Art Slam

I found Andrea’s website, ABCcreativity when I was searching for art journaling inspiration. Little did I know all the wonderful things she shares on her site that would thrill me. She is a wonderful artist, who not only inspires, but invokes deeper thinking her guided meditations and prayer dolls. It is my pleasure to share this kindred spirit on the Art Slam.

Andrea, I love coming to your blog for all the creativity and inspiration you share. Can you tell me more about your prayer dolls? How did you come up with the concept for them?
the prayer dolls came from my desire to create some art that was positive and inspiring but not fluffy.  i wanted to express the depth of the emotional connection and commitment to authenticity that i feel in living positively and purposefully.

with that as my intention, and having arranged an art show for this new work to give myself a solid deadline, i started playing and the little faces starting being born.  magic and inspiration took over and it became pure joy and play, allowing the little beings to come to life.

that whole time i thought they were collage elements for larger pieces.  but each time i tried to stick them onto a surface it felt wrong.  finally i saw that they were complete as they were.  so i hung colourful sparkly yarn in the art gallery, painted and glittered old wooden clothespins and used them to attach the dolls to it and had a fantastic show.

what surprised me most about the show is how many people said to me “they all look like you”.  i really love my prayer dolls and how well they, and their messages, have been received in the world.

You have a section on your site with meditations. Are meditations something you do daily? How do they help you be your best creative self?

i do meditate on my own daily and also lead regular guided healing meditations at the centre for conscious living in winnipeg.  my style of guided meditation is extremely positive and uplifting.  the meditations take the meditator deep into themselves to find the magic, possibility and power that lives within them.  they are sprinkled with positive affirmatives and reminders what we are unlimited beings.  i love how meditation can bring us back to ourselves, remind of us our power and help us stay connected to that magic throughout the day.

meditation helps me be my best creative self by opening up the space for a deep connection with all aspects of my being.  i believe that life, at its core, is creativity.  and so meditation brings me in place of conscious connection to infinite flow, infinite creativity, infinite inspiration.  i can see in a huge difference in my work, when i am creating from my ego-self as compared to when i am creating from my infinite-self.  it feels differently, it flows differently and i believe that the audience can also tell that it looks and feels different to them, too.  we just know when something is authentic and true because it resonates with our souls.

a huge aspect of this is being willing to dive into the mystery.  when i am willing to not know, to not control how it looks – that’s when i make the best art.

Who or what inspires you and why?
i feel most inspired by my feelings, my dreams and life itself.  for me, inspiration means “being in spirit” so it is my aim to live my life in inspiration.

What would be your ideal day? What do you see yourself doing or not doing?
this is something i have played and experimented with a lot in my life.  what i have found is that my ideal life contains a certain balance of different kinds of days and ultimately what i need to be doing is checking in with my heart and finding out what best supports me in any given moment.

so my ideal life includes: structure, freedom, creative time, luxury, relaxation, travel, spiritual community, glitter makeup, abundance, connection, self care, adventure, long walks, love, daily spiritual practice and lots of play.  i feel fairly balanced in these now but also always moving towards more of the things that fuel me.  this is really key for me – i don’t think i could create the kind of art i create if i wasn’t living a life that felt true for me.  it’s all connected.

I am thrilled to share Brandi Reynolds with the Art Slam community. Brandi authors the blog, Joy Rebel and her spirit more than shines through with her art, photographs and writing. I hope you enjoy learning more about her, her rebellious missions and how to find and nurture your authentic voice.

Brandi, I see that you have been published in the latest issue of Artful Blogging. Tell me what that was like learning your blog was going to be featured? I was thrilled of course!  This is the first time I’ve put my blog ‘out there’ for any kind of publication and I am so grateful to have it featured in such a great magazine as well as with so many wonderful bloggers.

