Baring My Heart - Using Art to Heal

Have you noticed that I've been re-posting a bit lately?  It's because things have been going on in my life that are hard to deal with.  No, I'm not talking about the political situation in the USA, although that IS very hard to deal with.  I'm talking about family, and illness, and sadness.

Wishes and Dreams of Love and Empathy

I've been candid about my struggles with depression.  But in late February, my younger daughter went through a very difficult time after several months of struggling with depression herself.  She's doing much better, and learning every day how to live with the intensity of her feelings.  But it hasn't been easy.  (She gave me permission to write a bit about it.)

Salad of Feelings With All Eyes Upon You

So it's been hard to write this blog, while feeling that there is a big part of my life that I can't share.  I am not going to go into all the details, because that wouldn't be fair to our family.  But I know that many of you also have experience with intense feelings, sadness, depression and anxiety.  And it is always good to know that we are not alone.

Deaths in the Desert

Speaking of not being alone, I have been doing a lot of art and activism around immigration and anti-Muslim sentiment.  Here I am at a recent demonstration and press conference at Newark Airport, the day after the most recent travel ban was struck down.

In fact, my lesson for Wanderlust 2017 uses that as an inspiration. I was inspired by this Georgia O-Keefe quote:

to create a mixed media canvas using shapes and color to express things I have no words for. Click here to visit Everything Art, and I'll see you in the classroom.

Here is a beautiful video about one aspect of immigration.  I hope it moves you as much as it moved me.



Thanks for meeting me here. Wrapping you all in a big hug.  xoxox

         Visit Stencil Girl Products and RubberMoon Stamps to see all my designs!

If you haven't already - please connect with me here:

InLinkz.com

Your comments make me so happy and let me know you were here. I read and treasure every comment and will happily answer any questions as soon as I can.

Create Your Own Art Journal Pages Inspired by Love

"Love yourself. It is important to stay positive because beauty comes from the inside out." 

Jenn Proske  

Maybe I'm waxing nostalgic, but I came across one of my older posts and, even after so much time has passed, this post couldn't be more true.  Over the coming weeks, watch for my throwback posts where we'll revisit some of my favorites to inspire us today.

Lately, a particular girl has been popping up in my art journaling....

She was seen "Longing for Love" in this post:  

http://jessicasporn.blogspot.com/2014/03/art-journal-page-longing-for-love.html

"Making a Wish:"

http://jessicasporn.blogspot.com/2014/03/make-wish.html

and Finding Calm:

http://jessicasporn.blogspot.com/2014/03/one-little-word-calm-and-dream-tutorial.html

She's definitely been searching, doing a lot of thinking and exploring both her inner and outer worlds.   She took quite a journey in my most recent art journal page.  It started out with gesso over Terri Stegmiller's Curvy Stems stencil in my altered book journal.  For a while I thought this page would be about this goose, which was the photo over which I gessoed!

Even after I wiped green and yellow fluid acrylics over it, I still though it might be about the goose.  But then, I came home from a wonderful yoga class and post yoga tea and chat with Marcie Wallace, feeling so open to receiving the love in the universe, and so able to radiate that love right back out.  (Yoga can do that to you!)

So I quickly sketched this:

Then stencils came into play.  I used Six Point Starry Night to add stars to the sky, and Judy's Trees to add foliage to the earth.  I painted in a big yellow moon.

 

I used Michelle Ward's Circle Rays stencil to show the energy coming out of her heart.  (I mixed Zinc White fluid acrylic and aztec gold mica powder to make the rays very sheer.)  I wanted hearts coming to, and going from, her heart, and I had left on my table some motifs from my Flowers, Pomegranates and Leaves  project from Stencil Girl's newest release, which I posted about here.   (No scrap left behind!)

Some journaling..."I will open my arms wide and collect all the love the universe has to offer me and hug it into my heart and then offer it right back."

I hope you have a beautiful week and that this inspires you to love YOU and see yourself the way your loved ones see you.

Your comments make me so happy and let me know you were here. I read and treasure every comment and will happily answer any questions as soon as I can.

         Visit Stencil Girl Products and RubberMoon Stamps to see all my designs!

If you haven't already - please connect with me here:

InLinkz.com

Your comments make me so happy and let me know you were here. I read and treasure every comment and will happily answer any questions as soon as I can.

How To: Mucking Around in My Art Journal

Hi there!  It's time for another in my series, Mucking Around in My Art Journal.  This time, I'm finishing the other side of the spread I showed last post.

Here's how the full spread turned out.

And here's a fast forward video showing how it all came to be:


You can also watch "How to - Mucking Around in My Art Journal" on YouTube here.

I hope you've been enjoying this series; you can see all the "Mucking Around" posts here!  Let me know in the comments if it's been helpful to you.

Also, as many know, I've been making a lot of art around what's going on right now in the United States.   I hope you'll check them out.

Sanctuary celebrates the dignity of all people, and is inspired by the Elie Wiesel quote that "no human being is illegal."  All proceeds to First Friends.   This design is also available in a button, art print, and stationary cards.

This "Open Your Heart" button celebrates people of all faiths and backgrounds.  All proceeds go to the ACLU of NJ.  It's also available in Red, White and Blue, because tolerance IS patriotic.

You can also buy it as a print.  

I hope you'll help me support activism through art!  And today, Tuesday, Zazzle is offering 25% off - so enter the code:  PRESDAYSALES and save!

Are you using your art to express your beliefs or activism?  I'd love to know.  Please share your experience and any links in the comments!

         Visit Stencil Girl Products and RubberMoon Stamps to see all my designs!

If you haven't already - please connect with me here:

InLinkz.com

Your comments make me so happy and let me know you were here. I read and treasure every comment and will happily answer any questions as soon as I can.

If you are entering a GIVEAWAY, please add your email address in the event I need to contact you.

To avoid SPAM, please write it like this: jessicasporndesigns (at) gmail (dot) com

Thank You!

How To Extend an Artistic Helping Hand

As summer ends and school begins, most of us feel like we don't have enough time, enough hands, to do all that needs to be done for ourselves, our families, our children, and more.

Here's a way to extend your helping hand - quite literally!  Trace your hand on some cardboard, start to decoupage, stencil, embellish,  and away you go.

This hand was created for a friend of mine who had received a diagnosis that required radiation of her thumb joints.  But you could apply it to anyone!

Here's a video of my process: 

You can also watch "How to Create a Helping Hand" on YouTube here.  

Can you imagine giving your hand to someone in this way?  Please share in the comments.   And make sure to check in on Thursday when Karen Gaunt shares her first Creative Team post! 

         Visit Stencil Girl Products and RubberMoon Stamps to see all my designs!

If you haven't already - please connect with me here:

InLinkz.com

Your comments make me so happy and let me know you were here. I read and treasure every comment and will happily answer any questions as soon as I can.

If you are entering a GIVEAWAY, please add your email address in the event I need to contact you.

To avoid SPAM, please write it like this: jessicasporndesigns (at) gmail (dot) com

Thank You!