As you may know, I've been participating in this year's Sketchbook Challenge, but with my own fibre twist. Although I have recently started playing a bit with a pen and paper sort of journal, when the year started and I decided to participate in the Sketchbook Challenge, I decided to make a fabric journal using my interpretation of the monthly themes. In addition to the Sketchbook Challenge pages, I decided to include some of the wonderful art quotes that I had collected.
You may have seen some previous blog entries as I finished pages, but the last 6 months were sort of neglected. Well, I finally got back into it (art everyday!) and the journal is finished. All of the images were altered/enhanced using Photoshop before being printed onto fabric and then incorporated in the journal page.
January's theme was Highly Prized. Casey, my dog, represents the unconditional love and natural mothering instincts (even to a kitten) that I prize. She knows how to relax, loves to go for walks and even at 11 years old, she romps like a puppy in new fallen snow.
February's theme was Opposites. For this one, I played with light and dark and experimented with the effects that changing the background colour would have on the colours I was using.
March brought the theme Spilling Over. It also had me struggling through some real frustrations with my health and the image literally represents what was going on with me. Enough said.
Branching Out/Out on a Limb was the April theme. I decided it was time to take a risk and try journalling on paper. I drew a silly character, did some writing then photographed it. I added the title text in Photoshop and it was ready for printing.
May's theme was Resists so I went back to using paper and paint for this page. As always, I added the title text in Photoshop.
The theme Pathways for June had me playing with photo collage. Yes, that's me as a little girl, but since our road trips involved 9 people when I was a kid, we travelled in a big station wagon and not a VW bug. However, later my oldest brother did have a bug and it's just so much more fun than a Galaxy station wagon!
July's theme was Elements. Since I procrastinated on this page, it wasn't done until recently, thus allowing me to use a photo I took of my Chinese lantern's late this fall. I love the intricate lace and the bright orange seed exposed inside as the orange skin erodes away.
For August's theme, Everyday Objects, I cheated a little by taking a photo of a piece of fibre art I had recently finished on which I had thread sketched a pair of scissors. I guess it's not really cheating since the original art is mine too!
September brought the birth of another great niece. The theme was Unfurled, and I couldn't help noticing that the first photos of Abigail had her fits tightly clenched but as time passed her little hands seemed to unfurl.
October's theme was Views. This theme had me going back into my photo archives for this photo which I took in a church in PEI in 2007. I love the reflections and shadows that the design in the window created.
Imaginary Animals was the November theme. Last week I went to see the Marc Chagall exhibit at the AGO (Art Gallery of Ontario). Chagall seems to incorporate a chicken in many of his pieces and he had other interesting animals, some certainly imaginary. When I got home I was inspired to draw this imaginary creature using the bright colours Chagall used in some of his works. I also loved the quote, also by Chagall.
December's theme is Trashed, Ruined and Decay. This summer, the town of Magnetawan suffered a tragic fire that ruined the old historic general store as well as June's Restaurant. For the town folks and all the cottagers in the area, it is a tragic loss.
And the final quote.
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I've started a new series of work which will be matted in 12" x 12" mats, with an 8" square 'window' in the mat, ready to be framed. I've been playing with my Gelli plate to create some mono prints on pieces of an old denim shirt I inherited from my husband because the sleeve were too short for him. I'm adding various other elements, including rust dyed fabric, machine lace which I made using water soluable stabilizer, pieces of silk fusion and some batiks from my stash. Here are a couple of them ready to be quilted and hand embroidered. 
Time to go listen to some TV...
