Art Journal: Refreshing Friends

Refreshing Friends Full Art Journal Spread

I am especially excited to share this Art Journal Spread with you since it has special meaning to me. I went out on a limb, so to speak, several weeks ago on Facebook and asked my Friends what kind of impression I left with them.  I asked for one word (or more if inclined). 

I was not disappointed. Instead, I was humbled and pleasantly surprised with what my Friends shared. After receiving such a lovely response, which just thrilled my heart, I decided I would need to create an Art Journal Spread to Commemorate the Occasion! Life is worth celebrating and this particular experience was no exception! 

So I made a list of all the Friends who responded along with the words they used to describe me. I was smiling and feeling loved and appreciated during this process! 

Up Close of "Refreshing" word stamped from Refreshing Friends Art Journal Spread

After I made my list, I primed my 2 page spread with gesso. Then later I decided to use a cosmetic sponge and lay down some watercolor paint in varying green hues and yellow. As I applied it, I felt the impression of creating a garland of sorts, the kind you see hanging around doorways during the holidays, with Gift Tags attached. At least, that was my goal. I used a rectangle stencil to create boxes drawn in marker in varying spots throughout the spread. I filled in each box (using a stencil) with the descriptive word, then I wrote the definition of the word outside the box on top and underneath. Then I wrote the name of each person who offered each descriptive word. (This entire process felt so validating...I'm so used to talking about validating yourself from the inside out...now it was from the outside to me!) . 

Up Close of "Friends" stamped in Refreshing Friends Art Journal Spread

Once I had the boxes filled in, I added more watercolor in dots to give it a bit more texture. I also later added some oil pastel.  I used my large and medium sized alpha stamps to create the words "refreshing friends" as well as the word FRIENDS in all caps on the side and lower case across the top of the spread. Obviously Friends was my theme, and my Friends Refreshed me! So that made perfect sense to put it all together that way. I added a new stencil in the back ground to give it some contrast, which I liked. I also added some outlining to the letters with white gel pen and green marker. At one point, I added a bit of water to some of the paint, creating a washy effect which I also liked. I was pleased with the final product and dated and signed it finished. 

Up Close of watercolor wash and descriptive boxes in Refreshing Friends Art Journal Spread

Art Journal/Journal prompt:
We all have refreshing friends, don't we? Or maybe you don't know how rich you are with refreshing friends and need to reach out to find out! It takes courage to ask friends to share how they feel about you and what impression you are making in the world. It felt risky to me, that's for sure. But was a lovely surprise it was! 

So, take the time to ask your friends what impression you leave on them. 

You may want to write a journal entry about what impression you want to make and see how those responses from your friends either validate what you wrote or maybe opened things up in ways you didn't expect! 

You may also want to create an art journal spread, in whatever fashion that pleases you, honoring your preferences, to commemorate the friend occasion. 

You can also do a mind map on the word friends as well as the words they use to describe you and see what associations come up. I find this particular journaling technique very telling, with repetition of words, patterns, etc., that arise. 

I do want to give a special shout out to my friends who are featured in this spread who were kind enough to share their time and their kind words of appreciation toward me just because I asked! Here are those friends by name: Mary McCarthy, Donna Crim, Jodi Whisenhunt, Mari McCarthy, Andrea Lewis, Lynda Monk, Sarah Joyce Bryant, Phyllis Garlock Lardieri, Carolyn Ratliff, Amy Ahrens Dench, Bill Weeks, Madeline Sharples, Nathan Ohren, Donna Carrick, and Cate Russell-Cole. Also thanks to Christina Katz, for her encouragement for my risk-taking. :) Here's the status box from Facebook. 

Thanks for taking the time to read this post; that also means a lot to me, that you take the time to see what I have to say. YOU are a friend too! 

That reminds me of the theme song to the Golden Girls, Thank you for being a Friend. :)

Copyright 2015 Dawn Herring 
Copyright 2015 Images by Dawn Herring Collection