Dialogue with Time

"Have you also learned that secret for the river; that there is no such thing as time? A bright smile spread over Vasudeva's face. "Yes, Siddhartha. Is this what you mean? That the river is everywhere at the same time, at the source and at the mouth, at the waterfall, at the ferry, at the current, in the ocean and in the mountains, everywhere, and the present only exists for it, not the shadow of the past, not the shadow of the future?" "That is it," said Siddhartha, "and when I learned that I reviewed my life and it was also a river, and Siddhartha the boy, Siddhartha the mature man and Siddhartha the old man were only separated by shadows, not through reality." --From Siddhartha by Herman Hesse.

Access your inner wisdom. Dialogue with your future self, your wise old self, your past--child self, or with the self you will become 5 years from now. What has changed? What has stayed the same? What goals have been achieved? How have you progressed? grown? What are you focused on now? How has your perspective changed? Can your future self provide any insight into things you are dealing with now?

Variations: Again, this is a exploration that can be used again and again. Consider other roles/ parts of the self you could dialogue with? the spirit? soul? inner child? shadow? your critic?

(The concept of Dialoguing has been adapted from Ira Progoff At a Journal Workshop.)

A Classic Writing Tool- Dialoguing

"I think the creative process is not about creating something else; It's about the process itself, creating who I am."- Mayumi Oda (Artist & Writer)

"Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up." Picasso

Dialogue with your Muse. Ask questions. Intuit responses.
Find out if s/he has a name? Ask for guidance. Find out what kind of creating s/he wants to explore? Coax her out of hiding. Find out what s/he enjoys. Strike a deal. An hour of playful exploring to start the day, then move into goal oriented artworks?

*** Dialoguing has been adapted from Ira Progoff's At a Journal Workshop. Part of his workshop process involves dialoguing with persons, the body, events, work and society. I highly recommend this book.

Dialoguing is a tool that can be used over and over again. Consider other roles/ parts of the self that you could dialogue with.

Lettering Samples

I am posting some of the lettering I did in my journal recently-- usually whatever words pop into my head or a sort of word association. Sometimes I take a photocopy of my lettering samples and reuse them in my artwork-- you can also resize them if you want them larger or smaller or add in colour with markers or gel pens.

Lettering- Create Your Own Font

Alot of people don't seem to like their own penmanship. So to get over your handwriting, create your own font. Try using a short quotation, a poetry fragment or words that inspire you to play with lettering. I like to use a black ink pen. Try adding spirals, dots, doubled lines, filling in, flourishes, elongating forms etc. Think Crazy Calligraphy! Doodling with words! Word Art! Beware, this can become addictive... even meditative...

New Refillable Journals

8x8 Golden Brown & Copper Journal

144 pages.

9x7 Green Blue & Copper Gears Journal

144 pages.

9x7 Red Violet & Copper Trebleclef
144 pages.

A Classic Writing Tool- Stream of Conscious Writing

Classic writing tools form the basis of keeping a journal. These exercises can be used over and over again.

Flow or Stream of Consciousness Writing

Just write. Put your pen on the page and keep it moving. Let the words flow from you. Don't edit, just write whatever comes, however it comes.

[This is a classic writing tool used for years by writers and poets. I learned it originally in writing classes at school. Some Modern day names include: Morning pages, writing practice, brain drain]

Variation: I like to also use this tool to write stream of conscious poetry.

Rust Runes Journal 8x6

This journal was made with 2 sturdy canvas panels as the covers. It has a flexible spine made with handmade book cloth so it opens flat for ease of writing or sketching. It has an elastic to keep it closed when not in use or for travelling.It arrives with 20lb bond paper and has a unique binding that makes it refillable with any type of paper you choose (water colour paper, sketch paper, scrap booking paper). This is a great size for a sketchbook, journal or notebook.

Size: 8x6x1 1/2
Pages: 96
Cut Refill Paper to: 7 1/2x11 [ 7 1/2x 5 1/2 folded]

This journal has been decorated with a piece of text with runes, collage and painted with acrylic paints. The inside covers have been painted copper and distressed.

Purple Moon Journal

This journal was made with 2 sturdy canvas panels as the covers. It has a flexible spine made with handmade book cloth so it opens flat for ease of writing or sketching. It has an elastic to keep it closed when not in use or for travelling.

It arrives with 20lb bond paper and has a unique binding that makes it refillable with any type of paper you choose (water colour paper, sketch paper, scrap booking paper). This is a great size for a Book of Shadows, morning pages, a sketchbook or an artist journal.

Size: 9x7x2
Pages: 144
Cut Refill Paper to: 8 1/2x14[legal] [ 8 1/2x7 folded]

This journal has been decorated with a handmade paper, collage and painted with acrylic paints. The inside covers have been painted copper and distressed.

Class Notes: Rules of Journaling

Where there is joy, there is creation. Where there is no joy, there is no creation. Know the nature of joy."-Upanishads

There is no wrong way to keep a journal. There is no right way to keep a journal. There are no rules to keeping a journal. Make your own rules. Change your rules whenever you feel like it. Your journal is a unique reflection of who you are and your view of the world. It will not look like anyone else's. What you need in a journal may change over time.Follow your instincts. Allow yourself to be surprised by what you create.

Black and Copper Journal

This journal was made with 2 sturdy canvas panels as the covers. It has a flexible spine made with handmade book cloth so it opens flat for ease of writing or sketching. It has an elastic to keep it closed when not in use or for travelling.
It arrives with 20lb bond paper and has a unique binding that makes it refillable with any type of paper you choose (water colour paper, sketch paper, scrap booking paper). This is a great size for a sketchbook. Because this size uses Legal size paper it is also a great size for creating your own pages/ daytimer/ lists and templates on the computer and using them in your journal.

Size: 9x7x2
Pages: 144
Cut Refill Paper to: 8 1/2x14[legal] [ 8 1/2x7 folded]

This journal has been decorated with collage and painted with acrylic paints. The inside covers have been painted copper and distressed.