The Secret's in the Seed

So, I DO have a secret to bare... but there's a little sharing behind it first...

I've mentioned previously that I'm participating in a wonderful online art journaling workshop, 21secrets. It's one of those things that just fell from the stars across my screen in a beautiful synchronatic exclamation to a discussion I had just had with my mom the night before  - about art journaling. So I signed up, a little leary about the whole art class online jive, at first. I signed up for 2 reasons – because I desperately needed a recommitment to my own creative source expression, and because I have been so undescribably inspired by the woman behind it, Connie, of Dirty Footprint Studios. And I have no regrets – it is Ah-mazing to be involved with these workshops. They are oiling my gears for things that I've put on hold inside of me for years... a little part of the secret of me, I guess.

So, Connie has a giveaway going on – a drawing based on the sharing of some art journaling "secrets". So, why not share a little secret?

And it just so happens that I DO have a secret I've been keeping lately. One that I find to be directly related to my art journaling. One that is a secret because it makes me feel so vulnerable right now. But I'm moving full force ahead with it anyway.

But, first, I want to say a few things about the art journaling process. I've been an artist my whole life, at varying degrees. An obsessive journaler for as long as I can remember and a keeper of sketchbooks for almost as long. But 'art journaling' was not a label I used for these things. In fact, I'm not sure I ever felt so daring to incorporate into one of these books of mine more than written word, sketches and the occasional taped in image, even in all my years in art school. Man, have I been missing out on the freedom of texture, paint, color, repurposing, hiding, revealing, letting go in our little portable art-diaries... yes yes and more YES!

So I'm hooked, but that's not my secret... And I have some ideas that I can't wait to try that might be of interest to some – maybe you've tried them. Like:

Coaster behind the circle for relief

• using repurposed old file folders in cheapy composition books, glued to pages to give a thick surface (my momma offered me this tip – she is an Ahmazing art journaler herself!)
• using junk mail to make unique book pages and cereal boxes for the covers and following unique templates and bindings – gotta love DIY, hold 'em, feel 'em books, right?
• Painting over those old journals that haunt you with the past... bye bye, weight of it all!
• Repurposing cheap old books for art journals – children's books are a personal favorite for images. I just found one called “Art in Action” that must've been an old art text that is now my new journal for inviting the creative me back into my life!!
• Oooh – you know those plastic netting fruit bags lemons and oranges come in – cut some up for serious texture on pages
• Collecting things that get thrown away when out and about – like coasters from restaurants and bars to add a little relief surface for parts of your pages
• And, I can't wait to do this one – 3D Art Journal Box – a keeper of whatever you wish (wishes, worries, fears, prayers...). Art journal inside and out of that special box, close it up and let it hold these things for you as you see fit. Then you can just let them be in your box (and not bothering you) or burn them on a cleansing day or tie them in a prayer tie and to a favorite tree one day as an offering to the world of your intentions

There are so many possibilities, it's exhilarating. I think the best part is that Art journaling is what you want... and what you need... it to be. Period. There are no expectations, no critiquing, no judging, no sharing if you don't wanna...

just You with You, getting to know You

and creating the You you want to be from the beautiful You you are.

Ah-mazing.

Whether it's a book, a page, a napkin, a photo, a doodle, a video even.

Art Journaling is just the manifestation of the creative YOU.

That being said brings me to my little secret...

You are looking at it.

Right here. This blog. 

it's fresh and new and unchartered territory in my life.

A cyber art journal, if you will – the beginning of my open-paged journey back to me, back to my art and my dreams, the me that is Alive and not just existing.

Wherever it leads me, I'm gonna follow with courage.

I haven't shared it with anyone EXCEPT my 21secrets sisters who have happened to stumble upon it from my 21secrets page. I'm a little shy about it for the moment when it comes to my friends, family and acquaintances, but that will come soon, and I feel soooooo effin' Ah-mazing about it that I know – beyond Knowing – that it is exactly what i'm supposed to be doing right now.

One step at a time I'm building it up, in layers like an art journal page, just as I'm building up my confidence and building the life I'm meant to be living. And everyday, I give it a little love and intention, and it starts to become less of a secret.

And not so intimidating.

Isn't that the amazing thing about secrets

– some our meant to be cherished and held privately –

but some are like seeds, meant to be nurtured and nourished into the light.

Many blessings,

hali ♥