#AtoZChallenge, R is for Randomness

True confession: I'm one of those #AtoZChallenge bloggers the committee warned you about--I'm blogging every day without a plan! None of my posts have been pre-written, pre-scheduled, or pre-ordained. In other words, I'm a genuine pantster, and proud of it, LOL!

And that's why today's post is a tribute to the joy of Randomness, letting the bits and pieces of your creative mind fall into place on their own without (too much) interference.

My favorite ways to work with random selection include:

• Go for a walk and seek out 6-12 random objects. If possible bring them home, or at least photograph them. Weave them together into an essay, story, or piece of art.
• As a variation, look for random objects in a certain color scheme. For instance, 6 things in red, or 6 things in gray.
• Empty your purse or briefcase. What can you write or draw that ties these items together in some way? Can you assign them to a fictional character?
• Just create random collages--then write about them later.
• The good old, tried-and-true magazine cut-outs. Pair disparate images together and find the connections! Same with writing and word prompts. The stranger the combination, the more exciting the possibilities can be.

It's amazing what kinds of "happy accidents" can result from trying out these exercises. Entire passages of my novels have been written this way, totally unplanned and totally unexpected, kind of like today's art journal page. I haven't had time yet to sit down and find what a goat, an egg, a circus rider and the Arc de Triomphe have in common--but I'm sure I'll find the key somewhere. The trick is believing it's there and trusting the story will come to me. It's never failed me yet.

So what's your favorite way of going random and free-floating through the universe? Drop a line and let me know! 

Tip of the Day: If the idea of randomness makes you nervous, try journaling about the reasons why. Some of my own worries about being "too random" include fear of never finishing a project due to too many unrelated ideas, not seeing the forest for the trees, or losing focus by casting my attention too far and wide. On the other hand, I often think there may not be any such thing as complete randomness, and perhaps the things we choose "at random" are actually waiting for us to find them so we can make the relevant connections--another good topic to explore! See you tomorrow.

#AtoZChallenge, Q is for Questions

Many, if not most, of my journal entries start with a question. There seems to be an awful lot I want or need to know! But questions lead to answers which then lead to inspiration and insights and, of course, more questions for next time.

Today's page is made up of some purplish mulberry paper I found ultra-cheap at Big Lots; I think I paid about $3 for 100 12" x 12" sheets in a rainbow of colors. I love the texture and tough-delicacy of the sheets and have used them for a variety of projects. I particularly like this true "mulberry" color and for today have paired it with some strips of paper that I recycled and cut from an old colored-pencil drawing I had done of some eggplants--dozens of eggplants, too many eggplants, if truth be known. I couldn't stop drawing them. And then I didn't know what to do with the piece until I thought "collage material." 

As for the photograph, it's a vintage pic I cut from a magazine (where else?). I think it's supposed to be in Hawaii, but I chose it because it reminded me of old family photographs I've seen of my grandmother who was born and raised in Fiji. I never knew her as she had passed away before I was born, but her life was straight out of a novel: the daughter of a Boston whaler and his wife, my great-grandmother, a desperate, stranded former nanny who had three previous children from a bigamous marriage. It turned out the dashing sea captain she'd married in the islands already had a wife safely stowed back in England.  Her situation, and the ensuing scandal, has always made me ask why and how and who--good questions for both the fiction and nonfiction writer in me.

Needless to say, they are also questions I've never had good answers to, leaving me free to solve the mysteries in my own creative ways, such as with my art journal. Family stories aside, some other types of questions I like to work with in my journal are:

• What are my goals for the week, month, year?
• How will I achieve them?
• What creative work (painting, drawing, poetry, novel . . .) do I want to tackle right now? What's calling to me? What are my priorities? What's next?
• Manuscript questions: plot holes, character interviews, back stories.
• Visual art: what colors should I use for a particular piece? What's the emotion I want to convey? Is there a story to the piece?
• Real-life conflicts and difficulties: how to solve, how to let go, how to move on.

