#Nanojoumo Day 11 Finding Beauty in Chaos

Finding Beauty in Chaos

Given the events of the past week I decided to exercise creative license and not use all of the prompts for Nanojoumo and do things that talk to me.  I have been very tentative when it comes to collage and abstract painting thinking it had to be perfect and this week has taught me that no matter how hard I may try to put things in place that seem perfect, there will always be something to change my trajectory.

As a result, I am going to spend some time practicing with collage and the art of abstract painting.  Again, this is a way to find ways to express the feelings I have inside of me.  I have struggled for years trying to figure this out mainly because I was too literal.  A tree must be a tree, a flower must be pretty, a face with perfect shading.  I see it clearly now, no one has to see what I see, they can have their own interpretation.  I just have to create it.  whew, the weight of a 10 ton whale just lifted off my shoulders.  Who know where this will lead.

Year 67 is going to be great.

#Nanojoumo Days 7-10 All I Have to give you is my heart

My Heart

This spread covers a few days.  I actually worked on over a four day period because I wanted it to say something in light of the events of this week.  I had to get quiet and go within to think about my feelings and how I could translate them into something positive.  Something that would not fall into depths of despair and anger.  

There is some things I need to think about before I address them, it may be in words or it may be in art.  I am just not sure which way it will go because there are words and feelings in me that need to come out.  

#Nanojoumo Day 6

I am a day behind and that is ok.  This has been a busy time for me, but I am still keeping up with doing some kind of art daily.

Quirky Bird - Being Me

Sometimes I feel like this bird, quirky and not part of the norm.  That is ok because I am accepting who and what I am.  I am just being me.  it is a privilege to have art as a release and a way of expression.  I am just learning to appreciate this wonderful privilege.  Knowing that I do not have to be like anyone else, that I can keep learning every day how to use art to heal and express.  How blessed am I?

Also including a copy of my other art project today, putting up my Christmas Village

My Christmas Village.

#Nanojoumo Day 5 - Rosy Cheeks

Rosy Cheeks

This is the first time in a long time that I have done a face.  I am still very insecure (and it is all in my head) when it comes to painting faces; however, I think I am going to practice more.

#Nanojoumo Day 4 - Smashing Pumpkins

Yesterday's painting was a coloring book page combined with a painted background.  Today's is an original painting using acrylic paint and a simple idea.  The one think I appreciate about this challenge is that you can use a wide mixture of media.

My second takeaway is that I am doing this for fun and to establish my daily art practice.  I am learning to be vulnerable and to take that vulnerability to the page.

Third, this month is about fun, I just want to have fun.

Pumpkins Running Away

#Nanojoumo Day 3 - Fashionable

Fashionable

Ok, I really had fun with this one. I was looking through magazines for an image to use as collage fodder for this prompt when I happened upon this gorgeous page in Flow Magazine.  The paper in flow is very thin so I copied it on card stock because I wanted to paint the lady.  I used Derwent Inktense Block for painting and glitter gel pens for shading.  The shading process was color a line and then smear with finger while wet.  The background around my lady is painted with adirondack ink from an ink pad using stencil brushes.  The page that it is glued to was finger painted with acrylic paint.

One thing I like about Nanojoumo is the ability to use many different types of media while creating journal pages.

Until tomorrow.

#Nanojoumo Day 2 Prompt In Bloom

A Bee can never resist a flower in bloom

Today was a real adventure,  I am trying to learn and get comfortable with layering and blending in the colors.  In fact that should be one of my goals for the next 30 days.  I am getting much better drawing flowers.

What will tomorrow bring.

#Nanojoumo day 1 up in a tree.

Up in a Tree

New challenge for the month of November.  Not sure if I am going to be able to complete a painting every day because I have a lot of projects for this month, but I will be posting something as often as possible.

I love NANOJOUMO which means National non-stop journaling month. This is one of my favorite challenges.  My journal is an altered yearly journal I purchased in Italy two years ago.

See you soon....