Makeover Challenge

As you can see, I went a little wild with the challenge from Blissfully Art Journaling group:
This week as we continue to look at ourselves...
This is my take on a Susan Tuttle tutorial in the book "Exhibition 36"
1 - Find a good photo of your face.
2 - Scan it, blow it up to fill your journal page and print it out.
3 - Glue it into your journal.
4 - Apply a layer of gesso (or cheap white paint) to the background, being careful not to paint yourself. While the gesso is slightly damp, press masking tape to the paper and then pull it off in a random fashion to distress the paper. Add some colors to the background surrounding your face.
5 - Use a thinner coat of gesso to wash over your face - you should still be able to see the shadows of your face.
6 - When the gesso has dried completely, alter your features using acrylics, colored pencil, graphite or pen. Play with your hair - make it straighter or curlier, wispy or spiky.

Be brave and give yourself that new makeup or hairstyle :-)) See how you would look if you just let it all go!

Valentine Postcards

My Soul Journaling yahoo group is swapping Valentine Postcards. The guidelines included adding pink and red, lace, paper doily, button, glitter, sheet music, and handwritten quote.

The Worth of a Body Part

Blissfully Art Journaling Weekly Challenge: Self-Portrait #4

On the left hand side of your journal include a drawing or photograph of your favorite body part. Include a little commentary about why you love this part of your body.

On the right hand side of your journal include a drawing or photograph of your least favorite body part. Include a little commentary about why you're not so in love with this part of your body.

Be brave and examine yourself :-))

I thought about all those body parts and which side I would place them. Many would go on both sides. Serendipitously, I received a link to the short film “The Butterfly Circus”. A limbless man is part of a circus sideshow and an encounter leads him to the Butterfly Circus. He discovers this circus has no sideshow. Although he has no formal job in the Butterfly Circus, he is warmly welcomed and told he can stay as long as he wishes.

Truly a heartwarming, hopeful film set in a very desolate, challenging age, The Butterfly Circus is also a sentimental, load of crap in a world where American citizens fight against health care for all; where American citizens fight to make sure every sperm/egg connection is brought into this world by providing some support until the baby is born, and then move on to the next sperm/egg connection; where American citizens manipulate the system to achieve the best education for their own children and keep themselves and their children away from the undesirables; where adult Americans socialize with their own social and economic class; where vast numbers who NEED jobs are unemployed.

During junior high, I absolutely hated gym class. Why? Because we were required to shower. We had to walk naked across the locker room, through another area, into the showers, and back out into the locker room to finally get a towel. My gym teacher stood by the towels to ensure no one took a towel until after showering. I hated her. Each day that I had gym, I felt physically ill and this worsened throughout the day until gym class. I had to parade my changing body, my private parts, in front of this fully clothed teacher. In my early twenties, I learned she died of cancer. I was thrilled and still am. Not quite ready to ask for forgiveness. I am now 43 and older than she was when she died. I do hope she died fully accepting herself and somehow I think she did – maybe a bit blind to how she hurt me. And yes, I know I’m blind also. But the middle school boys lined up on the bench at the opposite end of the pool from the girl’s locker room were not blind as the girls had to walk the entire length of the pool in those skin tight school swimsuits. If I could have died right there and then, I would have been very thankful. Inside, I thought I was dying.

Society created and condoned this part of my school day. A necessary rite of passage? Naked and exposed physically? Bare skin? Did anyone care about my young mental state at age twelve to fourteen? How many children are forced into environments where they feel exposed and naked? How many children suffer angst day in and day out? How many children build barriers and false walls for protection?

Does society create and condone soul nakedness and expression? Do congregations and churches create and condone an atmosphere of soul nakedness and expression? Is this not a rite of passage? Or does it upset the formality?

Here is my completed page for this challenge.
Sorry, the written journaling is hidden underneathe the lift-up pictures. After posting this picture, I added the words on the right picture - "no bouncing, no sexual exploitation and advertising" with an arrow to his breasts.

