Getting Started With Sketchbooks

Sketchbooks can become a safe haven for artists and creatives, a place to explore their innermost thoughts and feelings, and any wild ideas. They are a sanctuary of pure freedom where there are no rules to follow. A sketchbook provides a space for trying out new techniques, experimenting with different materials, and exploring any spark of creative inspiration.

In order to maintain a free flow of self expression, avoid any tendency to view the pages as precious. This means not putting pressure on yourself to create perfect, polished pieces of art. Instead, use your sketchbook as a place to play and experiment, releasing any internal judgments or criticism. Your sketchbook is your personal space. Make it your own. And nobody else ever has to see it if you don't want them to.

The development of a sketchbook is a process, YOUR process, which will evolve over time. So be present in the now and invite your inner kid to play with you. Scribble, draw, paint, collage, or do whatever makes your heart flutter.

To get started, ask yourself what materials you enjoy using or would like to try. Consider what types of marks make you feel good, and what colors make your soul sing. Also, think about what "crazy" ideas you could have for your sketchbook that would make you giggle within.

When it comes to choosing a sketchbook, there are many options available. Some people prefer spiral-bound sketchbooks with perforated pages, while others may opt for a bound sketchbook with thicker paper. Choose a sketchbook that feels comfortable for you and suits your creative needs. A local art supply store is a great place to explore the many sizes and options available.

Here are some of the sketchbooks that I have enjoyed using over the past few years:

Bee Paper Company Pads

Bee Paper Company Super Deluxe Mixed Media Pads: This handles any media I’ve used, including acrylic paints and I’ve even added stitching to many of the pages. It has acid-free paper and the cover is a heavy duty cardboard. I keep coming back for more.

The Bee Company makes a wide variety of pads, including: Bee Paper Co-Mo Heavyweight Sketch Paper Pad which you might prefer… acid-free and for use with pencil, pen and ink, crayon, chalk, charcoal, and light washes.

Canson Mixed Media Book XL

Canson Mixed Media Book XL: This is a hard covered, wire-bound sketchbook with heavyweight paper that can handle a variety of wet and dry media. I’m a real fan of these books. In fact I am planning to buy a new sketchbook for drawing and I want it to be a Canson.

Two concertina sketchbooks with a different number of pages

Hahnemuhle Zig Zag Sketch Book A5: This is an accordion style pad with 18 sheets of acid free, watercolor paper. I bought it by accident when I really needed a concertina book with many more pages. But I was so glad to have this sketchbook with much fewer pages later on to play with inks, collage, and acrylics.

What I was wanting at the time, was the Seawhite Concertina with 35 pages on each side which would give me a total of 70 pages. I did manage to find one on Ebay, in the size I was looking for (around 8” x 5-1/4”). Amazon has a larger sized book (8.3” x 11.7”) HERE.

Feel free to send me any questions you may have and enjoy your sketchbook explorations.

All About Books

I grew up loving books and loving to read. As a tiny tot, I thought the most amazing thing anyone could ever do was to be an author. Books were truly magical. And before I knew how many books there were in the world, my goal was to read them all. By the time I was 10, I wanted to write children’s books and even had an idea for my first book. Years later, I did finally write and illustrate a book for my niece when she was born.

So, books have been part of my DNA all my life and it’s no wonder that in 2016 I began creating paintings with books attached to the surface of the painted canvas.

Now, as I await the launch of the Creative LifeBook on Wednesday, I find myself reflecting on how I have somehow managed to experience the joy and delight of being involved in a handful of book projects through the years (even when my primary focus has been on painting). These have so satisfied my original and foundational desires. And as I reflect on all of this, I thought I would share my published book history:

Back in the 1990’s, I collaborated on the creation of the Lakota Sweat Lodge Card: Spiritual Teachings of the Sioux (card deck and book). This endeavor became a reality through the teachings of Archie Fire Lame Deer, the tenacity of Helene Sarkis, and the beautiful words of Ann Louise Goulene.

In 2012, I was inspired to produce and publish The Gratitude Habit: A 365 Day Journal and Workbook. For several years, The Gratitude Habit had lots of success on Amazon and it even spent some time on the top 100 list of books in Happiness.

