Tuesday 15 January 2013

Art Journaling: Eyes Like Rudolph's Nose

Hello hello.

I was one of the many amongst us who received the gift of a head cold over the Christmas break. Yet, as my head began to emerge from days of feeling like a broken brick packed tightly with pain ... and mucus [apologies if that's spoiled your lunch], I began to feel my crafty fingers itch once again.

Clearly however, my brain was still under the cold's influence as I just ended up making a journal page reflecting how I felt - and looked -at the time:
I think the journaling speaks for itself: 
And here are some fellow scarlet-eyed characters:
The eyes are made by pressing the page on to the rim of the red acrylic paint pot [one of those tiny 'paint by numbers' size pots] then a splodge of white paint and a doodled black dot:
Alas, while my cold has cleared, my eyelids remain in varying degrees of redness, soreness and flaky dryness [aren't you glad you dropped by today to read this?] So I'm currently in the process of trying to work out what exactly it is I'm allergic to. And, in the meantime I have to try to cover it up on days I'm out of the house ... as don't want to scare people ... 
When I consulted the internet to find out possible causes I came across this vivid eyelid metaphor [yes, I did say 'a vivid eyelid metaphor'! Don't say you don't get your money's worth from this blog.]
 which read:
  • Your eyelid skin is a ‘canary in the mine shaft’ when it comes to allergic and irritant reactions. [source]
... because apparently the sensitive skin there can flag-up allergies before the tougher skin on the rest of your body knows anything about it. Which is all very interesting and medical and everything  ... but it's got me thinking a bit more creatively ...

If the comparison I made for myself - between the colour of my eyes and Rudolph's nose - made it to a journal page ... then surely it's only a matter of time before this new eyelid / canary / mineshaft imagery does the same!

I'll let you know. [No pun intended].

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  • Do you make journal pages about something that's happening / something you're feeling at that very moment?
  • Or do you just take out your supplies and see what strikes you then and there? Maybe it's a colour, an image, a technique? 
I do both, but there are times when even when I think I'm just doing the latter and going with the flow ... the themes which emerge are often linked to something that's happening / something I'm feeling at the time anyway!

Maybe they can't be separated.

What do you think?

Julie :-)

9 comments:

  1. ha! this is my favorite! hope your canaries are in better shape today!

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  2. Hope you're feeling better Julie. I can definitely see a canary themed journal page in your future :D
    C xx

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  3. these art pages of yours amaze me!

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  4. Your page is gorgeous Julie and so creative. I love the way you have your journalling. I want to learn about art journalling this year, it intrigues me so much.
    I hope you are over your head cold by now?

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  5. I think I do a little of both in my pages. What a creative use of tht skull!
    Rinda

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  6. Sorry you have suffered Julie, but the resultant page is fab !!

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  7. What a wonderfully stunning page, Julie, despite (because of?) the blooming lurghi! I can look at your work for ages - there is so much lovely detail. (BTW You might have blepharitis following your cold/respiratory infection - has the GP been able to help? Just a thought ...)

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  8. Haha, funny & happy page - in spite of it all! :-)

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  9. Julie,
    I was truly taken by the art on this page. The skull face really caught my eye and I realized the connection with your not feeling well. ;) I like the detail you show in the photos and the freedom you expressed to create a visual of your current state. Sometimes that can be healing in itself. I also appreciate the question you pose concerning our approach to art journaling. Sometimes I start with how I'm feeling about my week. Sometimes I just work with color I'm drawn to and start painting. I LOVE art journaling.

    I have chosen your post, Art Journaling: Eyes Like Rudolph's Nose, for the #JournalChat Pick of the Day on 1/22/13 for all things journaling on Twitter; a link will be posted on the social networks, on my blog and website Refresh with Dawn Herring, and in my weekly Refresh Journal:http://tinyurl.com/bahl2zs.

    #JournalChat Live is every Thursday, 5 EST/2 PST, for all things journaling on Twitter; our topic this week is Your Journaling: A Personal Perception.

    Thanks again for your honesty, your humor, and showing how your feelings can really show up on the page.


    Be refreshed,
    Dawn Herring
    Host of #JournalChat Live and Links Edition on Twitter
    Author of The Birthday Wall: Create a Collage to Celebrate Your Child

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