Don't let stop your need for perfection to put color and pen to paper

 Don't let your need for perfection to stop you putting down the feelings of your soul.


Wells Cathedral

I am coming to the end of my time in Cheddar, U.K. It has been the most amazing time. I have spent dawn at Stonehenge, walked endlessly in my favourite Cathedral at Wells, climbed cheddar gorge on both sides, listened to a choir of angels sing in Bath Cathedral, relaxed in the Spa water in Bath, and so many more spectacular things.

Art supplies bought in London

I have created pages in my journal, that reflect not only the places, but how they made me feel. Some are roughly drawn, scribbling of a madwoman. But what I have learnt from my travelling art journal is that the most important thing is to put pen or paint to paper. When I open the pages a get a flood of memories already.

Gorge View Cottage

An example of what I mean is when you play Pictionary. You do not have time to do detailed drawing to prompt your  partner to know what you are drawing.
The drawings are crude and sometimes don't even make a lot of sense to your partner. But the important thing is to get it down. Stop thinking I must make this an artwork for eternity.this is a moment captured in your scribbling, not a photograph.





Bath 4th July 2016

Whilst I love photography and take many photos on a trip, I am finding this journal  is becoming more and more precious to me. It holds a moment, a memory, a piece of time that I can take with me.

Cooking, eating fresh

These journals can be made for home and to express your day, your week. Like a mediation, take the time to put the scribble, colour, picture down. We spend so much time communicating on social media, we forget to take the time to sit with our thoughts. I hope I an I inspire you in the workshops I will hold in the near future.
Until then, Don't forget to Express your self with creativity.

Join me further at ART SHED ANGEL



Questioning why we need to know the answers to everything?

Travel Journaling with Art Shed Angel, Lucy

I have  created this video to give a better understanding of why I am creating a journal of my travels. When we travel we may buy lots of souvenirs, but often they are no longer appreciated when we return home. I wanted to create a journal that not only encapsulated the places that I have been, but also how they made me feel. Please have a look at my video where I explain further.

Take the time, it will be worth it

I am writing this post for those of you who say they will be creative one day, there is not time for it today.
Our lives today are so full of the things we have to do, need to do, are expected to do, that we leave little time to be creative.
Doctors prescribe medications for depression, anxiety and illness but never tell us the reason we get sick.
I make time for creativity, and I want to tell you why.
Creativity is an indulgence you might say?
About my journey first.
I have been creative since a little girl, always wanted to make something, drawing, painting, sewing. Yes it is easier if you naturally feel the urge, but life still does get in the way of that.
Husbands, children, family and work and we get into a mode of just doing what is require of what satisfies the need of the family group.
In my case at the age of twenty four my daughter Candice was diagnosed with Leukaemia and our journey of seven and a half years of treatment began. Life and time was taken up by mainly hospital visits and keeping a house over our heads.
 Candice passed away in 1997 at twelve years old. Today when I remember those times, I rarely remember the terrible times of bad news, pain or treatments. I know that this is mainly because we always took the time to stop and create. Candice wrote a book in her last year and I treasure the bits of ageless knowledge that this little girl could leave behind.
I became interested in Art rubber stamps as a way of giving us something we could do together and with others. So with this act of stopping and creating, I did not only spend time with my child, I also made many friends whom were the greatest support in the time that followed.
 When Candice left us, creativity and starting my stamping business was what kept me same. Those friends I made and who still came around to create with me, kept me on a track of knowing that life can go on.
My other daughter Moni was only little when Candice passed but she also knew the support and still has strong connections with People who are now like family to her.
Paper crafts are a great way to start as you do not need to have a certain skill level and if you have children they can also be involved. Journaling gets out the truth about emotions. Colouring takes you on a peaceful journey and relaxes the body and mind. You don't need to be Picasso, just buy some pencils and start colouring.

 In a group, you spur each other on, teach each other and support each other. A great reason that I have started my group Colours of hope, mandala and Journaling is to create this group situation for those who might not be able to go out to meet others. It is a place to share your Journaling and create a space for you to take time for yourself.
I have created Mandalas for you to print and colour, or you can follow my journaling and anything else that might help your creativity.
Take the time and make a space for what your soul
desires.
I hope to meet some of you in person some day in a workshop or creating together.

How to collect your memories

When we travel we quite often collect tickets and things that could have sentimental memories of our trip.
Lovely experiences that start you back on memory lane. It is a great idea to embed or feature them in in your journal. I find them a great starting point to get rid of that big bank space that can be confronting when you start journaling.
 I had such a lovely day in the art store in London that I have used the brown paper bag with their logo and the wrappings of the lovely water colour paints to start my page.


I have used liqitex gesso behind as I wanted to use my alcohol markers and it bleeds through less.
Helpful hints to creating travel pages,

1. Really think about what you see that inspires you when you travel
2. Collect brochures, menu's, tickets and even wrappers. Chocolate wrappers and lolly wrappers can give not only the memory of site but of smell too.
3. Randomly stick them down to your paper.
4. Then doodle what comes to mind or think of the colours that reminded you of that place or moment of inspiration.
5. Don't be afraid to splash on a bit of paint and even cover some of the items.

Remember that this is your holiday art journal and it does not have to have meaning for anyone else.
Some days your journal will be about travel and some days it will simply be about what you are feeling on this journey.

Art Shed Angel in London, Art Tourism

One of the great things about travel is finding little treasures that make your trip just so much more fun. Today I went back to a great little art store "L. Cornnelissen & Son" in Great Russell street, London. The shop is more beautiful than any art store I have been in before. Beautiful drawers full of treasures. Brushes and products displayed like art themselves..
It would not matter what your fancy was as an artist, I am sure you would find something in this store.
The friendly staff were very helpful and yes I bought a few things whilst I was there.

 Now I will say that what I bought I could probably buy on the net, or in some glossy new large art store, but buying it there was an experience of the senses and the best souvenir by far.
It was like a lolly shop where you can buy something precious that will remain a memory of your trip.
If you love art supplies like I do, I encourage you to buy supplies when you travel. There is something so special about getting out my travel brushes I bought in Paris.
Writing with the nibs the calligraphy nibs I bought four years ago from this very shop.
 Every time I use these precious items, I go back in time to a wonderful day, browsing a little shop packed with beautiful supplies. Their range is amazing and it was a pleasure just to walk in and admire.
I hope one day soon to take a group of artists to a retreat in England where we will create journals at sacred sights. Visit these beautiful stores, and create positive ceremony to expand our creative horizons.