Whatever you choose to ask your journal, keep in mind it can really be about anything: from the meaning of life to what to cook for dinner. It can even be as simple as asking: What should I write about today? Just so long as it starts with the letter "Q" you'll be fine! See you tomorrow.

Tip of the Day: Not every question can be answered immediately. Finding good answers can take time, the important thing is to write your questions down in your journal and leave enough space to fill in the blanks. A good technique I've found is to write a question at the top of a page and then skip several pages before I write down the next one at the top of another page. The spaces in between can be filled in later and in no particular order. Having your questions pre-written can serve as a useful prompt, especially when you're feeling a little stuck.

#AtoZChallenge, P is for Pearls

. . . Pearls of wisdom, that is, although I did add a few stick-on pearls to complete today's art journal page. Many of my most-beloved "pearls" come from my favorite books, lines of dialogue, description, often the opening scene. Today's page was inspired by Lawrence Durrell's Alexandria Quartet, the book I blogged about the first time I took the A to Z Challenge in 2014. 

The first book of the quartet, Justine, starts with these evocative lines:

The sea is high again today, with a thrilling flush of wind. In the midst of winter you can feel the inventions of spring. A sky of hot nude pearl until midday, crickets in sheltered places, and now the wind unpacking the great planes, ransacking the great planes. . . . 

I have escaped to this island with a few books and the child -- Melissa's child.

And I'm hooked once more! 

The Alexandria Quartet is one of the few books I re-read again and again. I don't think I will ever stop learning from the language, or discovering new nuances and themes in the text. For today's page I most wanted to capture that pearl of a sky, and as wonky as it might appear (as with all my art journal pages), it does do what I wanted it to do for me: remind me of the book. 

Always keep in mind that in spite of what I'm demonstrating for the challenge--sharing a page a day--art journals are essentially private. They're for you to explore, experiment, and be as fondly sentimental and personal in as you want to be. Never worry about what other people will think of your journal, or how they will judge it. Which is probably a good little pearl of wisdom for yourself: don't judge your journal too harshly, either. 

Now go scribble, play, write your heart out, run with scissors--and take some time to re-read a favorite book!

Tip of the Day: If you're still on the fence about starting an art journal, or looking for some new inspiration, there's nothing better than creating an illustrated commonplace book (the link leads to a post I wrote on the subject you might like to read for more information). People started making commonplace books centuries ago as a way to compile their own small stores of general wisdom, from daily aphorisms to recipes for salves and poultices. Today they make the perfect theme for an art journal. Just like our ancestors did, you can fill your book with inspiring quotes, soap and shampoo recipes, and guidelines to live by. Don't forget to add the pictures!

#AtoZChallenge, O is for Ordinary

First things first: I didn't paint this picture I glued onto today's journal entry, but I sure wish I did. Unfortunately I can't even tell you who the artist is--one of the hazards of cutting out pictures from old magazines without paying too much attention to the credits.

Whatever its history, though, looking at this calm and colorful scene makes me happy. I like to imagine the people who live in this house and how they got there. It's the kind of dream-house they used to feature in old movies; any minute I expect Cary Grant to come laughing through the door, or Olivia de Havilland with a basket of freshly-cut roses hanging from her arm. In many ways, the scene is perfectly ordinary: a country home, an open door, a sunny day. Nothing special. And that's what makes it so appealing to me. 

Of course, I could be completely wrong, and all kinds of extraordinary things could have occurred here that have nothing to do with the peaceful life I envision. For instance, the family who lives here might be sick to death of the place and say things like, "That view is so dull! Why don't we concrete in the grass and install a Ferris Wheel?" Or, "Please don't play the piano again tonight, Jolyon. If I hear Claire de Lune one more time I'll have you committed."

