Signed Copies Now Available

Now for what you all have been waiting for. Well, at least some you. Signed copies of The Journal Junkies Workshop are now available. Dave and I were able to find some time to get together this weekend and were able to sign a few copies. Those copies are now available on our Website for $25.00. While you're over there, check out some of our other merchandise as well.

Old Page

I came across this journal page image as I was looking for something new to post. It is from my second journal, and must be seven or eight years old, but I find it amazing that I am still working with imagery like this. The curves and swirls were originally inspired by Art Nouveau artist Alphonse Mucha, and I have been revisiting these elegant forms on an off in my journal and in my art ever since. Like many artists, I tend to fall back on old and comfortable imagery, especially when I am doodling in my journal. I guess the swirls are one of my "things".

Besides the imagery, I like the fact that this page is pretty much one medium - except for the collaged raffle ticket and coffee stain. There is something refreshing about this more minimalist approach compared to my more normal mixed-media approach. It's nice to limit the media and the imagery.

Now I've Seen It...

I have finally seen our book - well four copies - in a bookstore, so I guess that it's official. We're published authors Not that we weren't before, but as I said in a previous post, it's one thing to see it online or even a box full of copies in the living room. It's another thing to see them lined up on a bookstore shelf. I was near a Borders and had to stop in, and there sat four copies of The Journal Junkies Workshop. Why they were on the jewelry shelf, I really don't know. I guess that it was better than the paper craft shelf which was the bottom shelf.

I am asking anyone who has purchased the book to please offer a review of it on sites like Amazon. If you posted one on your blog, I ask that you copy your review to those same sites. I would love to get the word out. I really believe in the book, and think it's a great resource for anyone interested in the visual journal.

Thanks again to all you who have supported us and have taken an interest in what we do. You are the reason we wrote the book and have offered workshops and presentations. We're just spreading the journal love.

Power

The visual journal has power. And I am more convinced than ever that the journal is a powerful tool for life. The journal is not about making “pretty pages” or simply recording life. It is a living document changing to fit mood and circumstance – an Everything Book that aids in the experience of life. It is a place to collect memories, to dream, to dump our emotions, to change our lives, and to make sense of our crazy world.

I wholeheartedly believe the visual journal has the power to change lives, and new life paths can emerge within the pages. I have seen the journal’s power to transform in my own life as well as in the lives of my friends. I have seen how the journal was a large part of Dave seeking and getting his MFA, and I have seen how many of my friends have reconnected with their art and were able to make art a priority once again. Because the visual journal is a place for us to hope and dream it helps create new direction in life and helps us to figure out what we most want from life.

The visual journal goes beyond being a place to plan the future, and it is place to get in touch with our vulnerable aspects – to get to know our selves intimately. Because it is foremost a journal, we deal with the heartache, the drama, and the confusion of everyday life. We pour our doubts and our thoughts into the pages allowing us to process the emotions and the energies that grip us. With words, images, color, and lines we deal with life and make sense of it. The visual journal connects us with ourselves.

I know that my own life gets focus and direction as I work through a myriad of things in my journal, and it has helped change my life. The book, the workshops, the presentations, the seminars, have all come from the journal. Long before I began presenting about the journal with Dave, I kept a journal. Slowly I began to realize its power as I poured myself into it. I dumped my hopes and dreams, my pains and disappointments, my triumphs and passions into the pages of my journal figuring out who I was and what I wanted and needed. And then I began to share. My life took on a new direction as I began to feel like an artist and began to see how the visual journal could affect lives.

To this day, I use the journal to deal with my life and to affect change within it. As I grieve over my recent loss, I work directly and indirectly with that grief, and though I may not be specifically addressing the loss at points as I work, it informs my choices and embeds the pages with an emotion only known to me. My mind turns and churns as I lay down layers of watercolor or ink creating an unconscious subtext. At other times I specifically address the pain and the grief, and it all helps me to cope – helps me to be present with the loss and not bury it inside. Again and again, I have turned to the journal to celebrate the good – to deal with the bad – to discover my true humanness.

So, I keep sharing my journey hopefully helping others in their journey on this earth.

New Pages

I have actually been pretty productive with my journals lately - from notes at the NAEA Convention and dealing with the passing of my dog to ideas for new directions in my art and experimenting with the new Strathmore journals. So, I thought that I would share. The page above is a sketch I made in my current 11x14 journal. I'm trying to take my art in a new direction, and I have been experimenting with more organic shapes and forms while still trying to show a shallow, layered space like in my Excavation series. I used a standard Bic black ballpoint pen. I love the gradation that you can get with it. I'm not certain if this is THE direction that I am headed in my art, but it's a step in some direction. I do know that I'll be adding to this page - definitely more shading, but probably color and collage as well.

