The Beginning of an Art Journal

I've been wanting to start an Art Journal for a very long time, but it seemed that no matter how hard I tried I just wasn't getting to it because there was always some other deadline to meet first. In a brazen act of friendship my crafting buddy Carey provided me with the blank journal, black gesso, and most importantly, her time. We sat down one weekend day in May - she at her house clear on the other side of town, and me in my own workspace - connected ourselves on Skype or Facetime or some such app, and worked on our pages simultaneously. 

I gesso'd and painted the first double-page spread in my favorite color purple, but then I was stuck. I struggled for awhile until an idea hit me square in the noggin: What I really needed to do was start at the beginning. I grabbed the black gesso and painted the single page before the purple one I had just started. While the gesso was drying I decided to look through my Dazzles (brand of stickers) to see if a visual theme for my beginning page would jump out at me - and jump it did! I found some copper steampunk-related Dazzles that just happened to have the perfect expression:

(Click to view in a larger size)

Given the purpose of my Art Journal - to express myself either for public eyes or just my own using whatever art or craft supplies I feel like in the moment - it feels appropriate to call it an adventure! I intend to use it as a venue for my own prose or poetry, thoughts, feelings, quotes, or anything that strikes my fancy. The only rules are: 

1) When a page is done I still should be able to close the book.
2) I am not allowed to anguish over a page more than a sitting or two in an attempt to make it perfect. This is a place for learning and for practice.
3) I am allowed to keep parts of it private if I wish. I figure this will help squelch the need to be a perfectionist.
4) Any other rules I may make up as I go should not be restrictive, but rather make my process easier.

Back to this page... Besides black gesso and copper dazzles, I also used some copper ink and a grunge-themed stamp set or two from Stampin' Up! I made a bit of an oops in one area but decided to leave it. (No anguishing allowed!) When I felt the page was finished, I was rather pleased with it.

Of course, in no time I was doubting myself over the validity of using stickers to make an "Art" Journal page. After some thought, though, I've concluded that while I don't particularly think of stickers as art, I believe they can be used to express oneself as well as any other medium. So stickers are okay in my own Art Journal. :)

What's your take on stickers? Do you think the use of stickers somehow compromises visual art? I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!

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Coming up in the next posts
Tomorrow - a set of Froggie cards
Next - the great Bendy card adventure of 2016
Then - some cards made with Catherine Pooler's Stamp of Approval collections
And then - a couple of birthday cards for boys
After the next four posts, I will be caught up on my blogging! Yay!

Wishing you many Adventures of your Own,
Joyce Spear a.k.a. Stamper Joyce