I have been working on a submission for the Art and Soul show (fundraiser for the Art Student League of Denver). This year's theme is "Soul Struck"; yikes. Once again I swirled around for a few weeks thinking of the great, large mixed media painting I might undertake, then had a good look in the mirror and said "that is not really me" , so I went back to my core and remembered to play for a bit as if what I was creating did not "matter" (meaning I tried to just have fun and let the creative energy rip, rather than produce a specific piece for a show whose theme was a bit intimidating). Viola! I landed on a book, 11 1/2 x 7 inches, folded from a single sheet. I used spray inks - and I also sprayed coffee (no kidding! and it does not smell!). Lots of other media too, but one of the best additions came from my friend Carol Waughhttp://www.carolannwaugh.com/ who sewed up the edges for me. I am submitting this piece, no idea if it will hold it's own against all the large, gorgeous paintings that will be entered, but no regrets on the fun I had putting this together!

These four "spreads" completed my Israel Travel Journal along with a few final pages with notes I took during the tour. Finishing my travel journal in the days and weeks after a trip is a wonderful way to capture the essence, keep it fresh and take the time to let new experiences "marinate" a bit!

Whew. It has been a remarkable few weeks as my husband and I just returned from an amazing trip to Israel. We took a tour with 38 other friends for 8 days, then spent some time by ourselves in Tel Aviv. While we had tried to prepare ourselves by studying the politics, history and cultural aspects of the land before we left, we were all amazed to find ourselves in such an exotic, and unusual place. This was an art-journalers paradise! The markets, the food, the clothes and the landscape all presented rich textural layers at every view. I could have filled one entire book with just sketches of the luscious and ancient stone walls, or an entire book with sketches of pomegranates! I loved processing my experience in my journal, some of which I worked on this week after clearing my head from the travel fog. Below are images from some of my pages and the cover which includes a metal piece found in a parking lot (or I could say this metal piece found me!). The beads and the small Hamsa (hand) charm that are  attached to the spine were found in the Old City the first day we wandered thru, the larger hand charm came from a shop near the Galilee. This land is truly the epicenter of the human experience regardless of religion.