I couldn't help experimenting in the new Visual Journals from Strathmore, and I love the heavier paper. I think folks will really like them when they come out in the summer. So, I had begun several pages in a couple different journals, and when Jeanette of Strathmore asked me if I would be willing to create a page that she could use as a visual journal example, I quickly finished the above two-page spread in the 5.5x8 Watercolor Journal (140 lbs paper). The beginnings of this spread can be seen in the previous post. Titled "Lost and Found" this is much more of an art piece where I really sat down and worked on it from beginning to end over a three day period. Most of my other journal pages evolve slowly over time and I incorporate a lot of day-to-day things. But it's nice to be able to focus on something and see it through in a short period of time.

New Journal Line by Strathmore

I got home the other day to find a package of samples from a new product line to be released this summer by Stratmore Artists Paper. Strathmore is set to release a line of visual journal spiral bound books in three different sizes. More on that in a bit, but first the story.

Several weeks ago, I was contacted by Jeanette from Strathmore asking if she could use some of my journal page images as a way to show how people use the visual journal. In exchange, she would send me some free samples of new products and mention the book. I said, "yes," and sent her some images. So, I got a whole variety of Visual Journals, and couldn't wait to experiment with them and share with everyone.

So, here's the scoop. Apparently Strathmore realized that visual journaling is becoming big and that many visual journalists are not satisfied with the quality of paper in traditional sketchbooks - too much bleed through, tearing, and broken bindings. So, they are releasing a line of blank books featuring a number paper qualities to satisfy the rigors of the mixed-media nature of the visual journal.

Paper types that will be available:
Drawing - 100 lb
Mixed Media
Bristol - Vellum and Smooth
Watercolor - 90 lb and 140 lb

Of course with the thicker paper, each journal will contain fewer pages. The Drawing Visual Journal will contain 84 pages (42 sheets) and the 14o lb Watercolor Visual Journal will contain 44 pages (22 sheets). But all journals will be spiral bound on the side with heavy-duty wire and heavy-duty front and back covers. All Visual Journals will be available in three sizes: 3.5"x5", 5.5"x8", and 9"x12".

So, I've been experimenting in the small Drawing Visual Journal and the medium 140 lb Watercolor Visual journal (both of which are open in the photo above). I'm loving the thicker paper quality, and permanent marker does not bleed through the drawing paper - great for those Sharpie lovers. The small journal makes an excellent pocket journal, and the medium journal will be a great travel journal to use when visiting museums and galleries.

I'm just not a fan of spiral bound journals. I know that they offer benefits - they lay flat and the offer expandibility. But the spiral gets in the way of a two page spread. I'm hoping that they will offer a hardbound 11"x14" version, and after emailing Jeanette, Strathmore may be considering it. But in the meantime, I will be getting some of the small journals when they are released in June or July.

It's Here!!!!!!

Without much fanfare or hype, it seems like our book has been released - at least in the online world. We haven't received any "official" notice, but it seems like overnight most online vendors dropped the pre-order feature and are outright selling it to be shipped ASAP. Amazon sent an email notifying it's pre-orders that a May 6th shipping date is expected, and Dave and I have received our first shipments and have started hawking it to willing friends and associates. We are expecting to place signed copies for sale on the JFJ website by the end of the month. We wish it could be sooner, but since we live 360 miles apart, it's difficult to get together casually and sign a bunch of copies.

I'm not certain if the book has dropped in bookstores, but if hasn't yet, it should soon. I'll make certain to have the camera ready for the next time I go into a bookstore just to snap proof that our book is indeed there. I think that's when it will really hit me - when I can see it in person for sale in a store. It's one thing to see it online and to see the stack above sitting on my coffee table, but to walk into a store and say, "Hey, that's my book!" will be beyond words.

We thank all of those who have pre-ordered it and who plan on buying it, and if you ever see us at a conference, convention, presentation, workshop or on the street, we will be more than happy to sign your copy.

We think that the book looks awesome, and the folks at North Light/ F+W have done a great job. We think it's a great resource, and we would appreciate any reviews anyone and everyone could offer on blogs and on online vendor sites like Amazon.

Fodder On!

Loss

My dog Rudy lost his battle with cancer and congestive heart failure today. It's a great loss, and the house is rather empty without him. He was a wonderful boy even in the midst of all his treatments, medications, pokings, and proddings. My wife and I will sorely miss our beautiful boy.

The above picture was taken by my wife. Rudy was known for jumping up in his favorite tree trying to get closer to the squirrels and birds who seemed to tease him so much, and Joanne was able to capture one of those moments.

