New Directions


Although busy with travel and school, I have been working in my journal and working on art, and now that I have some time because of my winter break, I have time to post a few peeks into what might be a new direction for me. Well, not completely new, it's a motif that I have been playing around with for the last three years. The above image is a peek at an ink doodle in my journal on top of a map of Montreal and watercolor pencil.


This image is a peek at an experiment of layering of cut paper. I'm anxious to see what this experiment will lead to. I've been experimenting with other forms of cut paper for a while now.


This final image is a peek at a small graphite drawing using the same motif. All just experiments. Maybe there's a new direction. Maybe not, but I have been playing around with this idea for a while.

I am a firm believer in paying attention to the things that keep coming back. There's something there worthy of exploring.


Recent Travels

This has been one eventful fall - lots of travel, lots of presentations, lots of workshops, lots of great people, and lots of fun.

Dave working on his journal during our impromptu stay in Toronto during Hurricane Sandy after a great time in Edmonton at the end of October.


 Dropping an art bomb in Montreal over Thanksgiving.


The kit participants received at a workshop at the Memphis College of Art.

Studio time at home.

Art of the Carolinas 2012


Here's another opportunity to take a workshop with the JFJ.

Dave and I are excited to be heading back to Raleigh, NC for Jerry Artarama's annual Art of the Carolinas art retreat November 10 and 11, 2012. We are excited to be teaching two three-hour visual journaling workshops.

Saturday afternoon, we will be teaching Visual Journals: Symbols, Icons, and Archetypes from 5-8 PM.

Sunday morning, we will be teaching Visual Journals: Transitional Spaces from 9 AM to Noon.

To register for either workshop or find out more information, click on the links above. To check out other awesome workshops being taught, go to their website.

We hope that some of you can join us in Raleigh.

Journal Fodder Junkies: The Retreat


Have you been wanting to take a workshop with the Journal Fodder Junkies?

Now is your chance.

We are excited to announce that we are holding a three-day retreat next summer in Northern Virginia at the Embassy Suites Dulles - North/Loudoun in Ashburn, VA. It will run from Thursday, June 20 through Sunday, June 23, 2013.

The cost is $450.00 for the whole workshop. Participants are responsible for lodging and meals.

We hope that you can join us.

Click The Retreat button at the top for more information and to register, or go here. We expect the retreat to fill quickly, so register soon.

Book Launch Party

It's a party and you're invited.

David and I are very excited that our new book was released a little more than a month ago, and to celebrate, we are throwing a party. And you're invited!

When: Saturday, September 29th, 2012, 6-9 PM
Where: Leesburg Veterinary Hospital
What: Launch Party and Book Signing

We'll have artwork, artist prints, and of course copies of our books for sale. We hope that you can can join us.

Check out the invitation above for more information.

Free Webinar


We are offering a free, live webinar through our publisher F+W Media and their Create Mixed Media website next Wednesday, August 29 at 4PM Eastern Time. We will share a step-by-step tutorial showing the evolution of a two-page spread using ideas, techniques, and concepts from our new book Journal Fodder 365. Although we will focus on the prompts from the first chapter, Personal Mysteries and Histories, we pull techniques from lots of chapters to give you a lot to consider.

So, if you want to join in as we share this free glimpse into our working method, go register on the Create Mixed Media website.

And did I mention that it is FREE, and if you can't be around at 4PM, don't fret. You can still to join in. Simply register and you will have access to the recorded webinar at your convenience.

We hope that you join in.

Busy Summer. Busy Fall.


Some how the summer has slipped by, and no wonder with all the teaching that I have been doing. Many people have the misconception that teachers have their summers off, free to frolic and play and lounge. Most teachers I know have busy and active summers often catching up on home and personal projects they just don’t have time to get to during the school year. And many, like myself, opt to teach during the summer as a way to supplement their meager incomes.

And so, I have been busy with teaching almost the entire summer, and another school year is upon me - my seventeenth. I have been back for several days with meetings and getting my classroom ready. Students return in a little more than a week, and with moving from high school to elementary school, I don’t know if I’ll be ready. I’ve been busy with getting everything ready, and I still have so much to do.

On top of my teaching duties, there are still other things going on, and the end of summer and the beginning of fall have quickly filled up with workshops, events, and presentations.

Here’s what’s going on. We hope to see you there.

Create Mixed Media Free Webinar
August 29, 4PM - Dave and I will be hosting a free webinar through our publisher’s Create Mixed Media website. Info isn’t posted yet, but it will be soon. We invite you to join in, as we promote our new book Journal Fodder 365 with a step-by-step journey that focuses on the concepts from Chapter 1, but pulls media and techniques from throughout the book. It will be a good look into our process, and those of you who enjoyed the free Change pdf should enjoy it as well. But truthfully, everyone should enjoy it, so check back frequently, and we’ll have registration info as soon as available. The above image is a sneak peek.

Book Launch Party, Leesburg, VA
September 29, 6-9PM - Dave and I will be celebrating the release of Journal Fodder 365 this evening with an open event at Leesburg Veterinary Hospital, so please join us if you are in the Northern Virginia area. It may sound weird to hold the event at a veterinary clinic, but my wife works at the clinic. They also have a beautiful new building with a big reception area that is perfect for hosting the event.

Maryland Art Education Association, Silver Spring, MD
October 19 - We will be presenting at the MAEA Fall Conference at James H. Blake High School. We'll share more info when it becomes available.

CSEA /Fine Arts Council Conference, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
October 27 - We will be keynote speakers at this conference for art, music, and drama teachers cosponsored by the Fine Arts Council of the Alberta Teachers’ Association and the Canadian Society of Education through Art.

Virginia Art Education Association, Norfolk, VA
November 1-3 - Once again Dave and I will be presenting at the annual VAEA Fall Conference. We will be making a 50 minute presentation and leading a hands-on workshop. We also plan to participate in the Artisan Gallery.

Art of the Carolinas, Raleigh, NC
November 10-11 - Dave and I will be presenting two three-hour, hands-on workshops at this annual event sponsored by Jerry’s Artarama. Strathmore Artists Papers will once again sponsor our workshops and supply participants with journals.

Spotlight on the Arts, Quebec Provincial Association of Teachers, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
November 23 - We will travel to Canada once again, but this time to Montreal, to be keynote speakers for this day-long symposium for art, music, and drama teachers as part of the QPAT Annual Convention.

So much going on.

If you don’t see anything available in your area, we are always looking to expand our travels and workshop schedule. So, contact us, and we might be able to bring the JFJ experience to you.

Challenge #48: Sharing the Journey


What have you learned from this journey to share with others?

Dan Eldon, our visual journaling inspiration, often said and wrote, “Safari is a way of life,” and “The journey is the destination.” These mantras speak to the process of our art making and the adventures we encounter along the way. At times we get so caught up in the destination that we forget the journey. At other times we seem to be traveling all alone, and forget to notice who is tagging along. Take the time to share your journey and your wisdom with loved ones, friends, and complete strangers. Share your personal insights and outlooks while allowing yourself the opportunity to investigate the insights and wisdom of others.

What are the artifacts that document your journey? Who have you invited onboard for your artistic ride?