So, in 2015, I followed that up by creating and publishing Parenting The Gratitude Habit: a journal and resource for fostering gratitude in your heart, home, and family. And recently, I found my notes for a third book in the series, which I was too busy painting to complete.

Now, it’s 2023, and I am so grateful to have stumbled into an amazing book project with an impressive and supportive community on the Creative LifeBook. I so appreciate Jessica Hughes vision for this book and her remarkable ability to make this collaborative effort a reality.

NOTE: The Creative Lifebook became an Amazon bestseller in 23 categories and in 5 countries shortly after it launched. It is now available in Kindle and in paperback editions. Soon to be out in hardcover as well.

Threads in Art

I love to use threads in my artwork, to have them appear as lines of stitching on cloth, and to watch them hang down below the defined border of a canvas. I love when they become another element in a painting as a jumble of tangled strings or simply provide texture on the surface below a layer of paint.

One of my friends on Instagram asked me the following question… Do the threads have meaning for me, do they represent something or symbolize something?

This is my answer… I am so attracted to the look and movement of threads, the way they meander and flow. For me, their meaning shifts depending on the specific piece of artwork.

In general, at the core, they are the threads of our connection to one another, to all life on the planet - past, present, and future, and to the Divine. They are the threads of a prayer shawl and those in the tapestry of life. They are the link that bind us to our collective history, to the pictographs and cave paintings, to the philosophers of ancient Greece and the builders of the pyramids. They are our heart connections and the very threads that pull at our heart strings.

And like the magnificent underground network of mycelium that enables communication between plant life, threads represent the unseen connections between all living things.

New Beginnings

“Opening to the Next Chapter” 18” x 18” Acrylic Mixed Media on Canvas

New Year, New Beginnings

I recently completed a painting for the New Beginnings show at Pajaro Valley Arts. I not only want to share images of the painting and it’s parts, but I’m also here to share the words that have been incorporated into the painting. The concept, words, and construction were all created in tandem. 

When I first heard about the show’s theme, I immediately wanted to incorporate a book into the painting I would create. That’s when I began to ponder the concept that as a new year begins, we are just starting to write the next chapter of our lives. The painting is titled, “Opening to the Next Chapter” and it is built with a cloth folded open to reveal the place to begin writing that new chapter.

As I began to develop the canvas and the pieces that would become part of the whole, I wrote. I wanted to clarify and understand the concept that I was building the painting around. And in the end, I included quite a bit of text into the work… much of it hidden under paint or cloth. I thought I would share some of it here along with images of the whole and it’s parts. 

These are the words that can be found under the piece of cloth on the left side of the painting: 

This is your past. You know what it holds. It no longer exists except for the place you choose to give it in your mind, in your memories. And you may add layers to it from a new perspective, from a different vantage point. You may try to hold onto some of the past with a firm grip while letting others fade away. As you stand in your now, with the new pages before you, can a firm grip on the past impede your ability to write your new chapter? Your new chapter begins today. What lies ahead?

Here are some details images of “Opening to the Next Chapter”

And if you are in the area, visit the show. It is filled with fabulous and fascinating pieces of art from local artists.

Pajaro Valley Arts Annual Membership Show
NEW BEGINNINGS - Exhibit dates: Jan. 18 – Feb. 26, 2023

Opening Reception: Sunday, January 22, 2023
from 2:00PM – 4:00PM

Location: 37 Sudden Street, Watsonville, CA
Gallery Hours: 11.00AM – 4:00PM
Open: Wednesday – Sunday

MASKS ENCOURAGED

2023 Digital Calendars

I’m here to share a new offering and a new experience for me. I created my first digital products, which led to me capturing my very first QR code. Maybe QR codes are an old concept for many, but although I have seen them around, I’ve really never known how to use them, and certainly never created one. So this has been a big deal for me. It’s like stepping into a new dimension that I’m finding super cool.

About the Offer…

There are TWO 2023 DIGITAL CALENDARS to choose from. Each one comes with 14 printable pages and is filled with art and quotes… including a cover page, 12 monthly pages, and the full year at a glance on the final page. The calendars display cropped images from one of two painting series… the Music in Art series fills one of the calendars and the more recent Affirmations & Meditations paintings are found in the other. 