What is a Joy Rebel and what made you start the rebellion in the first place? It’s kind of a long story…lol.  A joy rebel is someone who is authentically themselves.  Last year around christmas I was in a time of transition.  A friend of mine had just died of cancer.  I had stalled creatively.  I didn’t feel like sharing anymore on my blog.  After some quiet time, contemplation and yelling at god about my friend dying, I realized that I was still holding back in some ways creatively.  With the loss of my friend, I also realized that I was blessed with abundant life and I had a choice in how I wanted to live it.  I wanted to live in joy.  However, my idea of being joyful meant being always light, cheery, wearing flowy clothes, listening to meditation music-some serious preconceived notions.  And I like wearing black, alternative rock, jackson pollock art…in other words, I didn’t think ‘joy’ and what spoke to me could mesh.  I really took a good hard look at that idea and decided that didn’t have to be true for me.  Hence the term ‘rebel’-I needed to rebel against stagnant ideas and break free to experience and express what I believe is a core of joy.  I also believe that core of joy is within each of us and it’s only when we allow ourselves to be authentic that we connect with it.

How did you find your most authentic blogging voice? Trial and error…the same way I do everything else…lol.  I have been blogging for almost five years.  I’ve learned many different art forms from jewelry to painting to photography.  I’ve tried many different writing styles.  Ultimately, I realized that if I can’t get the words to flow, then I’m not being authentic.  Often when that happens, it means I’m just not ready to express whatever it is I’m trying to express and I walk away from the computer for awhile and try again later.

Who and what inspires you to create and why? Nature inspires me.  Alot.  Especially trees.  Growing roots has been an important journey for me (I moved around a lot as a kid and young adult) and I have often looked to how trees grow for inspiration and comfort. I read a lot and I can get inspired by a word or phrase I read on the page.  And my favorite form of inspiration: the genre of kids movies.  There can be quite a bit of beautiful art and positive messages within the stories of kids movies and cartoons.  My faves are surf’s up and Shrek.

I see you have a Flickr group for participants of Mission Monday. Can you tell me more about that? Well, first of all, mission mondays are on a short hiatus as I am slogging through my busy time of year at work.  However, mission mondays are my way of experimenting with ways to have fun and connect with joy in my life and inviting others to play along.  Often this involves the use of a camera as that is my favorite creative expression (not always though).  Anyone can participate in any mission and if it is a mission that involves a camera, I absolutely love seeing how people interpret and express each mission.  For example, one mission was to photograph order in nature and contemplate how order helps us connect with joy in our own lives.  It’s so cool to get a little glimpse into other’s lives by seeing what order they saw around them.

What is your idea of a perfect day? Mmmm…my husband getting up to walk the dogs and letting me sleep in.  Then lots of time stretching, reading, yawning and easing into my morning.  A cozy breakfast with my husband and then time to cuddle on the couch watching movies with the dogs.  Maybe a long lunch with friends, a walk in nature with my camera then creating a home cooked meal with my husband.  An evening of laughter-watching movies or comedy routines or again filled with friends, sharing stories.  It’s simple things that I love the most and feeling a sense of connection to others and the world around me.

What advice would you give to someone who is trying to find their authentic voice? Practice, practice, practice.  I think many of us have had our authentic voices buried under years other’s opinions and it takes awhile to unearth it.  Know that you’ll stumble occasionally and maybe struggle (though maybe not!) but we all have that steady true voice within us and it will emerge and express if we open up to it.

I am really excited to share the wonderful work of Diana Trout with the Art Slam community. Seriously, this woman does it all. She has a book on one of my favorite subjects coming out soon and she teaches art classes to kids and creates the most interesting sticks. After reading her interview, I hope you are as inspired by her creative soul as I am.

Diana, I love the idea of the art classes for kids and the teen journaling. When did you start these and why?
When my kids were young, I received requests to teach children’s art classes. Since I have two room studio, I started my business right there. It was such fun to work with kids that I just kept going.

The Teen Journaling was an outgrowth of summer children’s programs at my local library. I really enjoy working with teens, although it does get a bit dizzy-making during those weeks when I go from teaching 6-10 year olds to teens to adults.

I see you have a new book coming out later this year called Journal Spilling. What is your book about?
I’m very excited about this book. Northlight was a dream to work with and I feel that the editor, photographer and the designers really caught my easy-going and encouraging style of teaching. In a nutshell, Journal Spilling embraces the idea of art journaling in a very open way; the concept of spilling words, colors, line and images as they occur, rather than going in with a plan. Techniques included working with watercolor, resists, gesso, creating eraser carvings, sewing, more and more. I tried to make art journaling more accessible for busy adults – both in terms of time and techniques. The book will released October 9, 2009.

