Why do Artist’s “Journal”?
Written by the Cheryl Wilson, Intentional Artist,
“We are our own muse,
Each of us have our own story,
We have our own passions that are set deep within us”
…. finding a way to express our artist journey in a journal, (perhaps in picture or in the written state) is an artist’s way is being intentional to THEIR artistic process.
We have our own passions that are set deep within us”
Each artist’s journaling path expresses their own unique personal voice.
Let me talk about my personal journaling experience.
I paint abstracts and most of my art journals are visual journaling, which are paintings and represent nonverbal expression. Visual journaling is VERY powerful, as it tells the artist’s thoughts without words but uses a visual language of art with the paintbrush or tools.
Written by the Cheryl Wilson, Intentional Artist something”, but when I journal, it is all about “MY being moved or inspired at the moment of creation. If you noticed, I said moves “ME”, not moves YOU. An Artist’s journals need to be personal and true to each artist’s soul.
Artist’s journals are many times their inner thoughts and, in some cases, personal reflections where self-healing works or in some occasions self-realizations.
Artist’s might journal in words, or a combination of words and painting. Journaling is many times VERY personal and evokes feeling of emotions or even tears!!! An artist’s journey are their thoughts without anything thing holding back from their inspiration. For me, there are times I write my feeling in some of my journals, to then paint over the words for a final visual painting that might be inspired by those words.
Artists experience their “Inner Critic” th
at at times is so loud that creativity is thwarted until this inner critic is quieted or dismissed. Journaling can quiet “her voice,” so this tool of journaling becomes very personal to ensure this inner critic is pushed aside to allow the creative soul to begin its creations. Artists are inner creatives, so the inner critic needs to die.
For me personally, I do not want that inner critic to have room in my art studio to breathe. She is there, I acknowledge her, but I tell I am in control, and she has to go!!! I write any words she might throw at me in my journal and then paint over those words to allow the positive inspiration inside of me to emerge.
Some artists journal daily. I personally do not journal every day, but what I have learned is that when I journal, I have learned some things about myself that have improved my art and have taught me valuable lessons. For instance…. when I journaled on a small scale I did details, but when I painted on a larger scale, I lost that detail. SO journaling taught me to see my large canvases in the eyes of smaller journal pages and I started adding details in a different way.
I have learned that I am different in a journal. I am in a way allowing myself to be free and do things I might not do on a canvas!! I allow myself NO RULES in my journaling. I do not care if one of the faces I might draw looks like a creature, it is all a process, and I am ok with that!! It is a way to be creative and allow yourself to access parts of your muse that you might not access. I have drawing journals, teaching journals, playing journals, traveling journals and just because journals.
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