Pages can be printed on your home printer or viewed on your desktop. So, pick a calendar for $6.97 and you’ll receive the printable PDF in your inbox. Scroll down to view images of some of the pages. To learn more, scan the QR code or CLICK HERE.

From the Affirmations & Meditations Calendar

from the Music in Art Calendar

Wishing you a very Joyous Holiday Season and a Happy New Year!!

A 12 Piece Painting Exercise

Just beginning the 12 works on paper

Earlier this year, I began playing with 12 small pieces of watercolor paper (8” x 8”). I taped the group to the closet door in the studio and started with ink lines, scribbles, watercolor pencil and a bit of paint. I wrote a word at the top of each of them and added a related quote in pencil.

Last year, I did a series of 12 Meditations and wanted to create something similar this year.

Ready to take them down and work on them one by one.

I continued to work on them as a group, using charcoal and an orange water soluble Woodie. Then it was time to take them off the wall and complete them individually.

Although each piece began with a word and a quote, I had no intention for those words to influence the paintings. My expectation was for the words/quotes to partially or fully disappear under the paint.

The pieces developed individually based on their initial marks and lines. I played with layers of paint and colored pencils, and chose circles and shapes from a growing collection of pre-cut papers.

I’ve completed 9 of the 12 so far, with 3 more to go.

Wholeness - The 3rd one completed

These will each be matted and available for purchase on the website. Contact Me for more information.

You may also be interested in:
The 12 Painting Meditations

5 Quotes on the Nature of Art

Rick Rubin quote

It has been a few months since I posted a series of Art Quotes. This group of 5 includes quotes on the relationship between art and nature, and on the very nature of art itself.

I’ve included quotes by:

Rick Rubin (record producer)
Scott Adams (Dilbert creator, cartoonist and author)
Neil Gaiman (author of novels, short stories, comic book series and more)
Anais Nin (diarist, writer of essays, short stories and more)
Saint Francis of Assisi, who needs no introduction (Italian Catholic friar)

“The power of nature is such that it’s what all art strives to be. The more we can get in tune with the harmony of the planet, the more our art can benefit from that relationship.”

~ Rick Rubin

Scott Adams quote

“Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep. ”

— Scott Adams

Neil Gaiman quote

“The world always seems brighter when you’ve just made something that wasn’t there before. ”

— Neil Gaiman

Anais Nin quote

“It is the function of art to renew our perception. What we are familiar with we cease to see. The writer shakes up the familiar scene, and, as if by magic, we see a new meaning in it. ”

— Anais Nin

Saint Francis of Assisi quote

“He who works with his hands is a laborer. He who works with his hands and his head is a craftsman. He who works with his hands. his head, and his heart, is an artist.”

— Saint Francis of Assisi

NOTE: On the Anais Nin quote, I added (or artist).

You may also be interested in:
5 Art Quotes to Inspire
5 Quotes by Famous Artists
5 Art Quotes by Audrey Flack

Connection and Disconnection

Threads of Connection and Illusion of Disconnection are two of my recent paintings. They are currently hanging in the tri-gallery “This is Now’ show at Curated by the Sea, in downtown Santa Cruz. The show is being held in partnership with Arts Council Santa Cruz, and showcasing the artists of the Visual Arts Network. It focuses on works created within the past two years that relate to current issues in our world.

First Friday reception April 1st, 6 pm - 8 pm
with live jazz music

About the Paintings: Although we think of ourselves as individuals, separate from one another, we are all connected through an intricate web of energetic threads. We are like single cells that come together to form the whole organism. Our actions, reactions, thoughts, and beliefs are not isolated within our small piece of the world but emanate out in unseen ripples to all. This was never more apparent to me than at the beginning of the pandemic when the worries and concerns of the collective unconscious seemed to be present in air. Meanwhile, in recent years we’ve seen an increase in a mentality of separation, an exaggeration of our differences, and an avoidance of finding common ground.

“Threads of Connection”

So, as soon as I heard the theme for This is Now, I wanted to create a pair of paintings around the concept of our connection to one another and the illusion of separateness we experience.“Threads of Connection” and “Illusion of Disconnection” were painted in tandem, stepping them through the process of development together, side by side. 

