Paintings With Soul

This is detail from an in-process page inside my Gratitude Journal (the entire spread is pictured at the left). Done mostly in acrylic paint, it includes a word ticket given me by a student. At our last grownUPs Journal class, participants were given three word tickets. They labeled objects with their tickets, and I was tagged "Fortunately." One of the best gifts ever - thank you Toni!!   I've been a daily painter since 2006. That's a LOT of paintings to come across my easel. And a LOT of pressure to stay fresh, every day (we're not talking showering, kiddos!).   One of the creative habits I picked up shortly after making my daily painting pledge was that of art journaling. The idea behind art, or creative, journaling is that it is part sketchbook part diary part science lab with art materials. Anything goes!   I thought it would be healthy for me to have a place to work out frustrations or anxieties and be able to make marks without ...

  The welcome postcards for my summer workshop AirMail Journaling will be mailed tomorrow. The cards include a tune-up exercise to get participants primed and ready to go.   What's AirMail Journaling? 5 art journal lessons mailed to your home (or an address of your choosing) - lessons include directions, prompts, ephemera and materials, along with sample images  we start the week of June 25th and will continue through the end of August - the lessons will be mailed every two weeks there's also a private, online classroom where participants can share their images and have a dialogue about processes/ideas So, how much for all this wicked sweet journaling goodness? Only $30.  I kid you not. Only $30 (within the US - additional fees for international addresses apply). Simply paypal funds to journal@turtledovedesigns.com  and I'll get off a materials list and class outline. What will we be doing? I'll give you a glimps...

You are cordially invited to come spend a day in the studio with me, learning some vibrant color mixing techniques and practicing "loosening up" exercises. Click on the above image for a larger view. Hope to paint with you! Kim Santini ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com

ABOVE: Ivie's Travel Journal includes collaged elements, decorative writing, and a black and white photograph she took. BELOW: Annie's journal page was collagedfrom a stencil she made and tissue papers. Over the weekend, we tied up the fall session of children's Creative Journalling Workshops. We met on alternate weeks created pages using monotype, stamp carving, stencil making, decorative text, 3D page construction and collage. Students ranged in age from 5 to 13, and all of them have enthusiastically embraced journalling. A big warm thanks to the parents of my students - encouraging your child to find their own expressive voice is a tremendous gift. I thoroughly enjoyed working alongside each of my "kids," and look forward to seeing many of them return. Our next workshop begins in January - the classes are an hour and a half on alternating Sunday afternoons. Enrollment includes all materials' costs - the students need only bring a blank book and a little...