Louise’s Gaia Journal

This is a beautiful journal to work in. I wanted to paint a nature scene to represent Gaia, so I used all acrylic paints, with white gesso underneath. The brand of acrylics used was by Jane Davenport.

On the right hand side I wanted to portray the hand of the universe passing on the Earth to Gaia.

The representation of Gaia is a picture I chose from a booklet from Jane Davenport’s ‘Making Faces’ collection. To colour her in I used Jane’s ‘colour stick’ crayons and blended them with tissue paper. I didn’t want to make the page too busy so I just added soft metal patterned shapes in each corner, and two white doves/birds of peace in diagonal corners. I added a star in the middle of her forehead, I’m not completely sure why but my feelings and thoughts at the time were that it needed to be there, its placement felt right, maybe it represents a third eye or a window into her all knowing and all being. I chose the purple background because I wanted it to associate with the crown chakra, (one of the seven centres of energy). The crown chakra connects to the above force, energy, God; however one interprets belief, faith or worship.

The girls from egoli

Egoli is the alternative Zulu name for Johannesburg, South Africa. 

Anyone who has ever looked in my wardrobe would know I'm no fashion guru. 

So I took my inspiration from my mother, who had a great passion for quilting and all things Africian. 

I found these lovely ladies in one of her quilting books.

(Quilting Africa by J.Williamson and P.Parker) 

I had intended to fabric collage the outfits but couldn't find what I really wanted, so I decided to just paint the whole thing. 

I did some stencilling to add interest to the background and placed some washi tape depicting the world at the top of the page. 

Bit of gold lettering and all done. 

Hope you like it Robyn. 

What's on My Bucket List?!

by Lisa for Meg

This was an interesting thing to think about - just what is on my bucket list?  Well there's a few things- travel, meet my Irish penpal after 40 years, a different job, learn the saxophone, retire... 😝

But what I decided to concentrate on - since it's art themed - is an exhibition!  It would be lovely to exhibit some work; especially my teabag pieces.  So that's what I went with.

I decided I would do my spread as looking into an art gallery, from a single point perspective.  I gessoed the double page, and drew my pencil lines in.  I did take a pic of this, but you can't see much, so I won't share it!

Next I made my five teabag pieces that were going to star in my exhibition.  These were made on cartridge paper, with teabags collaged on (and some teabag strings), and then tinted with watercolour.

Next I stencilled a background on my gallery walls and ceiling, and added a timber floor - made of teabags!

Glued it all together, added some little plates with the name of the art piece under each... and added a red SOLD dot to all! 

So maybe one day this one will come true...! 💜💛

Hope you like this Meg!  Happy Arting all! 

Cheers, Lisa xx

Janie's Book Journal Page.

The first thing was to create a suitable medieval book looking background. This was accomplished with the assistance of Etsy's Medieval Mirage digital papers scrapbooking site.

Next was to add more additional medieval imagery to build up layers of interest. 

Torn papers stuck down strategically, were used to accomplish this.

Finally, focal images were pasted, the page was sprayed with Lindy's Stamp Gang Moon Shadow Mist - Pegleg Pete Purple - to bring the page together and make the page cohesive.

Janie's Nature Art Journal by Pam.

The month of June saw the arrival of Janie's Nature Art Journal which is already looking very special. My entry was a little experimental as I decided to give watercolour a try. I painted the background with pretty pearlised watercolour but it didn't flow as it should.....(no idea).  So then I got some stencils out and my distress inks added the flowers and tres. Then some black paint for the dragonflies.  A lovely little butterfly arrived in some happy mail so it had to join in too.
The quote is from a song from the 50s by Al Hibler.

Hope you like it Janie.

Meg Atkinson Who are you??

Hi Ladies I created the background with Dylusions sprays and stencils with a Dash of the Shimmer spray in Pure Sunshine

Then thought about all the things I love and are a part of me.. 

I love succulents so started with the idea of a border. and the main Succulent branching out with the things that make me tick!!

I didn't take many pics this time just my base page

my sketch of Centre 

and the Finished product!

Who are you Meg Atkinson page in Sallyannes "Who are you" Journal Round 7Australian Art Swap Group

It's a busy place under the sea

I was looking forward to creating a spread in this journal as I share Melissa's sea obsession. I grabbed all my blue paints...cobalt, cerulean, ultramarine and a light blue metallic. Using these with a dash of yellow to add some green I tried to create a sense of the many blues of the ocean...going from light to dark to mimic swimming from the surface down.

I was really happy with my sea so then I sat down and drew all the creatures I wanted living there. I used a mixture of coloured pencils and crayons to create the mermaids, cuttlefish, starfish, jellyfish, whale, sea ferns, various fish and the sperm whale...the sea of my imagination.

Thank you Melissa xox