“Illusion of Disconnection”

In “Threads of Connection,” the cloth cut-outs on the top layer have been connected like a web, with each of the holes tied to all of its adjacent cut-outs. There are two quotes that reference our connections. One is by Martin Luther King and the second is from Mitch Albom.

With “Illusion of Disconnection,” the cut-out squares from the upper layers of painted cloth seem to hang in their separate spaces yet they are still connected, by the red threads, to the whole. I’ve placed the words of Albert Einstein in the painting, present but barely seen under the paint.

Show will be closing on
Saturday, April 9th.

Curated by the Sea:
Address: 703 Front Street, Santa Cruz
Hours: Thursday through Saturday noon - 4 pm

2021 Reflections

Cropped images from the concertina sketchbook pages

As I write this, the new year is just hours away. For the past couple of weeks I’ve been reflecting on all that happened (and didn’t happen) in 2021… and considering potential plans and intentions for 2022.

Simplicity pages with ink, papers, cloth, and acrylic on paper.

Last year, I entered 2021 with several ideas for the creative projects I was excited to delve into. 2020 had felt like a slow, never ending experience. And although I had lots to show for it, after spending an abundance of time immersed in exploration, I longed to get back to “my artwork” and the materials and paintings that fed my soul. I had an idea of what that looked like and what that meant. What I didn’t anticipate was another year of exploration and a concertina sketchbook experience that would change the trajectory of my year in art.

I may set artistic intentions, but I learned long ago that my greatest intention is to go with the natural flow of my creative spirit. I know that one artistic adventure leads to the next and they each become stepping stones to all that’s created in the future. Allowing that flow is probably at the foundation of all of my work. It’s like being carried forward with limited vision of where I am headed but also infused with ideas and imagination. The most important place to be is in the here and now, fully immersed in the painting project of the moment… because what I’m doing now is a building block for what will emerge next… and next… and next.

Cropped images of the Elements series.

So, the process of exploring the pages of the concertina sketchbook project carried me into a whole new world of exploration. And although I will enter 2022 with a list of potential painting projects, I am excited to see where the creative flow will lead and what will unfold within the next 12 months in the studio.

Wishing you a Happy New Year
and a fabulous
life adventure that
unfolds in beautiful ways
for you in the coming year.

You may also be interested in:
Concertina Sketchbook Project
Inspired by Concertina Sketchbook Pages
Inspired by Concertina Sketchbook Pages - Part 2
Series of Transition

5 Art Quotes by Audrey Flack

I became familiar with Audrey Flack many years ago when I attended an art educators conference. At the time I was an art teacher/art therapist for a small program of vision impaired multi-handicapped kids. 

Audrey Flack is an American artist who pioneered the art of photorealism. Her book, Art & Soul: Notes on Creating, is packed with quotable statements. Both her artwork and her words have been an inspiration to many artists through the years.

“The act of painting is a spiritual covenant between the maker and the higher powers. The intent of the artist flows through the work of art, no matter what the technique or style.”

Audrey Flack quote #1

Audrey Flack quote #2

“When you're in the studio painting, there are a lot of people in there with you. Your teachers, friends, painters from history, critics...and one by one, if you're really painting, they walk out. And if you're really painting, you walk out.”

Audrey Flack quote #3

“I believe in the energy of art, and through the use of that energy, the artist's ability to transform his or her life, and by example, the lives of others.”

Audrey Flack quote #4

“I do know that the process of art is a series of jolts, or perhaps I mean volts, for art is an extraordinarily faithful transmitter. Our job is to keep our receiving equipment in good working order.”

Audrey Flack quote #5

"True art puts you in touch with that part of yourself that knows the truth."

You may also be interested in:
5 Art Quotes to Inspire
5 Art Quotes by Famous Artists
5 Quotes on the Nature of Art

Circle Trios

“Expansive” 8” x 10” acrylic mixed media on canvas

“Meditations No. 6” 4-1/2” x 6”. Mixed media on paper

As I recently looked back on my use of Circles over the years, I noticed how often I’ve created works with three circles in a row. The imagery of the three circles is so reminiscent of a stack of stones and the beauty of the way they connect.