And that's just for starters. What if Jolyon the piano player gets so mad he strangles the woman who hates Clair de Lune? Or war has just been declared and the entire family has fled the house without even turning off the lights? Or a flying saucer has abducted everyone except the youngest child and his nanny? Appearances can be deceiving. You just never know; what might appear ordinary to one person could be absolutely mind-staggering to another.

Which is what makes the ordinary such an interesting topic to explore in our journals. How ordinary is ordinary? Maybe it's only the way we perceive it. For instance my commute to work has become so boring to me I'm on auto-pilot half the time, but to someone from out of town they might think: Albuquerque! What a charming place to live! Or when I go shopping for groceries and buy milk and eggs and ice cream again, another shopper might be thinking: Ice cream. Milk and eggs for cake. She must be throwing a party. What we take for granted as dull and routine might stir someone else's imagination in a wholly new, and unexpected direction.

Some of the ways I like to experiment with being that "someone else" is to:

• Drive down unfamiliar streets. Take note of the architecture and general ambience. Park and journal for a bit.
• Buy some grocery items I often ignore. Cook them, taste them, write!
• Look for the beauty in "clutter": a sink of dirty dishes, a pile of laundry: what's the story? How could I turn that into an interesting drawing or painting?
• Go to clothing or other kinds of stores I don't usually shop at. I'm a huge fan of window-shopping, but sometimes it's fun to surprise myself with some new and out-of-character purchases.
• Check out some library books on subjects that I've always considered difficult or unappealing. Getting out of my reading/creative comfort zone has lead me to subjects I would never have considered before and that I've grown to thoroughly enjoy.

At the same time, it's important to keep in mind that there's also a unique and special beauty in the ordinary. Not only can it be secure and comforting, but it can also be what provides you with a firm bedrock for your creative endeavors. A clean and bright workspace, a well-organized manuscript and WIP notebook, paints and pencils where you can find them . . . celebrate it all in your journal with colors, sketches, collages, and words.  

Tip of the Day: Another good use of your art journal is to break free of the ordinary. For instance, explore new mediums or color combinations. Go through "dull" magazines for counter-intuitive inspiration and unexpected images to cut-out. Or make a list of all your "ordinary" activities and look for ways to jazz them up.

#AtoZChallenge, N is for Negative Space

I learned to draw (well, as some would say, I'm still learning . . . ) by looking at “negative space,” the space around an object, rather than concentrating on the object itself. It's one of the methods Betty Edwards teaches in Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain, and it really works.

Having experimented with the technique many times, I’ve grown to love negative space, and frequently find myself on the look-out for new ways to express it. For instance, studying the gaps between the leaves on a plant, or taking note of the patterns created by shadows falling into a room--negative space can sometimes be the most interesting part of a painting.

In daily life, however, negative space can sound frightening. We work so hard to cultivate the light, to stay upbeat and positive that negativity is an emotional state to shy away from. But without the dark spaces in our lives, how can we ever know what, and where, the light is?

Your art journal (or any kind of journal for that matter) can be a useful and cathartic place to take your negative feelings. Everybody needs to vent, to rant, to whine, to cry over what hurts. Some ways I like to express my negativity in my journal are to:

• Paint or collage my feelings.
• List my grievances. 
• Let my Inner Critic have a field day.
• Sit in the dark with my journal.

Once it's all on paper, I'm free to:

• Write a gratitude list.
• Reply to my Inner Critic’s barbs with positive affirmations.
• Light a candle.
• Write a poem.
• Let it go.

And if I really want it out of my life, I tear out the page and burn it.

Something that has truly surprised me about working with my feelings this way is how powerful my "negative" artwork has been for others. Some of the pieces I've had the most positive feedback on have been created when I was at my lowest ebb. Just goes to show that a) the work we do isn't always for ourselves, and b) sadness can truly be transformed into joy with just a little dose of creativity. See you on Monday!  

