Sharing Art Journal Joy..and Paris!

I’m writing this suspended in the air over Warsaw, just over an hour before landing in Paris. Sunrise has been chasing us for hours coloring the jet wing in flouro peach.  I’m feeling lucky to have survived cabin fever on this loooong 24 hour journey. I’ll land at 5.43am, and be sipping a latte at the Frenchipoo-est cafe I can find by 7am. Gathering my thoughts before heading off on a bike tour that kicks off from the front of Notre Dame. Really.
I’ll be pinching myself!

Now let me tell you about the whirlwind getting to this big art journey! Angus and I took a stand at the Scrapbooking and Papercraft Expo in Brisbane. the largest event of it’s type in Australia. I attended it as a visitor last year, and the excitement in the air was palpable! Personally I have never Scrapbooked, but I love some of the awesome materials that are created by Scrapbooking companies…smooch paint, Ranger Acrylic Dabbers, glimmer mists…yum yum sauce!

So when I saw the show was coming up, I booked the space as a spur of the moment decision…you know the ones that just ‘feel right’? And before over thinking it, and making myself too nervous, I nominated myself to do two live demos a day over the show!

httpsv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sfsp0jnW21E

(apologies for the lo-res – best I can manage ‘on the road!’)

Angus is a genius with his carpentry art, and he made a very basic sketch I made of what I imagined our stand to look like, come to life. And we won a very cool ‘Best Stand’ trophy for his efforts!

We displayed my artwork that had originated in my own Art Journals as well as my favourite drawing materials, journals and paints. We really had NO IDEA if the crowd would like what we were offering…a huge percentage had never heard of Art Journals, so it was a HUGE pleasure to share my joy and passion for them and feel the love right back!

I had my Journals on display. And at first it was the weirdest, creepifying feeling to watch other people reading through them. But just as I feel inspired when I see other’s art journals I could feel the joy and understanding and inspiration to try this new art form. And I still felt very protective of them, but enjoyed sharing.

Over and over again, people would say to me ” but I can’t draw!” which is just a self imposed myth, truly. I LOVED inspiring hundreds of people to at least try! I can point to my results in my online class. I get emails every day from students that are gob-smacked-surprised with what they can do with a little Draw Happy encouragement. Pick up a pencil and give it a go rather than reach for a stamp or downloaded collage page. The more of ‘ourselves’ we bring to our artistic endeavors, the more creative we become. That my belief anyway.

I also met Lesley Riley, who is the most adorable person, as well as being an artist and all round mixed media and textile arts superstar. We made a little video together for my next workshop! (click that link and sign up for her inspirational newsletters!)

Lesley and I being silly for the camera... How I love this woman!

And i fell in love/ filmed with the lovely Kass Hall who is a Zentangler instructer extraordinaire and has a book coming out with Northlight next year! Copic was my neighbour, so I had great fun with Mandi and the Copic team…and added to my ever expanding Copic marker collection of course.

I’ll be filming more in Paris and Lisbon for the workshop over the next two weeks…it’s going to be a cracker… Make sure you are signed up to my Ladybird List so you get the pre-announcement!

Well the plane just started descending, and although I’ll have my feet caressing the beauty of France in minutes, I’ll still be floating above the ground thinking of the weekend and my mission to get everyone Art Journaling!

I’ll be posting to twitter ( Jane_davenport ) and Facebook via Instagram of my Paris adventures, so follow and friend if you didnt manage to tuck yourself in my suitcase!

cheers,
Jane Davenport  |  Artomologist

YouTube channel: Instituteofcute