Sunday, July 12, 2009

Wreck this Journal, Week 5

Wreck these sneakers!

I'm not sure if it is because I am still hesitant to take the big wrecking steps of dragging, swinging, and tossing the book, or because the girls and I are now in full summer swing, which means more time riding bikes, swimming, and gardening, and less time with books and blogging, but for some reason, I was clinging less tightly to my journal this week. So I'm just getting around to posting week 5 in week 6.

I wasn't able to participate in the favorite pages swap because I can't leave comments on that new(ish) comment format Jamie is using on the Next Chapter homepage, and I was too lazy to send her an email. These are my current two favorite pages...


(1)
I find staring at these circles calming!



(2)
I love the art of science and the science of art.




I was surprised that the page that had the most impact on me this week was the fruit sticker page.

fruit sticker page, week 5


When I first started putting the stickers there, I was just glad for a place to stick those darn things that usually end up stuck to anything nearby when I'm cutting up fruit! This week, though, I realized that my habits had been changed. As soon as I peeled a sticker off a piece of fruit, before even washing the fruit, I went in search of my journal to add the sticker to the page. I interpreted this as giving myself permission to drop whatever I'm doing to make art! Tiny steps can add up to daily practice. This realization is being validated by the 100 in 100 project, inspired by Rowena. For me, it has become a daily self portrait. So it makes perfect sense to me that self portraits are making their way into the journal.


self portrait, more of a tear than a scratch


a nice print made verso


Picking up the book without using your hands is pretty easy in the wrecking world!
After picking up the book with my feet,
I covered the page with a piece of paper and drew a self portrait.



I brought the book in the shower with me early on.
So I covered this page with paper, too, and drew a cartoon self portrait of a summer storm bike ride.



Along with the art of wrecking, I made more room for drawing in the journal by gluing blank paper over a few more pages.


I covered up Keri's publishers and acknowledgments pages.


A blank page awaiting the 5 steps for an artist's life!


I decided to draw cartoons to illustrate Keri's materials list.


The girls and I bought blue candy to do the tongue painting page. It was fun, but we realized we'd need a lot more candy to make a picture. I augmented mine with crayon and marker!


Tongue painting revelation: there isn't as much pigment in candy as you think!


I finally did the laundry, so this page that waited patiently in my jeans' pocket, got a chance to go through the wash and be stuck back in the book.

Two of the paper girls fell off, so I glued them on the opposite page.



In anticipation of serious wrecking, I bought a few more rolls of colorfully colored duct tape. So perhaps I'll be able to take the book for a walk this week.


More wrecking to come...

6 comments:

judipatootie said...

omg colored duct tape? where have I been???? cant say i have a fav of yours this time..i like them all!!

all those nice pink shoes,,hmmmmmmm, markers work well on them!!

Lisa said...

This is amazing! I love the revelation you had with the fruit stickers about making time for art above other things, and the way you have taken the book and really truly made it yours, covering pages so you can draw more, etc. Very impressive!

Sharon said...

Amazing! And the colored duct tape is sure to come in handy! My son has used the stuff for lots of creative moments!

Kim said...

I LOVE that colored duct tape. I used it to repair my journal after it's swim in the ocean. I'd been waiting for an excuse to use it! Love ALL of your pages - so creative. And, the idea of putting the fruit stickers in your journal as making time for art - WOW! That hit home for me. Thanks!

Rowena said...

Oh Ina!
I love it love it love it so much. I love these portraits in your journal. I love the creativity and boundary breaking. I love the vision. I love the voice here.

I did a self portrait this week on one of the pages and now I want to do more. These are so wonderful.

Lawendula said...

Every page ist wonderful!
The circle page is just amazing!