I love my brown eyes and I dislike my breasts. In high school, I wore large sweatshirts everyday. When my daughter was baptized, I visited the pastor’s office for the first time. Hanging on his wall was a painting of a woman with naked breasts. I nearly turned around and left. Years ago, at a family gathering among a room full of people, a sister-in-law repeatedly asked me if I was cold. I knew what she was referring to. She asked her teenage son if he thought his aunt was cold. He said he didn’t want to look at his aunt’s (mumble). Some people can be so uncaring and so full of crap! They have eyes – blue, green, brown, hazel – and all they see is the physical. All they see is what physical use is another human being – for a laugh.

The film is about hope - giving hope to others. The limbless man finally found his physical use. Was that the most important outcome of the movie - or did he find his soul job? The actor, Nick Vujicic was one of the lucky ones with a caring, capable family who were able to accept him in his entirety.

If all people completed this challenge, would they fill the left or the right side of their journal? How much of themselves do they love and how much do they hate? And where did they learn self love/hate? A push for more physical education in schools is underway. Will this be done in a caring, thoughtful manner? Will public education begin to accentuate the positive and the worth of each individual rather than emphasize weaknesses?

Blind Self-Portrait

Blissfully Art Journaling Weekly Challenge: A line drawing

We were to sit in front of a full length mirror and study our face. Without looking at our paper, we were to move our pen in synch with our eyes as they traced the contours of our face.

I have done blind contour drawings before and have always rushed through the process. Today was no different. With my left hand on the paper (my fingers vertical and my thumb horizontal), I placed my pen just above my thumb and began to draw the outline of my face. Obviously I need to slow down and really concentrate. Having my left hand on the page helped me place my pen for the eyes, nose, and mouth. If you decide to try this, I suggest poking your pen through a piece of paper to serve as a blinder. Also, I placed my journal on a pillow so it was tilted toward me and could not be seen in the mirror.

Grow

Challenge: Silhouette

Week 2 Blissfully Art Journaling Challenge: Draw your silhouette in your journal. Instead of filling your head or body in black, draw, paint, or collage the interior of your silhouette with the things that describe, represent or define you - fill the space. Then surround the silhouette with black.

Wow! Not so easy to sum myself up in a few words or images. I'm a human, a woman, on earth, the North American continuent, in the United States of America, living in the diverse climate of Minnesota. I came into the world the same way as everyone else - as an innocent, worthy, lovable baby. The Holy Spirit within me and around me connects me to everyone and everything. We, humans, are complex, changing, growing. My family has the biggest impact on who I am and my role. I am a wife and mother. I cook, clean, wash clothes, shop, schedule; I love and support my husband, daughter, and son. They are my world. My heart often hurts for children who are hurting, afraid, alone. I have volunteered in schools and spoke out about issues which are detrimental to our childrens' well being. I provided my children the opportunity to experience traditional school and home schooling. I taught them to read, write, and do math. We spent time outside, at parks, museums, libraries, theaters. I learned and grew along with my children. I love reading, walking, creating, art journaling, dogs, rats, camping, dancing. I am much more than where I was born, my education, my looks, my thoughts, my feelings. I am connected to the Holy Spirit. I am valuable, worthy, unique and have gifts to offer the world. I plant seeds! I dance! I am!

Challenge: Future Portrait

Blissfully Art Journaling Weekly Challenge: On the left side of your journal include a photo or drawing of your self as you are today. Create a self-portrait as you envision yourself in twenty-five years on the right side.

I'm 43 years old. A mother, wife, lover, artist. Strong, Intelligent, Caretaker, Consumer, Caring, Stubborn, Dreamer. I'm going to dance more this year - with heart, mind, soul, and whole body!

In 25 years, I'll be a wife, mother, and grandma. I'll be thinner, wrinklier, with more white hair. Calmer, wiser, creative, content, forgiven, thankful, and still dancing!

Please note: I made a black and white photocopy of my picture, held another piece of paper over it against a window, traced the outline and features, and only then, freehanded the shading and filling in. Since I'm going to be thinner, I removed my double chin. I did add some wrinkles and know I'll have a lot more white hair. I'll still have the acne scars and more brown age spots. I'll be smiling!