Inspired by ... Jennifer Judd McGee

The Magical Journal Journey continues again in 2014 as myself and eight other artists continue to send our books around the globe to share our art.

This year our theme is Inspired by... Each of us chose an artist we love and that we felt would provide suitable creative lessons to our friends. We are studying their work closely then producing our own from the inspiration gleaned

I took Matisse as my maestro. Kat Wright, whose journal I received first, chose a living artist who fresh, lively and fun work she felt truly drawn to. Jennifer Judd-McGee is passionate about nature and her patterns.

Now, here is confession time. I looked at her work and thought it would be easy to create something inspired by it. I couldn't have been more wrong! I laboured long and hard to create this first spread. I pulled my hair out as nothing quite sat right next to each other or fit. I pulled off collage and layered more. I swore... I know, naughty me... I got really angry when my base layer of book page came unstuck too!

Things got a bit better on the other side, but I still wasn't entirely happy:

But then finally I felt I got into my stride. I stopped looking too closely at Jennifer's work and let my Muse pull the strings. We'd soaked ourselves in JJM tea and now it was simply time to pour.

It's a fine line to tread between copying the style and being influenced it - "making it your own" as TV talent show judges are so fond of saying! I'm not entirely sure where this work ended up but it was a challenge from which I learnt about the power of the line, the 'doodle', positioning and colour choice.

 

I loved the organic shapes of her work and the simplicity which hid a carefully planned composition.

 

Jennifer Judd-McGee - I am your newest fan!

 

Final part of the project promises to be the most nerve-wracking - we are collaborating on painting the covers of the journal. I guess I was lucky to have a blank canvas so didn't have to put anything over anyone's work. Although, I did cover up Kat's painstaking layers of gesso with a sheet of paper I had created a mono-print on... Sorry Kat!

 

 

I wonder what my artist friends will add to this! I felt it was the kind of background Jennifer would approve of!

 

Before I go, I thought I'd also share these greetings cards made once the inspiration was fully flowing through my veins.

 

 

 

Unfurling

Once upon a time, there was a creative soul who sat day after day, night after night pouring her soul forth into her art and writing. She believed in the power of creativity and took trips with her Muse into the deepest secrets of her imagination. It was such a wonderful place that she wanted to share it with others, so she began to write the words that would map out a journey into the creative soul via the right side of the brain - where the magic happens. Today the first of her students are rising to flex their creative muscles, load up their joy in experimentation and most certainly leave behind any self-doubt.

What to expect

This course is not an instructional 'copy what I do' course. I won't show you how to paint or write like me. What I will do is guide you through a series of exercises and teach you techniques to find your own creativity. I want to you to be surprised by what you find.

I'm giving all my students top marks from the start - because they all deserve it. They are here to open up their hearts to possibility. We will banish the 'can't do that demons' to the abyss where they belong. We will draw, paint, write, photograph - whatever our creative Muse wants to do; but at the same time if you just want to paint or write, then that's fine.

We are looking a different ways to find inspiration, to see what's before you and to express yourself.

It's not always going to be easy. At times students may find all they have created is a mess, but that's where the learning really starts - where's the fun in getting it right first time? We will also be working through these exercises collectively and sharing (if we wish) through our group. We will support each other on this creative journey as we find our own Muse and develops different styles. We will start to realise that the mess was just the starting point!
This course is for anybody that wants to try something new and challenging, who dares to be different and who wants creativity bursting into bloom from every pore!

The guarantee

Why not try it and see if you like it. I will offer full refund to anyone who doesn't believe it is helping them dig deep into their creativity by the end of week 4 - can't say fairer than that!

More information available on my website - including the all important sign me up button. What's stopping you?

Take the leap with me (don't worry, I'm holding your hand very tightly and will be with you all the way!).

Inspiration

What inspires me? What a question! What doesn't? A crack in the pavement, a crinkled leaf, a comment from my son.

For the purposes of this post though, we'll concentrate on just a couple. I'm writing and creating, appropriately for 'Inspiration Avenue' who wish to know what kick starts the Muse.

This week, my Muse has been pulled into action on the work front. She's been writing scripts, newspaper articles, devising adverts and all manner of fun activities. We've been a touch tired by evening to involve ourselves in too much creativity so instead, we stuck our nose in a book. We are learning Accessible Abstracts with Laura Reiter.

And... we are inspired! Which moves me nicely onto talking about magazines. I have a monumental pile of glossies taking over the gap between the sofa and the wall. In fact, I confess that there are actually two piles these days... and sometimes, when they topple, an amalgamate mess of paper! Most of them have bits of cut up paper sticking and falling out, for I confess that I am cruel to these publications. I rip them, I cut and glue them... but it's all in the aid of art and posterity. My models reside here patiently waiting for their turn to be immortalised on paper and canvas and splashes of colour and texture become collage, background and 'interesting bits' in my paintings.

So, if you looked at the picture above you're starting to see where my inspiration went this week. Abstract... magazines... and finally....Photoshop! How I love that software. So much fun to be had just playing and tweaking and experimenting. This one only had a tiny treatment - a little poster edge feature to give some emphasis.

Right, I must be off, for the parents will visit shortly and the house is covered in bits of cut up paper...