NAEA and Baltimore

Dave and I just got back from the National Art Education Association's convention in Baltimore where we presented two presentations and went to many other presentations. It was a great time - lots of good information, good companionship, good food, and good discussions. One of our presentations was titled the Educator and the Artist: the Journey Continues. Organized by our friend Brooke from Ohio, the presentation focused on how we all pursue our own art while teaching art. We shared the stage with Brooke, Sam, and Heather while examining our habits and our stategies. Our other presentation was just the two of us and was about our forthcoming book and was titled after the book - The Journal Junkies Workshop: Visual Ammunition for the Art Addict. Dave an I talked of our journey to the visual journal and how all of our experiences with the journal and presenting about the journal have led to the book.

Both presentations went extremely well, and we had very positive feedback. It was great to see so many people excited about what we do and about our book. I only wish that we had had the book to sell. We could have easily sold a couple hundred copies. But we passed out a lot of postcards promoting the book, so hopefully many will pre-order it or buy it once it comes out.

So, we thank all those that came out to our presentations, talked with us between sessions, and shared a part of our journey in Baltimore. We appreciated seeing old friends and meeting new ones, and we just know that we are really onto something huge and powerful.

Compassion

Two things recently have touched me profoundly and have taught me much about compassion.

The first lesson was from my dog. Rudy is a nine year old boxer, pit bull mix, and about a year ago he was diagnosed with cancer. He had surgery to remove a tumor, he underwent chemo, and we placed him on a special, home-cooked diet. He was doing quite well. But he wasn’t really expected to survive this long, and he recently began to show signs that the cancer was worsening, and it has become quite evident that he may not be with us much longer. He is such a sweet boy, and my heart aches to think of the pain and discomfort that he is going through as he goes through more treatments. I make certain to tell him goodbye every morning as I leave for work not knowing how many mornings he has left. And so, Rudy has me thinking.

It’s very easy to feel compassion for those that are closest to us – spouses, parents, siblings, children, best friends, and pets. When they suffer, we suffer. We wish that we could take on their pain and ease their suffering. It’s difficult for us when we are unable to do that – when we can only watch as they ache and suffer. We would literally leap in front of flying bullets for those closest to us. Because we love and care for them, it is easy to arouse feelings of great compassion.

We even find it pretty easy to feel compassion for those people we simple know – the people at work, at church, or down the street. When we hear of a misfortune befalling one of our acquaintances, we feel their pain slightly, offer our sympathy and understanding, and see if we can be aid in some small way. But, what about those that are not so close to us? What of the strangers that we pass in the routine of each day – the bus driver, the grocery clerk, or the bank teller? These are people who have nominal roles in our lives and who have little or no connection to our lives. Many of us may simply feel indifference toward these people. It may be very difficult to feel deep compassion for those we have very little connection to. And what about those we consider enemies or just bad people? How can we feel compassion toward people we barely know or those that we can seriously hate?

And so the second of my compassion lessons came as I watched an update one morning on the story of Jaycee Dugard. Jaycee was eleven when she was kidnapped, and for eighteen years, she was held captive by a husband and wife. She suffered unimaginable torment and abuse, and miraculously, she was found alive and reunited with her family. Of course my heart went out to her and her family as I thought of the horrors they had suffered. Then images of her kidnappers were flashed on the TV screen. My first reaction was one of revulsion and disgust as I wished death and torture on these evil people. But I caught myself in the midst of this reaction as I remembered much of the reading that I have done recently on Christian and Buddhist spirituality. The main lesson of all this reading has been about loving kindness and compassion. So, I stopped myself in the middle of revulsion for these two people and what they had done, and I let the energy of my feelings linger for a moment as I began trying to understand.

I wondered what could twist a human being so much to do such unspeakable things. I thought about what this man and woman had gone through as children, teens, and adults to cause so much fear, pain, aggression, and suffering to manifest in such a despicable act. Then I wondered if I could have turned out the same way if I had those same experiences. What if I had lived their lives? Would I have been just as vile and corrupted? In a matter of minute or two, these completely evil, wretched individuals were transformed in my mind to very human people who had childhoods, who had hopes and dreams, who had loved, and who had been hurt. But some how they had been bent and twisted by unimaginable things into the “monsters” that would hurt an innocent child. I didn’t feel pity. I felt compassion to these two people who at one time, long ago held such promise. I was able to connect to their humanity and to connect with my compassion.

So, it’s easy to feel compassion for those we love, but it takes great courage to feel compassion for those we do not know or understand. I encourage people to look closely at how they dole out kindness and compassion, to examine how they react to strangers and enemies, and to see if they can attempt to understand and feel genuine compassion for all living beings.