Where the circular shape, in itself, carries a simplistic expression of peace and wholeness, the threesome seems to portray a bit of drama. Like the stones, the image seems to have the unsettling possibility of looking like it could topple over.

Recent paintings and sketchbook pages with the image of the 3 circles.

You may also be interested in: The Circle: a Meaningful Symbol

5 Art Quotes by Famous Artists

Joan Miro quote

Last month I posted 5 Art Quotes to Inspire. This time I’m sharing quotes from well known artists. And you may find that many of them are just as inspirational.

Artists have a unique perspective on the world… and you can see it, not only in their work, but in their words as well. These quotes provide a momentary glance into their thoughts and the way they saw their work and the world.

I’ve included quotes of Miro, Kandinsky, da Vinci, and O’Keefe.

“You can look at a picture for a week and never think of it again. You can look at a picture for a second and think about it all your life.”

~ Joan Miro

Wassily Kandinsky quote

“The artist must train not only his eye but also his soul.”

~ Wassily Kandinsky

Leonardo da Vinci quote

“The painter has the Universe in his mind and hands.”

~ Leonardo da Vinci

Georgia O’Keefe quote #1

“I often painted fragments of things because it seemed to make my statement as well as or better than the whole could.”

~ Georgia O’Keeffe

Georgia O’Keefe quote #2

“Whether you succeed or not is irrelevant. There is no such thing. Making your unknown known is the important thing.”

~ Georgia O’Keeffe

You may also be interested in:
5 Art Quotes to Inspire
5 Art Quotes by Audrey Flack
5 Quotes on the Nature of Art

The Circle: A Meaningful Symbol

Some of the circles that have shown up in my art in the past 1-1/2 years.

Day 15 of 30 day sketchbook project

The circle has been a reoccurring theme in my artwork through the years. My first “real” painting that established my own artistic style, back in high school, was designed around two overlapping circles. Since then, the shape has shown up in different forms and in a number of series of paintings… mandalas and landscapes, in paint and collage, as closed circles and open.

Last summer, during the 30 day sketchbook challenge, I became reacquainted with this meaningful shape and all it can represent. I went from playing with a shape to connecting with it on a much deeper level. And with that, a bridge was created between my recent artwork and the work of the past. I felt empowered by a renewal of meaning in having these circles appear in my paintings.

Happy Birthday in Phoenician - acrylic mixed media on paper. 6” x 9”

The symbol of the circle holds so much meaning. Circles are our connection to the whole within us and to the whole of humanity, to all living things… the circle of life… our Oneness.

This unending  shape without a beginning and end, has been used by cultures throughout time. It is thought of as a sacred symbol and used to symbolize the cosmos and heaven. Circles have been used to represent the cycles of life, the seasons, and the unending nature of time itself.

I’ve found both comfort and meaning in this reintegration of circles into my artwork. It is likely to be a recurring element in the future as in the past.

Meditations #1 - acrylic mixed media on paper. 4-1/2” x 6”

“Meditations No. 4” 4-1/2” x 6”. Mixed media on paper

Series of Transition

“Release” 8” x 10” acrylic mixed media on canvas

I’ve begun a series of small paintings that seem to be a bridge between where I’ve been and where I’m headed. As a group, they’ve become transition pieces, with each painting carrying me closer to where I want to be. My creative explorations of the past couple of years have introduced me to a wide range of artistic experiences. Now it’s time to return to the work I feel most connected to.

“Cycles” 8” x 10” acrylic mixed media on canvas

The Inspiration: I’ve been reading the Artist’s Rule, a book that combines an internal exploration of monastic practices and art practice. With each chapter, I’ve designated a concept, with one word for what’s coming up for me on those pages. Then I create a small painting in response. So far I’ve completed 6 chapters of the 12, with the idea of devoting one week to the concept, artwork, writings, and reflections on each chapter. I’m getting so much out of this experience and the creation of the series has become a journey in itself.

Since these paintings came to life as a tangent of the prior series of Elements, they will join that series as something of a larger body of work. My recent paintings have elements of this past year’s experiences and some of the old is beginning to show up.