Where do you get your inspiration for making art?
Oh boy! Inspiration comes from anywhere and everywhere. Pods, leaves, birdies, flowers, tree branches, japanese fabrics and papers.

Most recently, I’m working with imagery inspired by traditional Japanese Kokeshi dolls (they look kinda like those little Fisher Price people).

You can find Diana’s paintings in her Etsy shop.
Whose work inspires you?
My friends and my students!
Mid-century design, Klimt, Matisse, Emily Carr. Ask me next week and it may be different, though.
The wabi-sabi nature of the natural world is a constant inspiration.

What is your favorite piece of work you have created recently?
Without a doubt: My stick.

It was done during an extremely busy, stressy time; both in my business and in my personal life. It felt almost rebellious to take time to decorate a stick and I was really glad that I told the critic to take a hike. There was a lot of meaning wound up (yes pun) in the process because I was thinking about my kids. One graduated from high school this spring and the other graduated from college. Decorating my stick allowed me an area of peaceful reflection. It made me think of those childhood hours spent letting time flow along and going from one thought and action to the next. A walk around the block could take an hour and might actually be a trek through the Alaskan wilderness. This is a lesson I learned from being a mom that has served me well as an artist and a human being.

Ruby…what can I not say about the talent of this amazing young woman? I found Ruby’s blog purely by accident and she is one of the most soulful creatives I have encountered. I am sure you will enjoy her interview as much as I did.

Ruby, where do you get your inspiration for making art?
I get my inspiration from many different places. Other artists especially. There are so many fabulous ones out there with a variety of styles. It is so incredible. Books are also very inspiring. A lot of authors describe the environment in their story with heaps of metaphors and similes.. a lot of the time I just want to paint these pieces. I believe that you can gain inspiration for anything, from anything. Having a simple conversation with someone can lead to great ideas, you just have to be willing to look for them and accept these ideas. I am now keeping a book nearby so I can write my ideas down and who inspired them.
2. When did you start getting serious about art journaling and scrapbooking?

Well, I started scrapbooking about two years ago. I have only been serious about it in the last year. With art journaling, I am fairly new… I have been doing it for about three quarters of a year now and I totally love it. I find that scrapbooking allows you to write and document those funny/stupid/silly/sad memories, but still be able to make it pretty, whereas art journaling, you can just be free to make a mess… to put paint everywhere and mix heaps of different colours.
3. Whose work inspires you?
This is a hard question for me to answer. Like I said in the first question. It all depends what ‘mood’ I’m in. Whether I am inspired by a mixed media artist because I feel like creating mixed media pieces or whether I am inspired by a very simple and ‘clean’ scrapbooker because I feel in the mood to create like that. All of my favourites I keep in Google Reader… and if I named all of them, well, you’d be here for an awfully long time!

4. What is your favorite piece of work you have created recently and why?
One of my favourite pieces lately is my framed art journal page. Why? Because it has a story behind it. I went on holidays with my sister and mum to my Aunties house when she wasn’t there. She lives in the country so it’s an oldish homey type of place. I went to their local op shop and bought some childrens books for about 10c each. Using their old wooden kitchen table I painted in my art journal. I only used paint because that was all I brought. I cut up the images from the childrens book to add to it. While doing this I talked with my mum about art. What I could do with my finished pieces (i.e the framing) and what should be added to the piece. I explained some of my techniques and we looked through my art journal together. I have a great relationship with my mum, and this was one thing that made that bond stronger.

5. Do you have any advice for young creatives looking to express themselves?
Don’t hold back. Now I say that all the time. But it is so true. When I first started Art Journaling I was scared. I wanted everything to be neat and in balance. I wanted all the colours to work nicely together and I wanted the page to look ‘pretty’. But, if you don’t worry about that sort of stuff, you don’t limit yourself. You are able to produce work that is from the heart and is true, because you haven’t held yourself back. Just have fun, add meaning and journaling if you wish. It is for you. Not for anyone else.

