USE WHAT YOU HAVE

My most recent Visual Journaling class was all that I had been hoping for, and more. Upon our arrival, we discovered that our instructor had prepared manila envelopes for each of us, chock full of art supplies, with dried weeds and grasses peeking out from the top. I was hoping that I would get the envelope with the interesting twigs and dried grass, and I did. I was also pleased that I received lots of blues and greens to work with.

Our challenge was to create three different collages using only the materials we had been furnished, and to spend only 20 minutes on each collage. I was delighted how my collages turned out, for several reasons: I learned to use what I have, rather than purchasing expensive materials. Not only did I not freeze up with "artist's block", I immediately began working in a very spontaneous way. I experimented with scrunching tissue, smearing paint, using wire as thread, pulling fibers apart, and using materials "outside the box". (The wooden blocks in the green collage are rubber stamps with the rubber removed.) I learned that I don't need to agonize over a collage for hours and hours in order to create a piece worth keeping. And I learned that I love to work with 3-D objects.

I like all three of my creations, and I liked what the other students did too. So did our instructor. She had praise for all our work, and was, I think, very pleased that we showed such potential.