You may also be interested in:
My Artist’s Path: in Words and On Canvas
Inspired by Concertina Sketchbook Pages

“Now” 8” x 10” acrylic mixed media on canvas

“Essence” 8” x 10” acrylic mixed media on canvas

5 Art Quotes to Inspire

Quote to Inspire #1

For several years, I’ve been placing quotes into my paintings. Many of them are words of wisdom from the sages of our past… words that inspire. This year, I began keeping a collection of quotes about art and creativity… words of all ages and times. Some I’ve saved on slips of paper for many years. A number of them are new finds. 

And I’d like to begin sharing them here with you. 

This first collection of quotes have an inspirational or spiritual view of the art process or the art itself. They reference the broader connections beyond what we see with our eyes. 

“Art is standing with one hand extended into the universe and one hand extended into the world, and letting ourselves be a conduit for passing energy.” ~ Albert Einstein

Quote to Inspire #2

Quote to Inspire #3

“Art is a step in the known toward the unknown.”

~ Kahlil Gibran

“Art is a collaboration between GOD and the artist. And the less the artist does the better.” ~ Andre Gide

Quote to Inspire #4

Quote to Inspire #5

“To practice any art, no matter how well or badly, is a way to make your soul grow. So do it.”

~ Kurt Vonnegut

“Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time.”

~ Thomas Merton

You may also be interested in:
5 Art Quotes by Famous Artists
5 Art Quotes by Audrey Flack
5 Quotes on the Nature of Art

My Artist's Path: in Words and on Canvas

“Path” 8” x 10”. Acrylic, papers, cloth, pencil, gesso on canvas

This three stanza poem and the concepts behind the words were the inspiration for the painting I share here. “Path” is the fourth in a group of small works inspired by one of the chapters in the book, Artist’s Rule by Christine Valters Paintner. After reading a chapter, I focus on a specific concept, designate a single word to associate with it, and then create a painting with that focus in mind. This canvas was created to reflect something of the give and take during the creative process; between myself, the creation, and in collaboration with the Divine whispers. It becomes a beautiful dance.

Although I usually incorporate the words of others in my paintings, I’ve chosen to include a quote of my own words in this one. The handwritten words of the first stanza of this poem are barely seen within the painting. Here is the full poem:

“Path” a detail closeup

“There is a beautiful dance
Between the creative spark and the creation
Listening to the messages and direction
This is my artist’s path

Between the creative spark and the creation
Myself as an ongoing work in progress
This is my artist’s path
Becoming an active and visual process in creating me

Myself as an ongoing work in progress
Listening to the messages and direction
Becoming an active and visual process in creating me
There is a beautiful dance”

“Path” a detail closeup

“Path” a detail closeup of texture

You may also be interested in: Series of Transition
Inspired by Concertina Sketchbook Pages

Dancing as Process

Reorganized studio gave me more space to dance!

Dancing had always been a part of my painting process… turning up the music, moving my body and flowing with paint on canvas… that was my process for years. But for the past few years dancing has been a thing of memories. Maybe it was effected by grief from loss of loved ones and then came Covid?

Painting, Music, and Joy… Gotta Dance!!

But as I write this, the music is up loud, there’s paint on my brush, and joy is welling up inside of me. And there’s nothing else to do but dance! Once again, this cherished part of my creative process is back in my life and present in the studio. I love the energy and flow that’s created when my whole body is engaged and I’m so happy to be reacquainted with the joy it brings me.

Earlier this summer, I spent time reorganizing the studio, with the goal of opening up the space. Not only did I get the space I was craving, but now there’s more space to dance while I paint. Yahoo!! And I feel like the external space has helped create more space within… more room for the light to shine.

Inspired by Concertina Sketchbook Pages - Part 2

Concertina Sketchbook Pages

In art as in life, each step I take leads to the next. The Concertina Sketchbook course I took led to a series of artworks on paper and on canvas. Then the process I used to create the first layer of a few of the canvas paintings inspired the concertina sketchbook I’m sharing here today.

