“Everyone has choices to make. No one has the right to take those choices away from us — not even out of love. — Cassandra Clare”
This particular piece was a work through time. NO ZENTANGLING THIS TIME AROUND!
Would you believe that this is actually one of the first watercolor backgrounds I worked on weeks ago? I painted the swirls and then filled in the background another day, refined the swirls again and then put in the wordart. Today I finally put in the journaling.
I zeroed in on “CHOICES” somehow and browsed the internet for quotes and found this one from Cassandra Clare featured in GoodReads. It was rather straight to the point without being too mushy — a quote from one of her books, and I said to myself — that’s what I want to put in my journal. Yes to that! How often do we unintentionally make choices for the people around us, sometimes with the (misguided) notion that we are doing this to help another, when in truth, we are taking on the prerogative of choice for that person?
In trying to help, we fail to consider what personal choice might have been made instead of what we chose.
I rendered the quote in Word and I decided to photocopy straight onto the painted sheet. The copier somehow didn’t “dry” or “develop” adequately to make the toner adhere to the background, and before it all rubbed away, I “doctored” and “repaired” the project by putting transparent packing tape on top it. It made it look like I had actually adhered a transparent film onto which the quote was printed on. (Like tape art.)
I didn’t want to muddle the whole artwork which is one of my favorites so far, so I journaled within some of the swirls. Nondescript and understandable only by me.. just the way I like it.
I’m getting the hang of doing my Art Journal literally EVERY DAY, and having a stash of backgrounds and works in progress has helped immensely. Right now I have one I’m taking home (another collaboration with Angelo) which I will finish and post over the weekend. I also intend to work on more backgrounds to keep it going. =)
I’m trying to experiment more with darker colors for the background and I’m going to work on a collage background after finding all these words that just jumped at me when I browsed some issues of this week’s New York Times. Sometimes I can’t help but feel like my backgrounds are “too happy” — so much so that I end up passing them up for the “darker” and more somber themes I want to write about. Or I end up not writing anymore for want of a working background. I tried to come up with a black watercolor background but ended up with a grey wash instead. (More paint needed!)
The weekend has begun. I look forward to it because it means having more time to relax — between the housework and chores, that is. Sometimes I hardly have time to sit between cooking the meals and cleaning up in between. And there are things to take care of besides that. (Working on a few pieces for the shop!)
Last night I started tinkering with this bowl of loose pearls I had collected from various organizer trays and started creating an abstract woven pendant — and before I knew it, it was past 1am already. I ended up sleeping at close to 2am because of that. (Which must be why I’m so exhausted today. Needed more than my usual shot of espresso this morning..)
And it’s time to go home.. =) Can’t wait to rest and have my Friday dinner with my boy.. just him and me… which is part of my next art journal piece. Something special from my one and only son.
If you want to see more of my Art Journal, please click here, or you can always choose my Art Journal Every Day page from the list on the top left of the blog page.
I invite you to view the Flickr Group dedicated to this endeavor by clicking here, and be inspired to create your own art journal. (Artistic talent optional.)
Pinay New Yorker 