Feel the Moment

Feel the Moment was the title of this week's Life Book 2015 class by Jenny Wentworth in which we painted a face. It's a bit unnerving to see what emerged from my efforts. To say she looks severe is a bit of an understatement. But she appeared from under my hands almost as if I had no control over what she looked liked. She simply wanted to be there. Sometimes that happens in art. You produce a piece be it a painting, art journalling page or textile hanging and it is more than you thought it would be. It came from you but there is also something extra there that you were entirely unaware of. Something from deep inside, from regions where I only very occasionally visit. She is such a one. 

I pretty much followed the lesson for the techniques I used but added stamping to the background and then seemingly at random found an old postage stamp in the courtyard where I was painting, probably a left over from my efforts to organize my stamp collection a bit. It was meant to be so I added it to the page at bottom left.  It toned in perfectly with my feelings at the time.

I also added the written text: "We only have this moment". As I have mentioned before there is always meaning to my art journalling, very often much more meaning than the eye can see. I know what it is and that is enough. I don't often feel the need to spell it all out and I'm also careful about not invading my own privacy, let alone anyone else's. I like sharing the art but not my emotions. They are for my eyes only, and her's, of course.

I liked her better before I added her hair but of course it was too late to take a picture at that stage so here is an approximation. I felt I learned so much from this class and expect I will try more portraits in future in the hope a friendlier face will come to light.

For reasons about which I will enlighten you soon, it's so ironic that she looks so troubled because the person who brought her to life is having a super fantastic, wonderful and amazing day! One phone call was all it took to chase those dark clouds away!