Spread 212 – The Monkey On My Back February 20, 2016
Posted by apaperbear in Uncategorized.Tags: Art Journaling, Brian Kasstle, layers, men's art journals, Orly Avineri, visual journal
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Spread 212 – The Monkey On My Back
12 December 2015 – 20 February 2016
Vintage & personal images, matte gel, matte medium, Nova Color paints, black Micron pen, white Signo gel pen, pencil, white gesso.
Sometimes spreads take some time. This was started in a class with Orly in December and I finally “finished it” today. Are they ever really finished?
I am my own worst critic in life and art. I find that no one can be as mean to me as I have been to myself in my life. As I art journal layers are revealed and concealed. Old hurts are healed and that old monkey that is on my back becomes less and less a burden and more of a friend. Be kind to yourselves.
Edited. Thank you Thomas LaBadia for helping to make my images clickable & easy to enlarge again!
My class – Totems at The Creative Nomad Retreat February 3, 2016
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Spread 211 – Totem
21 Jan – 1 Feb, 2016
Vintage and personal images, ink, nova color paint, matte medium.
A group photo on the patio of our wonderful space at The Ace Hotel in Palm Springs, California
My class in action!
Last January 21-24 I taught along with Roxanne Coble at Tracie Hanson’s Creative Nomad Retreat. My class was “Totems”. What a wonderful group of creative souls joined us!
Tracie created a wonderful, amazing retreat and we were totally spoiled! Thank you Tracie!
210 – Matt January 20, 2016
Posted by apaperbear in Uncategorized.Tags: "art journal", Art Journaling Retreats, Brian Kasstle
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Spread 210 – Matt
20 Jan 2016
Preparing to head to the desert of Palm Springs for my class Totems at Traci Hanson’s – Creative Nomad Retreat with Roxanne Coble. Very excited!
Not the best photo from my iPhone.
Spread 209 – Dark January 4, 2016
Posted by apaperbear in Brian Kasstle, Uncategorized.Tags: "art journal", Brian Kasstle, Orly Avineri, Personal spreads, visual journal
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Spread 209 – Dark
12-13 December 2015
Vintage and personal items and images, matte medium, Nova Color paint, black ink.
From an early age I have always seen the brighter side of any situation. I have long developed survival skills enabling me to adapt to a adversity. Perhaps it is my ability to analyze people and situations from several angles at a moments notice. It takes skill to look deeper at a relationship, event or picture.
Lately I have come to realize I am the anchor in a very turbulent storm. Amazingly, looking back it would seem it has become my vocation all along in this life. It is a weary, exhausting job. Who do I lean on? I am tired. Perhaps I never will be able to.
—
This spread is from a recent class with Orly Avineri.
2015 in review December 30, 2015
Posted by apaperbear in Uncategorized.3 comments
The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2015 annual report for my blog. Enjoy the year that was!
Here’s an excerpt:
The concert hall at the Sydney Opera House holds 2,700 people. This blog was viewed about 21,000 times in 2015. If it were a concert at Sydney Opera House, it would take about 8 sold-out performances for that many people to see it.
Spread 208 – “55” December 14, 2015
Posted by apaperbear in Brian Kasstle, Uncategorized.Tags: "art journal", Brian Kasstle, Men's Art Journal
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Spread 208 – “55”
13 December 2015
Vintage and personal papers and images, matte gel, matte medium, Nova Color paints, black ink, Ranger inks.
Created at Orly Avineri’s class yesterday amongst wonderful friends.
Orly Avineri’s The Journaling Game! December 13, 2015
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Orly Avineri‘s The Journaling Game!
I am pleased to help my dear friend Orly Avineri introduce The Journaling Game. A set of 48 cards, 3.5 inches X 3.5. inches in size.
The box reads “Sparks of inspiration for individuals who work solo or in a group setting with materials mostly found at home, in nature, and on the street.”
The game would be excellent for art get togethers or for artists working alone looking for prompts.
The journaling game came about from when Orly was at a mountain retreat and friends were having a hard time knowing how to start an evening of art journaling. Orly came up with the idea of each person taking turns giving a simple prompt. Orly introduced me to the game later at another event. We had so much fun. I have introduced many friends to the game, Terry Garrett, John Arbuckle, Jacki Long, Irene Rafael, Thomas LaBadia. Some of my most treasured meaningful afternoons have been spent playing the journaling game with these dear friends. The spreads we created together have so much deep meaning for me. Thinking of those times still bring tears to my eyes thinking of them now. I will include them below.
Head over to Orly’s blog and leave a comment on her blog for a chance to win a set of cards! They are soooo fun!
Created in Minnesota at Terry Garrett’s home with John Arbuckle and Thomas LaBadia.
Created on a treasure afternoon at my home with Terry, John and I.
Spread 207 – “Lay It All On Me” November 23, 2015
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Spread 207 – “Lay It All On Me”
October 11- November 23, 2015
Vintage and personal photos, matte medium, black gelly roll pen, Nova color paint, black gesso.
For the last few months I have been in a funk. A not happy with my art, not making art funk. A not happy with myself funk. Then today I woke up and I realized, enough.
This spread was started in one of Orly Avineri’s classes, it has evolved and is finished today.
Spread 206 – Background September 30, 2015
Posted by apaperbear in Uncategorized.Tags: "art journal", 1001 Journal Project, Brian Kasstle, Brian Kasstle Art Journaling Class, Nova color acrylic paint, Orly and Brian Art Journaling Class, Orly Avineri, Orly Avnieri's Art Journal class, Teaching
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Spread 206 – Background
September 5-6, 2015
White and black gesso, Nova color paints, Tim Holtz Distress Reinkers.
Spread 205 – Boys! – Men! September 12, 2015
Posted by apaperbear in Uncategorized.Tags: "art journal", Brian Kasstle, men's art journals, men's journals, mens visual journals, Mixed media, Nova color acrylic paint, visual journal
4 comments
Spread 205 – Boys! – Men!
12 Sept 2015
Vintage and personal papers, photos, found objects, matte medium, Nova Color Paint, Black and white gesso.
I came across an interesting article the other day on visual journaling, self-regulation and stress reduction by Cathy Malchodi. You can read the article here. I do visual journaling for many reasons, some of which I have go into in this blog, if you follow me.
What interests me today is when is a spread finished? As with this spread, I started in almost a year ago. It was “finished” today with a little bit of doodling.
Brian Kasstle's Blog 