Making Journals and Art Journaling

Art journaling and mixed media have been a source of joy and peace for me for more than a decade. Making journals came along with the territory. It was a natural thing since I was a school librarian who loved challenging my students as well as myself to read, research, and then record findings in simple, self-made journals.

At first, I simply admired the art journaling and mixed media artwork I saw online. Already having so many interests I was hesitant to commit more space to the materials and who had the time anyway?

One fateful day, I saw a well-known mixed media artist do a series of YouTube videos called 15 minutes of mixed media. I thought that I might carve 15 minutes out of my days and I was hooked.

For me, art journaling is about freedom. I can write if I want to or add no writing. Such a large variety of materials make their way into mixed media artworks, there is the freedom to try new materials or not. When I am working in my art journal time slows down. For me, it is a form of meditation.