One of my YouTube favs is the wonderfully talented Claire Stead (Art_Journal Love). The other day she made a page using ArtStacks and I just had to check them out. They offer themed paper packs, so three sets somehow ended up in my cart. Got to love a quick digital download!
I’ve used them in my 6×6 Dina Wakley Media Kraft journal, with DWM paints and stencils. I had printed them on 160gsm white paper, so they’re a bit sturdier, which I prefer. The colours are bright and the images are, mainly, easy to fussy cut. I’m thrilled with them and will no doubt be buying more.
My art practice is a mix of art and craft; my art has been centred on collab with Penny Kirk for our most recent exhibition in Greymouth. When it comes to crafting, for months I’ve been working predominantly in my Dina Wakley Media journals with DWM paints and stencils etc. Love love love … but also feeling the need to change things up a bit.
During the Covid-19 lockdowns in the UK artist Dyan Reaveley started doing online classes, as she couldn’t teach and travel as normal. Although converting GBP to NZD is pretty gruesome, I was fortunate to do quite a few classes and loved them.
I decided to rewatch the videos, knowing there’d be techniques and ideas I’d forgotten about. Sure enough, I’m loving the videos and am having fun working in a Jumpstart journal I had squirreled away.
I don’t normally complete a page at a time. The Jumpstart journal is blank pages on the left, and a colour copy of one of Dyan’s pages on the right. I start by using the babywipe method to colour a bunch of left hand pages, stencilling as I go. One that’s dry, I randomly add borders, cut shaped edges, add silhouettes and so on. Then I outline everything, doodle and add faux running stitch around elements. I sit in front of tv with Alan in the evenings, with a couple of sizes of black and white pen and just flick my way through adding details.
None of these pages are finished, but they show work in progress…
When I was at The Learning Connection my tutor, in the 4th year, commented that my work was “all about the edges”. Peter was absolutely right, and the edges of the work are still critical to me. In the last couple of years I’ve become increasingly interested in the idea of texture, while keeping the work very flat. When I was a scrapbooker, and scrapbook tutor, I could never get into lumpy things on my pages…
Pen Kirk and I are working on our next exhibition, titled Shattered Landscapes which opens late October. We’re showing our own work, and joint collaborative works. I’ve been working on a few pieces this afternoon and I’ve been quite focused on creating a sense of texture.
Lately my art has taken a distinct change in direction. I worked my way very quickly through two art journals, using water soluble pencil, paint and collage. At one point I even said to my good friend, and fellow artist, PenKirk https://www.facebook.com/halfpennynz that I needed to “step away from the journal”! I didn’t of course, I just kept creating.
About three quarters of the way through the first journal I realised the shape I was trying to create, over and over, was the island at Waverley Beach. It’s very different today; time, tide and climate change have destroyed most of it.
Dad used to fish off the far side of the island. My friends and I would climb up the side and dive into the waves. Then, dripping wet, we’d clamber back up the papa rock and do it all over again. Looking back, I realise we could easily have been hurt because papa rock gets very slippery when it’s wet. We didn’t get hurt, but we did have a lot of fun.
I’ve been doing a lot more mark making, using water soluble media. There’s a shape that keeps appearing and I’m not sure what it is yet. I seem to be using a lot of blue, deep green and white. I’m starting to wonder if the lines are masts. If it turns out they are masts, I’ve no idea where the imagery is coming from.
At The Learning Connexion I did a lot of mark making, particularly in my 4th year, and still do in my art journals, but over recent years haven’t done as much in art pieces. I’m not sure what’s made the difference, perhaps some of the artists I’ve watched on YouTube including Jackie Schomburg https://www.youtube.com/@jackieschomburgart/about, but I’ve gone full circle and am doing a lot of mark making and drawing.
Where’s all this leading? Goodness knows, but I’m enjoying the process and trust there will be an “aha! So that’s what I’ve been trying to get out of my head “ moment.
This is one of the pieces I did before I got to the final shape of the island at Waverley Beach.This is an example of where I’ve started with water soluble pencil and a wandering line.Playing with mark making. The strong vertical line on the right is the start of the more mast-like lines.This is the very recent piece that has me thinking sea and mast … maybe! If it is, I don’t know where the mast comes from in my memory, but I guarantee it will be a memory.
I’ve been thinking about consistency; consistency in going to the gym and in other personal habits. I’m working in a kraft journal and trying out some ideas. What I’m starting to notice is – despite some new colours / materials and the intention to work differently – there are marks and colour combinations which always come out.
Black, white, blue, green, turquoise, with a touch of hot pink, orange or fluorescent yellow. The colours of the sea, which I have always loved. But also the colours of the Hokitika Gorge, which I love.
Cruciform shapes, ovals that are higher on one side with one end cut off, loose squares or oblongs that connect to a line across or up the page. I know where some of it comes from – the cruciform shapes and squares or oblongs relate to memories of the Patea Cool Stores and Freezing Works. The ovals I have no idea about, but when I get scissors and paper in my hand for collage, there they are!
Cath Sheard Art 