neurodivergent artist and author
This is my new moon spread for Effy Wild’s Moonshine course. I originally created something similar in Procreate (see second photo), and now that I’m feeling more confident in my abilities thanks to my daily face practice, I decided to see if I could recreate it in my art journal. I’m really happy with the results. I used QOR and Daniel Smith watercolors along with acrylic paint.
For my Day 31 face practice and my Moonshine Full Moon art journal spread, I used a mix of watercolor and acrylic. I realized that I need to focus on profiles moving forward as even this small face took me way too long to create.
As the novel writing, revising, and editing has taken my over my life, I’ve had to rethink the way I use my time. One way that used to help me be more efficient was incorporating the Miracle Morning routine and a bullet journal into my daily life. Unfortunately, I stopped using the routine and bullet journal because I allowed someone else’s opinion about using them usurp my own needs. However, something I have been working on lately is listening to my inner voice until I can hear it louder than any of the other voices/opinions vying for attention in my head. This led me back to restarting my Miracle Morning routine and tracking in my bullet journal last week, and it has helped me immeasurably in managing my time and my stress. It’s helped me so much that it’s left me wondering why I ever let someone else’s opinion convince me to stop.
Part of the Miracle Morning routine is “Scribing” (journaling). I decided it would be cool to write all my thoughts for the week on the same page. Each morning, I chose a different colored pen, and wrote over my thoughts from the days before. The first photo is the result. I love looking at it. It’s mesmerizing. I find it fascinating to see a visual representation of my thoughts, but also a visual representation of the chaos that’s been running around in my head.
Then I decided it would be cool to create a piece of art over top of the writing. So, I covered the writing with white acrylic paint and then chose Ady Almanza’s Abstract Dreams technique to create art out of my thoughts (second photo). I loved it so much, I have decided to incorporate this art over journaling process each week.
For Day 38 of #DailyArtDevotions, I created a sketch that represents how I feel about being in nature…well, when it’s not thirty degrees outside. We went from very warm summer temperatures right into very cold winter temperatures skipping right over my favorite season: fall. Maybe I will have to create fall on the page!
Also, I started adding color to my latest mermaid sketch. I used acrylic paints and acrylic pens for her scales and my new Daniel Smith watercolors for her tale and the rock. Then I added shimmering color to her tale with a sparkling brush pen. I will keep adding color as the colors come to me. Each day I sit with her to see what comes to me.
For Day 32 of #DailyArtDevotions I created an art journal page inspired by candles and flame. I decided to use my favorite stencil over a page I had previously washed with watercolor. I used black and gold acrylic paint and then used a yellow Posca pen to add the light to the lanterns. I’ve always loved glowing lanterns and this page reminds me of all the light in my life.
My Day 33 #artjournal page is dedicated to Georgia O’Keeffe. I recreated The Lawrence Tree in watercolor.
For Day 34, I created sprouts that represent some of my biggest dreams. I added little blooms to represent hope for their fulfillment. And each one has a word that describes its essence.
For Day 31 of #DailyArtDevotions we were to create snowflakes to represent our external support system. Though I have largely isolated myself as a means of safety and survival, I imagine a day when I will have a large, deeply connected support system as represented in my snowflake collage.
My birthday is tomorrow (10/18), and I decided to make my snowflakes out of birthday cards and thank you cards I have received. It helps to remind me of who is in my support system. I attached my card snowflakes with gel medium and then used black acrylic paint and a face stencil to represent myself.
For Day 27 of #DailyArtDevotions, we were to create an #artjournal page in the style of Monet. So, I created a page that represents sunrise in my backyard.
For Day 16 and 17 of #DailyArtDevotions I let my inner child play on the page with washi tape and acrylic paint as well as gel pens on black paper. So much fun!
Day 16
Day 17
For Day 9 of the #DailyArtDevotions 40-day #artjournal journey with Elizabeth Foley, I turned my fears into flowers.
It is no wonder that I struggled mightily while creating this page. Layer after layer, it looked like a total mess. Parts of the paper even started to come up and peel off, and I had no idea how to fix it. But…I just kept going.
Maybe this experience was the Universe showing me exactly how to handle all these fears I have about creating: Just keep going in spite of the fear and something beautiful will eventually emerge.
Maybe that is the reward for not giving up.
For Day 8 of #DailyArtDevotions 40-day #artjournal #journey with Elizabeth Foley, I painted the cover of my repurposed cookbook turned art journal.
My portal in the center of the cover is a heart as my intention shifts to being heart-centered and open to what wants to come through when I create. My creative time will be respite for my overworked logical brain so that it can get some much needed rest.
For the cover, I used acrylic paints and stencils.
Sarah Joyce Bryant 