If you liked this interview, make sure you check out these recent Guest Slammers:

• Jamie Beitler
• Amber Ulmer
• Rhian Cooksey Quinton

I really like this page and I have noticed a theme with my journal pages lately…they all focus around relaxing and focusing in a zen sort of way. I did this page for the Year of Color blog. The theme for this month is polka dots.

Since I am in a major art journaling groove, I thought it a good idea to revisit some of my favorite artsy post. For those of you looking for some inspiration, I hope these posts inspire you to give art journaling a real try and find your creative voice.

• Confront and conquer the dreaded blank page. It is not quite as intimidating as it may seem at first.
• The Minimalist page. Sometimes a clean, simple page is all you really need to get your message across in your journal.
• Collecting and Collaging. Gather all kinds of fun stuff to add to your pages.
• Draw something in your journal and check out Leonardo Di Vinci’s sketchbooks. Talk about inspiring!
• One color or monochromatic art journaling. See if you can stick with one color on your journal page.
• Use your words. Create an anthem journal entry with your catchphrase.

I found Jamie Beitler’s amazing work by way of another blog and I immediately fell in love with her amazing website design work.  As I explored her website, I found some of the most amazing and whimsical mixed media collages. I knew she had to be a featured artist on the Art Slam. I have to thank Jamie for giving one of the best interviews I have ever featured here. She is a shining example of a female business owner who believes strongly in empowering women and being true to her creative self.

What made you decide to pursue mixed media art and web design?

I actually got into mixed media because I couldn’t find (or afford!) any art that I really connected to. I started with my digital collages, then branched out into what I call “real collages”- just meaning real paper and glue, and not digital work. I love all sorts of art, but am most moved by pieces that have meaning to them. I was drawn to mixed media because I love the depth that is usually found in each piece. I love the feeling of being captivated by a piece or art- the best is when you discover something new each time you look at it. For me, mixed media does both of these things. I especially love pieces that build layer upon layer, but are still able to maintain their beauty and cohesion.

My web design studio was also an adventure I undertook because I knew I wouldn’t be satisfied with a run-of-the-mill website (ok, I admit it, I like to have creative control over things I venture into! ). After I learned how to create websites, I really wanted to offer the same thing for other women. A large goal of my web design business is to make beautiful and interesting sites that small business owners can afford. Since I’m a small business owner too, my other hope is that people don’t feel intimidated when working with me, as opposed to a large web design firm.

I really like the piece, “You Were Fearfully and Wonderfully Made”. Can you tell me what inspired you to create it?

I really love this ol’ gal too! A major recurring theme in my art is the journey of becoming free from the world’s expectations of us as women. I create so much art about it because it is something I want to personally achieve so badly. The category of “the world’s expectations” is a large one, but mostly what I am speaking about is the image issue…. the impossible expectations for beauty that the media sets up for women that we can feel like we need to meet. But I don’t think beauty comes from meeting high physical standards; instead it comes from just being yourself. I believe we were all created with unique gifts and talents… and we are most beautiful when we feel comfortable in our own skin, free from the captivity of needing to conform to an unnatural and impossibly high beauty standard. So, this piece was a message to myself first to inspire me to try and attain the goal of being the best “me” I can possible be.

What artists have influenced you, and how?

The two artists who have influenced me the most are Teesha Moore and Anahata Katkin. I am completely in love with their use of color and looking at their pieces makes me want to stop everything and create! I love their cooky-ness and I think it’s obvious by looking at their pieces that they are not concerned with churning out their work in order to sell it. Their pieces are so unique and individual to them and they really inspired me to find my own creative voice and to just follow it wherever it leads me.

What inspires you to create mixed media art and how do you keep motivated when things get tough in the studio?

I think that life in general inspires me to create mixed media. I am definitely a thinker and when new things (whether it’s new experiences or new life lessons I’m learning) are going on in my life, it takes a while for my mind to process all of it. I do my best thinking while I’m working on a piece of art. Usually, I have no music or tv on in my studio because the silence helps keep me from getting distracted. We have moved twice recently and so the bulk of my art supplies are packed away, but we’ve also gone through some difficult things. Without my art around, I have realized that it is my stress release, and part of my coping mechanism to the daily grind of life. As I write this, I am waiting for a shipment of new art supplies from FedEx (I can’t NOT create anymore!) and I have been checking the tracking number every five minutes like my very life is on that truck! Haha.

