Art Journaling Therapy

I have a number of canvases in my studio just sitting on shelves. Occasionally, I make a piece that I will frame or offer as a gift, but overall, creating art, specifically mixed media abstract art, is more about experimentation. I never really know where my mood will take me and what supply I will grab.

"My home-made art journal is unlike any other journal I have ever kept, but it is still fully an expression of my inner-most feelings and thoughts."

Recently, I decided to grab a journal and keep it small and easier to store. After all, like I said, I am not sharing the majority of my work. Keeping things small also allows me to bring my journal with me...and it's a heck of a lot cheaper. In fact, my summer journal is made from book pages, doilies, cardboard and random bits of papers I found around the house. My home-made art journal is unlike any other journal I have ever kept, but it is still fully an expression of my inner-most feelings and thoughts.

"Like putting words on paper, gliding your brush across a page or randomly splattering a bright color can be a release."

Each day I will take the time in the morning to steal away to the art studio we created in our basement and just play. It is a little piece of the day, usually when the kids are still sleeping, coffee in hand, that I can unwind and exercise my right-brain. Sometimes I just doodle and slap different mediums on the page, sometimes I have an idea in mind, many times, I will finish the page off with a little quote or word that is resonating at that particular moment. It is actually great therapy!

Like putting words on paper, gliding your brush across a page or randomly splattering a bright color can be a release. It is no wonder that so many people have taken up art during the pandemic. Art has long been used as therapy to help those inflicted with pain either physically or mentally. If you don't believe me, give it a try! Below is a quick little guide to get you started.

1. Collect random papers from home such as envelopes, postcards, scraps, even a used dryer sheet will do; or just grab a notebook.

2. Fold each evenly in half. To bind, you can either simply tie a ribbon around the fold, or punch two holes through all the pages, thread a string in one hole and out the other and tie.

3. Grab any writing utensils or paint you might have lying around like crayons, pencils, markers, craft paints, etc. Optional: glue, scissors and an old book or magazine.

4. Just go for it! Put on the paper what you feel like placing and do not worry about the end result. Glue (if using) little bits of papers, scribble, sketch. Once finished, write some words (or cut some out) that you have on your mind or would like to express at that very moment.

5. At the end of the week, flip through and revisit what you might have been feeling at the time, note what looks good, what felt good and most of all, relax and enjoy!