Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Buried Treasure

Hi there! It is time for Seth Apter's "Buried Treasure" Where each participant reposts some of their favorite post's from the previous year. I have picked three of my favorite posts. Enjoy!


From October 2009 one of my first art journal pages I really liked and felt was really "me". Actually it is the not this first spread, but the second one down in this post. I love all the layers and depth. It was my first time at working in a larger journal and it really felt good to work in a larger journal:

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2009

A Lot of Crazy Layers...

This page titled "Who am I?" was created during OrlyAvineri's Journal workshop on “Attachment Theory ”last Sunday. It was a trial run of her upcoming class at Journalfest in Oregon. I felt really honored to be a participant. I got to meet some amazing artists and create some fun journal pages with attachments. The two glacine envelopes contain photos of my mother and father.

This journal is a new one for me, Orly told me "You work BIG! Need a big journal!" So here is a bigger journal. Click on any image for a larger view...

This is a view of the first page with Blythe Danner quote. There are LOTS of layers on this page... It all started with four pages of different writing, two from a novel, one with Hebrew text, one with Asian text. Then layers and layers of paint, even a doily throw in for good measure. We sure all had a lot of fun in class that day. Even Orly liked her page she did.

This page has the packing tape transfer of "airships"
This is a look at the completed pages from OrlyAvineri's journaling class on Tuesday October 13th at Harmony Works. We were working with layers. The quote says "I think I have a lot of crazy layers." by Blythe Danner.


And from February ok another of my all time favorites, this uses my XL Moleskine journal (11.5" X 16.5") to it's full potentitial:

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2010

Seeing Things in Black & White




A black & white page spread for Orly Avineri’s Art Journaling class in my XL Moleskine journal. Using vintage images, vintage fonts, vintage advertising, decorative tape, white gel pens, Sharpie poster paint pens, acrylic paint. This spread took on a life of it’s own and was very difficult to know when to stop. With Orly’s help I flushed out the face on the left hand side. I liked that the piece was very collaborative and there was a lot of talking over it as it evolved. It also started out with a smaller picture of the man with the beard or I call him M.W.B. The spread contains a secret page can you guess where? The answer is farther down in this post. Blogger is not working to view a larger size. Click on the images on the left hand side under Flickr to view my pages in Flickr and you can see larger sizes there.

It was really fun to work only in black and white and shades of grey. I am not really a black or white thinker… I’ve always been about the shades of grey. How about you?

The left side of my black and white spread for Orly Avineri's Art Journaling group in my XL Moleskine Journal do you see a face?


The right side of my black and white spread. I love the M.W.B. I brought a couple of sizes to the group, Orly liked the larger size and used in her spread for the evening and I used a smaller one, you can see part of Orly's spread here. Can you guess where the secret page is?



Tada, the secret page...


A close-up of M.W.B. This page folds out to reveal more and a secret mini journaling page tucked in. The photo courtesy of ookami_dou on flickr.

My secret journaling page. Enjoy!






And from March probably my favorite spread so far. This for me was such a departure from what I had been doing my journaling. I felt more confident, more secure in what I was doing.

My Roots...



My pages for Orly Avineri's Art Journaling Lab, she's changed the name of her weekly art journaling group because it really is more like a lab than a class. I love the new name. This last weeks class was about "Roots". I would have used more photos of family pictures but my printer ran out of ink and I did not have time before class to head out to Staples. At any rate I digress. This has me thinking about different kinds of roots. The roots of behaviors, behaviors we can change, and those that run deep. the roots of life. The roots of fun. The roots of creativity. The roots of excess. The roots of style or taste.

I showed my art journal to my friend Stormy this past week and she said I "defiantly have a style" and my "art tends to be a bit dark." I thought it was amusing and interesting. I've never really thought much about my art journal having a style. What are your "roots"?

Click on any photo for a larger view.

The right side with my ink "roots" of my tree of life. The "trunk" of my tree is made from vintage papers, collage papers, and scrapbook papers, found vintage photos this page courtesy of Orly.

Right hand side. The photo with the pumpkins is yes of me...


16 comments:

Paper Paradise said...

Seeing these again has made me realise just how much work goes into your journal pages. They are absolutely brilliant. I just love the black and white. It must be so difficult to work with such limited colours, I need to try it myself, it is sure to be a challenge.

Bleubeard and Elizabeth said...

I'm so totally impressed with these journal pages. I believe Roots is the only one I have actually seen. So glad you reposted these hidden treasures.

Kim Mailhot said...

Wow ! You have uncovered some great treasures here and I am glad to have found them ! Three great choices that show the development of your style too. I love the black and white piece- amazing what you accomplished with that limited palette! And the roots in the last piece, well, they just grab me and pull me in. Very cool !
Happy Treasure hunting !

Anonymous said...

Wonderful review of your favorites. It is most interesting to see the evolution, the growth, the new directions you have taken. It is evident to me through your compositions, textures, layering, and content, but mostly in color choices, can you see that? Seth is full of awesome ideas, I am sure that bringing these out gave you a new perspetcive on the paths you are intuitively traveling on and clarity of your creative identity.
XOXOrly

Sea Witch said...

What a fun post...crazy about the black and white journal. YOu are a real talent. I especially love the way your visions unfold. Sea Witch

MrCachet said...

Thank you for revisiting with the collage Journaling pages. Could be called Journeying!

Cheri said...

These are awesome pages - I especially love the "lots of crazy layers" one and I can relate! My buried treasure post was also about Art Journaling, but my medium is digi, so the look is quite different.

Lucky Dip Lisa said...

Nice to see the progression of your pages which are a direct result of yoru own personal growth. I love your black and white page...but I think your page after that is just brilliant!

ArtPropelled said...

I love your root pages (very effective)as well as the black and white.

Parabolic Muse said...

Brian, I have to say I remember your black and white journal and LOVE it!! The roots is cool, too. Thanks for participating.

Unknown said...

The black and white journal looks great!

Steph said...

These pages are STUNNING! Brian! I love all them but the one on black and white has character.....
Best! Steph

Svetlana said...

I also like the black and white pages. Excellent work.

jiLy said...

What an interesting post and love looking through your journal pages and the hidden images. Clever roots pages and designs as well. So glad you participated in Buried Treasure. Layers are always my favorite these days!!

DeBRiNa PRaTT said...

wow...my eyes are overwhelmed in a good way...the black and white pages will be dancing in my mind tonight...absolutely stunning!!!!!!

SewPaperPaint said...

There are no words...
Amazing!
~ Autumn Clark