#SOL17: The Handmade Art Book

Part of a two-page spread.

Bettina's handmade journal.

Last month, when my art journaling group met we created handmade journals using composition book covers, file folders, and wax linen to bind the books. I used white file folders and have found that these work well as pages. I also have been surprised at how well paint (acrylic and watercolor) and collage papers adhere to the folders. They really make an excellent substrate.

The book making process was complicated, yet very doable, especially as we had an excellent teacher. One of our group members, Bettina Makley, taught all of us how to create the journals. Bettina is a practicing artist and she was gracious to teach us. We had seen a journal she had made at a prior session that was held in her studio and we knew we wanted to try our hands at creating our own.

This past week, I finally started to use my journal and I must say that I am loving it. Using a journal I made by hand is special.

Note: You can see more of Bettina's forays into book making here. She is available to teach small groups if you have an interest. You can contact her through her Facebook page. She is an excellent art teacher.

Below are some of the first pages from the journal.

Journal from side view .

I created different sized pages to add interest.

Part of a two-page spread.

Part of a two-page spread.

A cut page (you can see the pages that peek out)

2 page spread background only - not sure what I'll be doing on this page - Perhaps some buildings.

Just started 2 pages.

painted woman on tissue paper and textured background

#SOL16: Seeking Happiness

from my art journal, 8.26.16: gesso, acrylic paint, watercolor, pan pastels, ink.

I.

It's late afternoon when Jim comes up the walkway from the beach. I watch as he opens the screen door and steps into the porch where I have been writing. He puts down the few things he has been carrying and eases himself into the Adirondack chair next to mine. Before this week, I had only heard a story or two about Jim, but I had never met him. He's a frank man, a contemporary--one it is easy to take a liking to.

We're quiet for a bit as Jim settles in chatting about nothing in particular when he asks,

Know what happiness is? 

Family? Friends? Good health? I offer. 

After a pause, Jim says, Well, they're all important. He waits a bit before continuing. Happiness is contentment with little.

Neither of us say anything. Before Jim repeats, Contentment with little. 

Love that definition, I say aloud. 

And Jim laughs a bit before saying, I saw that on the corner of a bulletin board in a trucking office one afternoon. I haven't forgotten it.

II.

I left paints and my art journals at home last week when Devon and I headed to the beach.  Last night I picked up one of my journals and began playing with the idea of happiness scattering sorrows--a quote that has been in my head since Jim shared the definition of happiness.

Sometimes to paint badly is to know contentment.
Little there too is often more.

Submissions Sought: Call for Cover Art

This is the mock up of the cover for the first issue of (Re):Mix:  A Transnational Journal of Artful Teaching and Learning. I am looking to replace the cover image with an image you submit.

Call for Submissions: Issue 1: Exploring Uncertainty within Artful Practice

For this issue, contributors are asked to consider how uncertainty is elemental to the artful practice of teaching, leading, and learning. Contributors are invited to submit written and visual works that explore, question, (re)present and challenge the idea of uncertainty being a necessary element inherent in artful practices.

Some questions to consider might include:

• What does uncertainty look and/or sound like in your work?
• How does uncertainty influence the work you do?  
• How does meaning emerge in your work?
• What conditions give rise to uncertainty? What conditions inhibit uncertainty?
• What does it mean to be uncertain as a teacher? As a leader? As a learner?
• How do you privilege uncertainty in your work, in colleagues' work, and/or in students' work? 
• Is there a cost to being uncertain?

Submission of Artwork:

1. Email jpg images to maryann.reilly58@gmail.com
2. Include CONTACT INFORMATION:

YOUR NAME
ADDRESS
EMAIL and Twitter contact (if you have one)

3. Include title of work(s) submitted
4. Indicate if your submission is only for cover consideration o can be used in the journal.
5. Submit work no later than June 15, 2011.


About the Journal
(Re):Mix - A Transnational Journal of Artful Teaching & Learning.  (Re):Mix

seeks to explore, question, (re)present and challenge depictions of teaching and learning in order to uncover the emerging complexity of artful practice. At a time when teaching, leading, and learning are often situated as simple input-output models, this journal seeks to challenge that understanding by showcasing and juxtaposing works that illustrate artful practices by learners.

(Re):Mix is an on-line, open access journal. Print copies will be available at a cost. Art and written work remain owned by the artist/writer.

Update about the New Journal, (Re):Mix

I had a couple of emails from different people interested in the new journal, (Re):Mix.  As this is a work in progress, I wanted to update everyone.

1. Some selections for the journal will be blind peer reviewed (traditional academic text). Authors should indicate a preference for blind peer review in their submission. The article when published will indicate, blind peer review. Academic text will be reviewed by two people.
2. Some selections will not be peer reviewed, such as visual art submissions, poetry, vignettes, and articles where the author requests that it not be peer reviewed.  Also as the magazine emerges, I am thinking that there may be some columns that become standard and these would not be peer reviewed.
3. Recommended length for academic text: 2500 to 10,000 words, APA.
4. The magazine does not have a website as of yet, simply because I hadn't thought that far and I don't know how to do it. If anyone would like to volunteer....
5. The journal will be printed in English.
6. Several wonderful reviewers and editors have been selected. I will be announcing who in about a week.



Call for Submissions for Issue 1.

Call for Submissions for New Progressive Education Journal: (Re):Mix

Updated Information

I am pleased to announce the arrival of a new progressive education journal, (Re):Mix - A Transnational Journal of Artful Teaching & Learning.  (Re):Mix seeks to explore, question, (re)present and challenge depictions of teaching and learning in order to uncover the emerging complexity of artful practice. At a time when teaching, leading, and learning are often situated as simple input-output models, this journal seeks to challenge that understanding by showcasing and juxtaposing works that illustrate artful practices by learners.

(Re):Mix is an on-line, open access journal. Print copies will be available at a cost.

Call for Submissions: Issue 1: Exploring Uncertainty within Artful Practice

For this issue, contributors are asked to consider how uncertainty is elemental to the artful practice of teaching, leading, and learning. Contributors are invited to submit written and visual works (single images and visual essays) that explore, question, (re)present and challenge the idea of uncertainty being a necessary element inherent in artful practices.

Some questions to consider might include:

• What does uncertainty look and/or sound like in your work?
• How does uncertainty influence the work you do as a student, teacher, administrator, activist, mentor?  
• How does meaning emerge in your work?
• What conditions give rise to uncertainty? What conditions inhibit uncertainty?
• What does it mean to be uncertain as a teacher? As a leader? As a learner?
• How do you privilege uncertainty in your work, in colleagues' work, and/or in students' work? 
• Is there a cost to being uncertain?

All who are interested in submitting work for this issue should do so by emailing written (word documents) and/or visual works (please save as jpg) to: maryann.reilly58@gmail.com no later than September 5, 2011. Please indicate the issue in the subject line of your email.  Any questions may be directed to me at the same email.

Submission of Artwork:

1. Email jpg images to maryann.reilly58@gmail.com
2. Include CONTACT INFORMATION:

YOUR NAME
ADDRESS
EMAIL and Twitter contact (if you have one)

3. Include title of work(s) submitted
4. Indicate if your submission is only for cover consideration or if it can be used in the journal.
5. Submit work no later than September 5, 2011.

I look forward to exploring this topic with you and learning from you.

Mary Ann Reilly

A mock up of a possible cover to issue 1.