The finished pages from my post the other day:
I'm struggling with the size of this journal. It's a different size (6x9") then what I am used to...It's also "landscape". One thing that does keep me on my toes is to try using different sizes and formats but it has been a struggle to "want" to work in this size book. I think if I flipped the book so it was "steno style", it would be easier but I want the kick in the pants of a different format.


I love the "close up" of this Graffiti style flourish. It's actually a black outline sticker from Magenta that I 'outlined' with a white gel pen.
I'm teaching a brand spanking new class (called: Revelations-it's a new mixed media workshop where we explore various mixed media and collage techniques and then create a book from the pages) this weekend at a Private home (the workshops are open to the public though!) and I will be teaching my Day By Day Book at the Art Bar in Santa Ana. Looking forward to it!!!

Yesterday Tristan & I went on a tour of his school for 6th grade next year. We're both very excited about it! The library was *huge*. The computer lab looked very promising! I LOVED the art on all of the walls!!! I dropped him off afterwards at his school and I headed over to the Container Store looking for a "box" that a lady had in class last weekend. I loved this big box she had that held her pens. I didn't find that box but I did find this which I loved because *gasp* I could SEE the pens!! It won't work for the plane but for home, it's perfect! It's only the second time I have been in that store and it is dangerous! (BTW, they didn't have the flower tapes that they had during Christmas. :( ).

David & I finished all of the extras on the Twin Peaks boxset. I have to say I was disappointed with the extras. The collection is WELL worth having (I love the series and it's so much cheaper collected on DVD now then the other formats they released)...but, I think I have more extras on a bootleg of Twin Peaks stuff I bought years ago.

For some reason David, Tristan & I were talking about the Tickle Me Elmo fad (not to mention Pet Rocks and my favorite, Cabbage Patch Kids. I still remember how badly I wanted one and the insanity of some parents to get one!) Any ways, we were telling Tristan how on our way to the doctor one day before Christmas there as a woman standing on the corner in front of the Beverly Center hawking an Elmo doll. Some guy yelled out "How much?" She put up five fingers-FIVE HUNDRED dollars. For a toy. Ouch. Insane.

*****

Apple left a kind comment on my blog yesterday:

"I love all of your work!!! How are you so open and full of ideas?!?"

I play. I play a lot. I ask a lot of "What if" questions. The more you play you'll learn what you like-colors, look, etc... You develop your own style. You can't be afraid to mess up. It's all part of the learning process. Let it go. Turn the page. Do something else. Paint over it. Collage over it. Everything stays in my journal-the good, the bad, the ugly. In the last couple of years, I have shown ALL of my journal pages on this blog-ALL of them. I've been keeping a journal since I was younger-for decades. I do cringe sometimes when I go back, but you need to realize it's all part of the learning process. If "journal" doesn't work for you, call it an art book or a play book. Do Atc's, make postcards, etc.. whatever art form you want to explore, do it.

The other thing that keeps me on my toes is my students. I've been teaching for 10 years now. I have over 300 workshops. A lot of my workshops are "mixed media" techniques (using a variety of art supplies and collage). I believe that there are thousands and thousands of different ways to do things. I try to make all of my workshops different (especially since I have so many repeat students!! Lovely folks who have been taking my workshops for years) so my students do push me and keep me on my toes.

I'll reiterate. Play. Paint. Rip. Glue. Make a mess. Do it again. And again and again. The more you PLAY, the more your work will start to take on YOUR voice. It will speak for you and you will learn what it is you want to say with it.

The last thing is, do your work for YOU. It's for YOUR eyes and not for someone else to judge.

Go on. Go make something.

Comments

Dawn said…
Your awesome. I loved your classes at Art Unraveled last year and want to move to Cali just to take your classes. But I'm in New York. You MUST come to NEW YAWK Kelly! :)
Kelly Kilmer said…
Thanks Dawn for the kind words!!
One of these days I will find a place to teach again in NY (the last place I taught at for a few years closed a couple of years ago :( ).
Hope to see you again!!!
Karen Campbell said…
Your journal pages always look so unique and fresh. I feel stuck in a rut again ... thanks for the inspiration! I can't wait to see what you teach at the Artist's Nook next :)

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