Altered Books Dreams Boards and Shooting for Perfection

“An artist's only concern is to shoot for some kind of perfection, and on his own terms, not anyone else's.” 

― J.D. Salinger

It is easy for me to get bogged down in doubt. Especially....no...not "especially"...but, BECAUSE of worrying about what others may think of it...or BECAUSE of comparing my work to 'others'.....and this is just a waste of time and energy...

Freedom comes by letting go....

Letting go...is freedom....

One thing that helps me to let go is do a few daily rituals... right now my ritual is to do a combination of mind mapping and dream boarding into altered books...

Here are my personal guidelines for altered book dream boards like above:

1. You can ONLY use ONE magazine, a bottle glue or gluestick, and scissors

2. cut out what really catches your eye, or you feel the most connection to. If your drawn to it, there is a reason. Use it. Don't question it, just cut it out and move on the next thing.

3. You HAVE to use ALL of the items you just accumulated, even if it means some things get covered up. That is just part of the process. Again, DON"T QUESTION IT. Just go with the flow.

4. You can ONLY glue everything on two facing pages...none of this "spreading everything out on several pages" business.

5. Once it is all glued down...let it dry...and walk away from it for a while..Clarity comes with distance.

6. Later, when you look at the work, simply read it...and the way it flows will be a message to you. This is your subconcious, your gut, your instincts, your higher self, speaking to you through your work.

finding peace in the work

As i mentioned before, I have been working through my "Schtuff" lately...truth is...this is simply a way of life for me... i'm not ashamed to admit this... i think my artwork my entire life has reflected this work.... this is just who  i am... I am actually quite an introvert, and a virgo...(look those two if you need to...)  which really does explain a great deal about me, how i function, and what my artwork comes from...

Here is the inside cover of my art journal/altered book...as of TODAY....I say this, because it will most likely change several times before I feel that I am finished with this project... I like to layer things...this  two page spread has mulitple layers collaged on top of each other...there are stickers added by my youngest, notes i wrote down, business cards, old prints, and much, much,more that I have lost track of by now...There is also acrylic paint, mod podge, sharpie and gel pen...and more mod podge... I work on these pages a little bit at a time...it is too much for one sitting...(I have a life outside of art)....but also the fact that things need time to dry, settle, and sink in...mind, and spirit...to move on to the next phases of each spread...

Altered book collage

mind mapping

At least once a year I make a mind map collage. I have one that is HUGE from over 5 years ago...and I have some that are smaller...I hang them up in places that i have to see them on a daily basis. Usually in my bedroom, or near my desk.

Today i felt the need to create. I was feeling restless and overwhelmed by thought of everything i need to do. I usually collage them onto a canvas...but today, I just randomly, quickly, pulled things out of my two magazines I just got in the mail and haven't even read yet...then organized the words on my desk...snap..digital collage...

I like doing this from time to time...it helps me get my head organized, focused, clear...
I go back and I check in with them to remind myself of what it was I was trying to do or wanted to do and see if I got off track...or better yet...to see what I can mark off as having done...that's a good feeling...

We'll see where this one leads...