... Oh goodness the books I have for several reasons... I must say I am a bit intrigued about this one... will have to check it out.. .love your pages... simply gorgeous

    ReplyDelete
  5. I did IT. Thanks for the inspiration. First journal is up and I'm working on heart now!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Your first pages are just lovely! I like the watercolors over acrylic, very nice look-- and your Dryad-- beautiful! I used a tree theme for my intentions page too. Interesting!

    ReplyDelete