When I’ve completely hit a creative wall…. or am feeling uninspired, the first thing I do is set everything down. Kind of a “step away from the art” principle . I’ve ruined too many pieces by working on something longer than I should have. When I’m feeling “funky” I’ll even put all my supplies away and completely tidy up my studio. Then… I leave. When I’m feeling uninspired, I try not to look at other people’s art- for some reason, it makes me feel worse!  Then I just do something completely different, depending on why I feel blocked. If I’m blocked because I’m needing to understand the emotional issue I’m dealing with in my art a little better, I go for a walk to clear my mind. If I’m feeling creatively stagnant, like I’m doing the same thing over and over, then I look for inspiration in different places. One of my favorite things to do is look through house decorating magazines. Or I will look at new lines of fabric that have just come out. One thing I know for sure is that my work cannot be forced. I wish my art things weren’t packed up or else I would bring out a particular piece that I feel like I ruined because I kept working when I should have stopped. Different artists have different views on pushing through the funk, but for me, walking away for a bit is the best remedy. When I’m ready to go back into my studio, I try to discover something I have seen for a while in my supplies. I’ll dig to the bottom of my paper stashes to find that amazing paper I’ve completely forgotten about. Or, I’ll look through my vintage photos… focusing on faces I might not have noticed before. Usually at some point in the process, something will spark and I can begin again. If not, I wait longer! 

How have you handled the business side of being an artist?

Probably like most artists, the business side of being an artist is my least favorite thing to do . In fact, I always try to talk my husband into taking over that side of things (I’ve been extremely unsuccessful so far). My approach to the business side of being an artist is to take things as they come and learn what I can along the way. I’ve learned that from a business aspect, my biggest challenge (and greatest asset when I’m doing it well) is being realistic about my workload and saying no when I have to. Like most women, I get this Superwoman-complex and tend to take on way too much. When you work in a creative field, this can be a killer- at least for me. If I’m stressed and running around doing a million things, my creativity gets completely squashed. Unfortunately, I’ve had to learn this the hard way, though.

What advice would you give to an artist just starting out?

I think the best advice for any artist is to just create what you love and most likely, there will be other people out there who love it too! I think the pressure to sell or to become well-known can kind of creep in subtly, so it’s important to regularly check yourself to make sure you are creating work that YOU want to be creating. The creative well dries up pretty quickly if you’re trying to follow trends or opinions of others instead of listening to your own creative voice.

• Audrey Hernandez
• Kara Haupt
• Veronica Jennings

I am off to the Blissdom conference tomorrow and I am looking forward to meeting some new people and learning a thing or two. It has been a while since I was last in Nashville. Seems the further South I go the more I start drawling my words. I hope to come back from the experience energized and full of new ideas for the Art Slam.

I finally added the art journaling prompts to the navigation up above. I have been meaning to pull the prompts out for those looking to start an art journal or seeking some inspiration. Make sure you read the Art Slam rules first. Especially number 3.

Subscribe to the Art Slam blog.

Today, the Cincinnati Enquirer published a story about the Cincinnati blogging scene. My blog, along with Julie’s Wine Me Dine Me, Shannan’s Mommy Bits and Debba’s Girlfriendology and Laura’s Carbon Footprint were featured in the article.

The story is all about the growing blogging scene in Cincinnati. Especially among women bloggers. Blogging has brought many opportunites and friendships my way. Last year, I was invited to speak about the Art Slam at one of the most popular conferences, BlogHer.

Cincinnati does have a thriving and growing network of women bloggers who meet regularly. If you are local, check out the Cincinnati Women Bloggers and attend the next gathering.
Subscribe to the Art Slam with the link above.

Finally, I am done moving the Art Slam to its new home. I have a wonderful Guest Slammer lined up to share some inspiring work and a great spirit for being creative. I am sure you will love her work as much as I do. Make sure you update your links from the original Slam home and Candidly Speaking. This is where I will be posting from now.