Daily Journal: Images and Words

Image and Word Journal from magazine cutouts.

At the beginning of 2021, I began a page-a-day journal with one image and a word or phrase added at the end of each day. Gathering a pile of old magazines, along with scissors, glue, and a blank book, I was ready to go. I made a commitment to complete a page every day until the book was filled… which took about 5-1/2 months. At the end of each day, I chose a magazine image that stood out to me at the time. Often it was a reflection of a thought, a theme, or something about that day. Then I cut out a word or phrase to add to the image page.

Pages from the Image and Word Journal

I found comfort in this daily ritual and the process of flipping through the magazines in search of an image and word. Some of the themes revolved around feelings of peace, light, and space, of the appreciation for home, family, and community. Others focused on the magnificence and beauty of the natural world, an interest in history, or just the love of shapes and color.

Family Page of Image and Word Journal

This is a simple and enjoyable way for anyone to reflect on a day and keep a diary of a period of time. I could have chosen to begin another blank book but I felt complete when the last page was filled. Of course, after 5 months, I felt the loss of this nightly activity in the days following its completion.

The inspiration for this project came from a video of Shelley Klammer describing the process as a daily checkin on your feelings and emotions. Shelley is a Counseling Therapist and Expressive Arts Educator.

And here are three more pages from the journal… Shade, Inner Life, and Lightness of Being:

The 100 Day Project

“Explorations” series in process.

I was just beginning a new mini-series when I learned of the 100 Day Project on Instagram and it peeked my interest. As I write this, it is day 24 and I had committed to creating 25 pieces in the “Explorations” series to get me started. For the “Explorations” paintings, I’m using magazine images to inspire a daily exercise on pieces of 6” x 6” canvas paper.

My focus for the 100 days: I absolutely love to paint on canvas, raw or primed, stretched or unstretched. So, since this project is designed to take me out of my comfort zone, instead, I will be creating (mostly) small works on PAPER. I intend to play with paint, some collage, pastels, pencils, and any other materials or process I can have fun with.

I see the time spent on this project as an intermission between the work I've done in the past and what I will create in the future.

I'm curious to see how far I will go in this. One hundred days takes us to JULY! I don't know if I'll complete the full 100 days, but for now it’s my daily focus, allowing me to stretch my creative muscles.

The project came up for me at the perfect time… just as I was taking a break from producing paintings on canvas and instead finding and exploring various ways to develop and grow as an artist. It ties into my current need to play, experiment, and try new things.

Note: The artwork shown above is a selection of 9 pieces from the “Explorations” series. And at this time, I know I will be creating ten additional minis as part of that collection. Posts for the 100 day project and “Explorations” can be found and followed on Instagram and on my Facebook artist page.