Join me on Instagram!

I love instagram and it's a great way for us to stay in touch and inspire each other. 

I'd love to see what you are working on and I'm excited to share my process as I develop my journal pages. You'll also get a chance to inspire each other and meet new artists. 

Visit me on instagram

 Follow me @reddragonflystudio  and hashtag me at #reddragonflystudio 

See you there!

 

Weekly Journal

 

We started with a fresh page at the beginning of the week.

It's the end of a new week and I've had a blast in my weekly journal. 

This week I took a few days off from work to just have a bit of "Me" time. I spent those days working out at the gym, swimming and creating in my journal. I feel so free from just a few days of taking it slow and doing things I love.

I even got Andrea Chebeleu to join in the fun. It will be fun to see her pages each week. If any of you are working in a weekly journal...please let me know. Its lots of fun to see what you're working on...it's inspiring.

Weekly Sketch Book Journal

It's a new week and a new canvas to work on. How will this week unfold?

Things are taking on a whole new look since I started earlier this week.

I even added a new page for additional thoughts. 

Love how the pages are starting to curl from the weight of the paint.

As I create a regular practice of creating in my journal on a regular basis, I'm learning to use all the bits of supplies I have been "saving" for a project. This week as I came across items I used them in my journal right away. I found this image in a calendar and I loved the art so much I knew I wanted to use it in one of my journals.  Its been sitting in a stack of things for 2 years...this week if found a home on my weekly journal page.

Used lots of bits of book pages from my art studio and vintage letters I got from a flea market.  The Hepburn image came from a cell phone cover I got free when I was buying earrings at the mall. This image has been sitting around for years. So glad I found her a home this week. There is still more to do on this page but I like where its going.

Happy Father's Day!

Happy Father's Day to my Dad 

Donald Valentine.

 He's the one who encouraged my creative side.

My dad is such a great guy.

My first introduction to painting was using his oil paints from his professional painting kit.

I didn't like the smell of the turpentine, so I quickly moved to poster paints.

He created a little art studio for me in his dark room next to our laundry room.

It was a corner of the room with 

an old green drop leaf table, a chair and a light .

He gave me a little radio to play music.

He made sure I had lots a paper, charcoal and brushes.

(My favorite pad of paper was a big pad of newsprint.)

I remember loving that little space.

It was where I could express myself and be alone with my thoughts.

One of the things I loved to do with my dad was ride with him to is
photography studio at the Torpedo Factory in Virginia.

The windows would be down and

Jazz would be playing on the radio. 

and we would sit in silence and ride while listening to
Jazz greats like John Coltrane, Hubert Laws, and Thelonious Monk.

I appreciate my dad for teaching me how to express myself creatively and 

give me room to just be myself with him.

My dad just gets me and that is such a blessing.

Weekly Sketch Book

There where lots of things to complete this week. I had a long "to do" list and some how checking off the boxes did not feeling exciting, then I came across a scripture ..

.

Don’t worry about anything;

 instead, pray about everything. 

Tell God what you need, 

and thank him for all he has done.

Philippians 4:6

That just brought me such peace reading that. So this week I give all my concerns to the Divine and I turned my attention to all that I am learning on my journey. I started this week thinking about all the wonderful things that are a blessing to me in my life.

I started with simple pages using washi tape and number stickers

 

Then I added book pages to each day and I was ready
to add whatever inspired me during the week.

Let the week unfold and added bits of memories. Dexter barking to get what he wanted. I did a presentation at work that went pretty well and I'm glad it was completed...then I noticed the line I highlighted in yellow on that day. That book page was put there completely at random.

I got so exited about my scripture that I created a page just for the words. I'm sure I will be referencing this page often. I needed to give it a bigger presence in my journal.

I'm already starting pages for next week.

Spending time in the studio

 

Thanks to my Weekly Sketch Book I have been spending more time in my home studio creating and using my art supplies.. 

Eliminating Visual Noise

One of the things that allows me to be creative is having a clear space to create. A space that is clear of visual noise or clutter that distracts me. I go through times when the noise is less distracting than others, but I can still create. Other times it is so loud I can't start a single journal project. Having a space that is clear of visual noise is not always about removing things, sometimes its about adding things that are beautiful and have meaning.

One of the best ways for me to spot the visual noise in my house is to take photos of my space. I live, work, sleep and create in the same space and the clutter shows up so gradually its hard to get a clear perspective.  I'm in an organizing and purging mood these days so I wanted to choose some particularly noisy spots to clear and add meaning. So I thought I would expose my process. Which is a bit scary, but It's a good opportunity for me to keep my focus on clearing my space and for me to identify spaces that keep getting cluttered.

Here is my first spot. 
This one might be deceiving...the visual noise for me is the meaning of those mix matched boxes and the contents of those boxes. I got those boxes for a project, then changed my mind and never used them. So I dropped junk in them and kept moving them round the house trying to find a suitable place for them. They landed here next to my patio door and they are filled with who knows what. Every time I look at them I think ..." I need to clear out those boxes".

 

I cleared out the boxes and took out things that didn't belong. Now I know there are art supplies and stuff for Dexter and little treasures from our travels.  I also painted the boxes one color. Now its clear but I need that corner to have more meaning. I've decided to create some art for that corner. Maybe something with inspirational words.

 Stay tuned...this one is a work in progress.

Weekly Sketch Book

 It's the start of a new week and new Sketch Book page. So this week its all about stamps and washi tape.

 I'm starting to play with images from the travel brochures from my trip last week. These images got my attention so I added them. Its kind of fun working small and looking for images that can work in a small space.

I added more color and pattern. I also added some lines out of a book I got a a flea market. They just seemed to capture the mood of my week.

I hope you enjoy watching my creative process as much as I do.  I like seeing how the pages form. Its teaching me to be patient and to go with the flow.  A big lesson that I'm practicing in all areas of my life.