Magazine Art

Years ago, I mean many years ago, before I even had children, I was living at my moms. I was only a few years out of high school where I took so many art classes. Even so soon after I lived the joy of being an artist, I quickly learned to shut it down. I had decided that art wasn't going to work for me and I had to be practical. I was working at my parents businesses and that was just the way it was going to be.

I spent so much time in my left brain and one day I got this creative urge. I knew I had to create something, anything. I had no art supplies. I hadn't touched a pencil for anything other than writing numbers in a ledger or taking someone's food order but none of that mattered. I was possessed.

I went to the craft store and bought a canvas and some paints. I went home and started painting. Oh my gosh! It was awful! I hadn't done it in years and it showed! I was deflated but not deterred. For some reason I decided to rip up the pages of a magazine and use that to create something and the above picture is the result. I was happy with it. I was happy that I had overcome the block but it still wasn't enough to keep me creating.

Over the years this same scenario has played out over and over again.

An overwhelming urge to create--
Create something--
Go back to "normal" life.

But as you know, I've been embracing my creativity these days. I'm taking art classes and workshops, and finding time to allow my creativity to bloom. It's been fantastic.

After creating my meditative rocks I decided to shift gears and revisit my love of magazines as a medium. I've played around with them through the years and I love the vibrant colors, the glossy surface and the freedom to create anything.

Once again I got my canvas ready, drew a face, got my Modge Podge out and started ripping and gluing. It was an amazingly relaxing and meditative experience for me. I would go through periods where I sat in silence creating and then shift gears and turn on the TV to watch my favorite shows and several movies.


In the end I came out with something I'm really happy with and I feel like it was a full circle moment bringing me back to my younger self and allowing that creative freedom to burst out knowing that it doesn't need to be put back in a box for years. That's freedom!