Ann's Visual Journals

Inspire Yourself!

2010-05-08T07:53:00.000-07:00

So much time is spent looking outward for inspiration. Finding the next new thing that will amuse, motivate, move us forward in a new direction. But there is nothing like the satisfaction of discovering something wonderful in your own backyard. That's what I love about working with a visual journal. A scrap of paper, a button, a few words from a fortune cookie or a dictionary put together in your own visual journal becomes poetry. Your own personal recipe for inspiration.

Collage For the Heart and Soul

2010-02-13T15:45:00.000-08:00

Who would have thought that a bunch of pictures torn out of old magazines and glued on the front of 5 x 8-inch mat boards could be so fascinating and so much fun to work with. Who would have thought that something so simple could bring out so much creativity in such profound ways. But this process of creating a deck of collage cards and then using them to explore one's own intuition was developed by psychotherapist Seena Frost and it is a process she has used with her clients and shared with many people outside of her practice. The process originally grew out of her combined interest in the study of psychotherapy, creativity, archetypes and spirituality. To learn more about SoulCollage® and Seena Frost you can read her book "SoulCollage An Intuitive Collage Process for Individuals and Groups" or you can go to her website at www.soulcollage.com.

It has been a while now since I first encountered Seena Frost's SoulCollage® process. I was introduced to it by a friend who teaches it in her wonderful art studio. I had so much fun learning about it that I decided to take the facilitator's training from Seena Frost herself at a retreat in Soquel, California. It was an incredible experience and I met several other people who were teachers, artists, therapists, activity directors, ministers and others who were exploring this wonderful process as well. Since then I have been enjoying creating my own visual journal of collage cards independently and in workshops.

One of the great things about this process is that you do not have to be a teacher, an artist, a therapist or anyone in particular to use it. Anyone can use the SoulCollage® process for themselves, in a classroom, with friends, or in many different kinds of group settings. It is both a personal and a social process, and it can be very rewarding to share it with others. One of the reasons I enjoy my friends' workshops so much is that I enjoy the synergy of working with other people, I also enjoy making time for myself to be creative. With busy schedules and the pressure of work and family it is sometimes nice to have some space and time to just create without the pressure of having to perform. So these SoulCollage workshops can represent an oasis of creative time and rejuvenation for me.

SoulCollage® is a very flexible process. While this process of creating and sharing collage cards does have some structure and guidelines for getting the most out of it, there is no "wrong" way to do it. The focus is on setting the stage for you to call forth you own imagination and intuition in any way that suits you best. It is an intuitive process that lets you discover whatever ideas come up through your imagination as you put together the images you select for your collage. When you put together your collage, you will most likely find that the images you choose have many layers of meaning or they may mean different things to you at different times. This is what makes the process of creating a deck of collage cards so interesting and it is what fuels your ability to find endless possibilities for exploring your own creative potential.

2009-12-30T21:30:00.000-08:00

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Visual Journaling Beginnings

Collage is one of the more accessible ways to start a visual journal that is truly unique and truly yours. It can be neat or messy. It can evolve organically as you add textures and pieces of scraps that fit together in ways that have a special meaning for you.

One thing that feels magical about this process is that there is usually an element of surprise that comes from the materials themselves. Play with different kinds of papers and inks, crayons and found objects and you will always find new ways to express your ideas.

After gluing down the pieces, you may find that the moisture causes some inevitable warping as the pages dry. In this particular case, I prefer the effect of the irregular warping, but you can press it out of your pages with book weights if you prefer a flatter surface.

When it comes to choosing a blank journal it seems just about anything is possible. I've seen amazing visual journals made from college ruled spiral notebooks or composition books as well as elaborate hand-sewn books made from beautiful handmade papers. Some extraordinary visual journals have been made from altered books such as used encyclopedia volumes or paper backs. Anything with a spine seems to work just fine. However, if you want it to last, look for acid free paper that is durable and holds up to moisture. This handmade blank journal was given to me back in 2000. The paper comes from Nepal and is made from Lokta bark (a renewable resource) and has a great durable and rough texture.

For glue I have used everything from glue sticks to gel medium. In my experience the gel medium has worked best because it dries so quickly and holds the heavier papers down so well. Also, it has been interesting experimenting with so many different types of media that produce different qualities of finishes. Be sure to use wax paper underneath your page when working on a page so that moisture doesn't seep through the page on to the next page. This also protects your other pages from glue so they don't stick together.

Part of the joy of creating a visual journal has been collecting scraps to gradually build a palette of textures and images with everything from old raffle tickets to fortune cookie fortunes to handmade paper. I enjoy working with a mixture of media such as scrap paper, watercolor, pens, pencils, and oil pastels. The more I add to my journal, the more it draws me back to try out new visual ideas.

As you can see, this is a very accessible way to journal whatever comes to mind or to heart.