Art Journaling in the Time of Pandemic: Pages 25-32

 Embrace your art journal.

© Nancy Lefko

Art Journaling in the Time of Pandemic: Pages 17-24

 Stay safe, wear a mask and make art!

Art Journaling in the Time of Pandemic: Pages 9-16

 During these difficult days...make art.

© Nancy Lefko

Art Journaling in the Time of Pandemic

 Hello, long lost blog!

Who knew that it would take a global pandemic for my blog to get some attention? It has been over two years since my last post. Shameful, I know! 

When we were all subject to quarantine at the start of this crazy time, I turned to my art journals, which also had been somewhat neglected. I found that having a daily ritual, such as journaling, helped to add some routine to my otherwise rudderless day. 

Now I find I have a folder of journal images, entitled "During Pandemic," which is bulging at the seams. If you follow my personal or business page on Facebook, you will have seen the daily journal pages since early March. 

  I thought it might also be a good idea to share my images in a collection on my blog.

Good idea? Bad idea? Who knows. But for good or for bad, here we go. 

So, here are the first eight images, and there will be many more to follow.

Stay safe, stay well, wear a mask and make art!

 © Nancy Lefko

Stenciling in Art Journals

For me, one of the most rewarding avenues for utilizing stencils is within the pages of my art journals.
Stencils add a dynamic feature to the background of journal spreads, and with a minimum of effort produce maximum results.

Belonging to art journaling groups on Facebook have kept me active in my journals even when life tries to intervene.
Weekly journal prompts help to inspire artwork when, perhaps, your muse takes a hiatus.

The next time you face a blank journal page, swirl a bit of paint to the background and then choose your favorite stencils. Using inks, paints or mediums (such as molding pastes or gesso) you'll transform your background in a manner of minutes and the inspiration will follow.

Your stencils will soon be your best friends on your art journal journey!

Stencils used from The Crafter's Workshop:

Tile Mania

Mini Burst

Literary

© Nancy Lefko

Somerset Apprentice ~ Spring 2018 ~ GIVEAWAY

CONGRATULATIONS Salvage Chica! You'll be receiving your free copy of Somerset Apprentice directly from Stampington, Inc.

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It is always with great joy and sincere appreciation when I find myself fortunate enough to have an article in a Stampington, Inc. publication. Presently on the newsstands you'll find the Spring 2018 issue of Somerset Apprentice. I share the magazine pages with many, many talented artists.

Among those artists is the ever-inspiring Cat Kerr whose artwork never ceases to generate a smile. Much like the artist herself, the artwork is bright, joyful and did I say inspiring?

The beauty of this and every issue of Somerset Apprentice is the way in which each featured article takes you step by step through the creative process. Whether it's encaustic, assemblage or collage, the articles are conducive to recreating the technique in your own way, in your own style.

I hope that in my feature you can be inspired to use corrugated cardboard in a creative way, to dabble in using clear modeling paste with your stencils and use acrylic paints to give a piece an aged or faux-verdigris appearance.

It would be a joy to give a copy of this magazine to one of my readers. If you'd like to, please leave a comment with an email address, and I'll choose one lucky person to receive the Spring 2018 issue of Somerset Apprentice. Contest is open to U.S. residents only.
Contest closes on March 18, 2018 at 11:59pm EDT.

Thanks for visiting and good luck.

© Nancy Lefko
© Stampington, Inc.

StencilGirl Products Guest Designer

It's a great pleasure to be a guest designer for the fabulous StencilGirl Products. I have always enjoyed using their stencils, especially in my art journals.

Naturally, I was drawn to use a face stencil created by my dear friend Pam Carriker.

I added background stencils by MaryBeth Shaw and Cat Kerr.

Using another stencil from Pam's collection and modeling paste, I added the doorway to peer through.

The addition of paints and inks finish the page.

You can view the step-by-step process of creating this journal page by visiting the StencilGirl web page.

Many thanks to the kind folks at StencilGirl Products for extending this invitation.
StencilGirl Products provided me with some product to create this project. The opinions I share are solely my own.

© Nancy Lefko

Art Is You 2016

Shame on me...it's been MONTHS since I've blogged. My apologies to anyone who's taken the time to check this blog since March. If no one has checked...then it's all good!

I've just returned from teaching at the very BEST of the BEST mixed media art retreats...ART IS YOU in Stamford, CT. As always, this retreat was filled with creativity, wonder, joyful reunions, new friendships and art around every corner.

My Saturday class, FOUR SEASONS OF ART JOURNALING was terrific fun with wonderful students who created awesome work. (Enough superlatives?) Seriously, I'm so grateful to them for their enthusiasm and making the day fabulous for me, from start to finish!

If you've never attended an art retreat, you really must treat yourself to this experience. I am biased of course, and think that there are none that can compare with ART IS YOU, but try to find one that works for you. You'll be enriched by the experience and remember it forever.

Happy students with their assembled journals

Using spray inks and stencils to prepare journals

Folding journals

Preparing journals

Art journaling begins!

© Nancy Lefko