learning to play...

i have been having the most fun playing in a new journal that i made here. i am not a doodler. the margins of my books are not decorated with anything other than my random thoughts regarding a particular passage. but so inspired am i by pam garrison and jennifer judd-mcgee that i decided i should give it a try.

these artists have such different styles. they are both, though, what i would call "doodlers."

pam is loose and random. her journal pages are filled with flowing designs of cheerful shapes, hearts, birds and flowers. she accentuates her journal pages with her self taught signature calligraphy. i am in awe of her prolific output. if you do visit her blog make sure to view her video (in the post called "wahoo").

jennifer, on the other hand, has a certain organic controlled elegance. to me, jennifer uses a trained designer's eye in each of her pieces. her hand-drawn art filled with the inspiration that she finds in nature or in the everyday is amazing.

both of these artists have in common their dedication to play. they explore different mediums in order to expand their creatvity. jennifer played with a batik technique using gel glue with amazing affects. pam loves to embroider in the same free-form style as she paints.

it was their playful work that inspired me to dig deeper into the creative well and try my hand at something different. i loved the process and felt good about the outcome. i can't wait to get back in and get my hands dirty.