Tip of the Day: The next time you're feeling down, don't turn away from negative space. Even the most trivial of incidents or slights can take on serious proportions if it's not addressed and/or examined for possible solutions. Don’t be afraid. Go into the shadows. Make your journal your friend--the one who listens and understands, no matter what you say.

#AtoZChallenge, M is for Morning Tea (and Other Small Pleasures)

It's Friday and here I still am: collaging, journaling, blogging my way through the alphabet, landing on M and thanking the heavens for my morning cup of tea. 

Ah, tea. Solves everything, in my opinion! It also makes a good subject for drawing and art journaling. For today's journal page I drew (during my morning tea break!) my office tea cup, adding, amongst other things, the tag from one of my favorite tea bag flavors: Jasmine Green, and a scrap of origami paper.

For me, my morning tea is a much-needed daily ritual and respite. I don’t like to hurry any aspect of it. It's also loaded with memories: tea shops in England and New Zealand as a child;  visiting an organic tea plantation in Taiwan last year; my parents receiving annual shipments of Murfee’s tea from Canada when we lived in California. I remember when we went together to Vancouver to place that first order. The building was from another century, dark and paneled in Tudor black oak, with all the bins of tea arranged in orderly rows that made me feel I was on board an old clipper ship. I really can't drink tea without thinking about it at least once!

Tea, writing, drawing, and "M is for memories" just all seem to go together. Some journal questions you might like to ask are:

• Did you ever play "tea party" as a child? You know, with a little tea-set and mud-pies?
• What morning rituals do you now follow every day? (Even making your bed can take on quiet significance).
• What's your favorite way to take a break from daily stress, e.g., daily blogging?
• If you are a tea-drinker, what are your favorite brands and flavors? (Fortnum and Mason’s Royal Blend for me!) 
• If you're not into tea, what makes a good morning for you?

Tip of the Day: Art journaling can be about the simplest things. Tomorrow morning, make yourself a cup of tea. Sit down with your journal. Watch the steam rise. Take a sip. Start writing.

#AtoZChallenge, L is for Let's Go!

One of my most beloved toys as a child was actually a greeting card. Sent to me when I was five years old and cooped up in bed with the chicken pox, it arrived in the form of a multi-page booklet telling the story of a paper doll named Ginger. Ginger and her wardrobe had perforated edges that allowed me to easily extract the whole kit and kaboodle as quickly as possible while I sat up in bed supported by a mountain of pillows.

The cover of the card was pink and decorated with iconic landmarks from various countries: the Eiffel Tower for France, a windmill for Holland, the leaning tower of Pisa for Italy. Ginger was a twenty-something flight attendant, or as we said back then, a stewardess. She had beautiful long red hair, a perky figure, and a sense of style straight out of Mad Men. I remember being particularly entranced with her white fencing outfit complete with netted helmet and mask. There were also evening gowns, a trench coat, and best of all, her suitcase. Brown cardboard "leather," it was covered in travel stickers from all around the world, stickers that matched many of the icons on the front of the card. As far as I was concerned, Ginger was the It Girl, putting all my other dolls and toys far back into a lowly second- and third-place.

Looking back, it's amazing how much pleasure I received from a flimsy little card, but from that moment on I was determined to travel. To me, Ginger signified much more than a toy; she was the real, adult world I couldn't wait to be a part of. As I waltzed her across my bedspread and blankets, I imagined myself traveling just like she did, wearing, of course, her white fencing outfit I was certain was de rigeur for foreign travel. Ginger became my childhood role model, and every time I pack my bag or board an airplane, I still think of her.

Today's journal page celebrates the spirit of adventure. Where do you want to go for your next holiday? What steps do you need to take to get there? Dream big. En garde!

Tip of the Day: Write it down, make it happen. Your art journal makes an excellent vision board or treasure map for creating your next vacation. Find images in travel magazines or travel agency brochures (that's where I found the printed stamps to cut out for today's page). Paste everything in place along with some positive affirmations, a list of wardrobe items to take and sights to see, and off you go. Send a postcard!