Concertina Sketchbook Pages

I had fun filling the pages of this small concertina with ink drips, collaged circles, sheet music, raw canvas and dress pattern paper. Although I originally thought I might add some acrylic paint, I decided to leave the pages with a more minimalist look. So, no paint. I did decide to add some asemic pencil writing in just a couple of places. The pencil was chosen to avoid the permanence of a pen. I ended up so happy with the gentle softness of the pencil marks and how they added to those pages.

Now, I want to create more like what I have here and find a way of merging this concept with a new series I’ve had planned.

You may also be interested in:
Inspired by Concertina Sketchbook Pages
Concertina Sketchbook Pages

Concertina Sketchbook Pages

Work in Progress, the inspiration (on canvas) for this Concertina Sketchbook

Inspired by Concertina Sketchbook Pages

When I completed the Concertina Sketchbook project, my head was filled with ideas for two new painting series that delighted my heart. I expected to dive right into the new work. Instead, I continued to play with the images that came together on the pages of that concertina. In the past couple of months, my focus has been on inviting inspiration from that sketchbook before moving forward into the new projects. My intention was to gain greater comfort and flow with the concertina processes in order to combine my old methods with the new.

First, I played with similar materials and techniques on paper and completed four studies. I chose a few of the sketchbook pages for reference and began laying down similar marks, elements, and collage pieces, followed by paint.

2nd of four works on paper

3rd of four works on paper

4th of four works on paper

“Renewal” Acrylic, paper, pencils, and cloth on canvas. 11” x 14”

Then I moved onto canvas and began a small series of paintings, called Elements, to explore similar marks, shapes, and materials. Currently, four have been completed with the 5th in process. I’m not sure how much further I will take this series since I haven’t made a real commitment to it. I’m just taking one step at a time.

I’m thrilled to be working on canvas once again (after spending so much time on the sketchbook and the above works on paper).

Sometime soon, I will move on to play with the larger body of work that’s been waiting in the wings. It’s been waking me up each morning with images and ideas. But at the moment, I’m willing to see what develops from here.

“Dichotomy” Acrylic, ink, paper, pencils, and cloth on canvas. 11” x 14”

“Levels” Acrylic, ink, paper, pencils, and cloth on canvas. 11” x 14”

“Synchronicity” Acrylic, ink, paper, pencils, and cloth on canvas. 11” x 14”

You may also be interested in: Series of Transition

Concertina Sketchbook Project

Back in February, I began a 6 week course with Karen Stamper on developing a concertina sketchbook. It was a journey of discovery, stretching my comfort at many points along the way, as I became immersed in a process and flow that was new to me.

At first, we filled the pages with marks, using pencils, inks, charcoal, pens and more. I so enjoyed playing with the ink, particularly when blowing on wet ink to create meandering lines. In the process of adding collage elements, I felt like I was able to start making the pages my own, especially when adding the cut circles.

Just beginning to add color. Surrounded by materials on the large work table.

The studio has never been as messy as it was during that project. The table was covered with every mark making tool I own. The floor was covered with the vast array of papers and collage possibilities… photos, magazines, maps, dress patterns, sheet music pages, and bags of the art papers collected over the years. I even found the texture boards and alternative brushes I had made years ago for my daughter’s elementary school class. I used the one with feathers to drag wispy lines of ink across the pages.

Then it came time to paint the marked up pages. Yay!! But before I began to paint, I searched for hidden compositions with my handy dandy cropping tool... an old mat, cut at the corner.

Adding the finishing touches to the first pages.

Once I realized I had been treating these sketchbook pages as if they were too precious, I chose a section, took a deep breath, and I was able to enjoy adding paint. I let go of the preciousness and got comfortable developing areas, redoing others, and covering up full sections. Some pages became pretty busy with additional collage elements and paint, while others were left fairly simple.

Since completing the concertina sketchbook, I’ve been continuing to play with the images, processes, and ideas that took shape on those pages, in order to get more out of this experience before moving on. Although it feels as if I’ve been on an adventure, traveling far from my way of working, I’ve had the opportunity to grow and expand my choices in the future. As I prepare to explore the new work that’s now tugging on my sleeve, I’m curious to see how the concertina sketchbook will end up influence my creative flow moving forward.

Cropped images from the completed pages for future inspiration.

You may also be interested in:
Re-Words Concertina
Concertina Sketchbooks