Cath Sheard Art

Tag: art journaling

  • Wanderlust25

    I’ve often started my year by participating in a paid class or worldwide project. It’s a great way to kickstart the art year. I’ve done the Documented Life Project & Creative Jump Start a number of times, along with ‘100 days of …’ and a few one-off classes. I haven’t done anything for about 4 years as Tony’s health, and some other changes, meant I just didn’t have the bandwidth.

    Part way through last year I decided to commit to something for 2025 and tossed up between Wanderlust25 and Fodder School. I went with Wanderlust25, in the hope it might move me away from being brand/product driven in my art journals. It started a couple of weeks ago and yesterday I finally set up my journal and completed week 1 with Iris Fritschi-Cussens.

    As with all paid classes I’ll share what I made, but not specifics around techniques and thinking. I’m delighted with this first spread – it already feels like I’ve gone back to 10 years ago when I was more process driven. You can see it below, along with details close-ups.

    The writing is a reminder to myself that it’s ok to rest when I need to. My health is a bit dodgy yet I very much resist resting. Talking to my sister yesterday I realised it’s because Mum used to make me rest when she was tired and I wasn’t, so I see it as punishment!

  • A proving ground

    My journals are a safe place to play but also somewhere for ideas to prove themselves or die… Sometimes an idea isn’t sustainable for practical reasons, perhaps because of the materials or energy required.

    Other times I start to play with an idea and, 2 or 3 iterations along, I’m getting bored with it. If an idea is going to become a series, even a small one, it’s needs to hold my attention for a sustained period of time.

    There’s been a couple of things recently I’ve tried and dropped for the above reasons. So I’ve gone back a bit to go forward – relooking at ideas that have captivated me in the past, and putting a fresh twist on them.

    I’m playing with ridge lines, mountains and the landscape generally. Because it’s a familiar subject I’m able to play around with my materials more. These early trial works incorporate gelli prints, acrylic paint, acrylic ink, water soluble pencils, Kuretake watercolours and Ranger Distress Foundry Wax.

  • Testing out my new journal

    I’ve been working in my new Seawhite journal today. It’s A4, with 350gsm watercolour paper and wire-o binding. The paper is lovely to work on; it even coped well when I spilt acrylic ink and had to use a lot of water to rescue the page, with no buckling or damage to the surface of the paper. One page has perhaps 6 layers of gelli printed deli paper in some areas and the paper is sturdy enough to handle it well. The cover is rigid so I can stand the journal up to let the drips run without it falling over. The wire-o binding has its benefits but, overall, I prefer a standard book binding where I can mop ink and water out of the trough between pages.

    Do I love it so far?Absolutely. The Drawing Room also has the Seawhite travel journal with 200gsm watercolour paper and a normal book binding. I’ll certainly be trying out those too.

  • My journals are a safe place

    My journals are a safe place to play, experiment, and say whatever’s on my mind and in my heart. I share most of the pages I create, but there are a few that stay unseen in my journals. Alan’s away at the moment, so yesterday Sandra, Bruno and I went to New Plymouth playing Munzees after I’d taken Tony out for morning tea – he doesn’t want to go out for lunch at the moment for some reason. We had a fun day, and both earned a badge we didn’t expect to – it was fun!

    I’m heading to Hokitika on Thursday for about 10 days, so today I’ve semi-packed my bag. Next Sunday Pen and I will be working on some collab pieces at Left Bank Art Gallery, which I’m excited about. I’ve have spent most of the day at my art desk. I’ve got some lovely new Dina Wakley MEdia printed transparencies and stencils, so had to test them out 😉

  • Progress, and planning

    I’m making slow progress with filling my journal before I commit to paper. I think the journal is a bit small, so the mark making is too fussy to make my happy. I’m determined to keep at it though. My scanner won’t pick up anything vageuly fluro, so I’m finding I can’t scan a lot of the pages to share.

    Pen Kirk and I are planning a day of “working big” at Left Bank Art Gallery is Greymouth – I’m heading down that way in a couple of weeks. We’re going to work on stretched canvas, paper, cardboard and work in rounds, so we spend a set amount of time on something then move on, working into each other’s work. We’re limiting our colours to black, white, buff, turquoise, deep blue, Indian yellow, fluro pink and silver but can use any medium, so we’ll have paint, acylic ink, pastels and collage. It’ll be fun to work together – there’s real magic in letting go and just trusting each other.