Creating Muse Journals workshop.

On September 14 and 15, another wonderful weekend of workshop creativity took place at my studio. Six eager participants made beautiful Muse Journals... take a look at how awesome they are!

As ususal, I was blown away by the diverse, fabulous work that came out of this workshop. It inspires me to see what everyone is capable of and their willingness to explore and play.

Heather's Muse Journal

Sian's Muse Journal

Elaine's Muse Journal

Joyce's Muse Journal

Stasia's Muse Journal

Marg's Muse Journal

 Thank you Sian, Heather, Joyce, Stasia, Marg & Elaine for a weekend full of laughter and camaraderie. It was such a pleasure to create with all of you and congratulations on making such original, fabulous Muse Journals!

There you go... more insight into what a Holly Dean workshop is like. You get lots of demonstrations, one-on-one guidance, sheets of very cool collage ephemera to use and keep AND a full-colour, multi-page handout crammed with information and pictures!

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Muse Journal Mania.

These days it's all about Muse Journals. Making Muse Journals, selling Muse Journals and now a fabulous Muse Journal Workshop Retreat at Wintergreen Studios!

with

mixed media painter, calligrapher & book artist

JULY 12 to 14, 2013

Friday lunch to Sunday afternoon, July 12 to 14, 2013.
Spend the weekend creating your journal, enjoying splendid meals in one another’s company, and generally being pampered and nourished.

Our wilderness retreat centre is located at 9780 Canoe Lake Road, in the Township of South Frontenac, in Southeastern Ontario, fifty minutes north of Kingston and about 2 hours from Ottawa.

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Calligraphic and mixed media artist Holly Dean will lead you through the delightful experience of creating a handmade muse journal. A rare book of your own where you can spill your thoughts and ideas, hopes and fears, dreams and desires. Write, sketch, doodle and paint…

Mixed media art on canvas panels will become the front and back covers. Each signature will be wrapped with decorative paper. A sturdy Coptic binding allows the journal to lie flat when open. Learn techniques and develop your artist’s eye to enhance your own work. For the artistically experienced or the curious beginner.

Supplies to bring: acrylic paints & mediums you have on hand, brushes, palette knife or old credit card, Olfa or X-Acto knife; imagery, text, decorative papers. Other materials supplied.

Follow Your Muse!

Holly Dean is a gifted artist and calligrapher who creates art rich in mood and mystery. Through Holly’s inventive mixed-media techniques, past, present, and future merge in dramatic layers of text, imagery, and paint. Her works are for sale through The Grotto Artworks, Studio22 Open Gallery, her Merrickville studio and her website.

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Pricing includes tuition, meals (7 meals), art materials, and accommodation (2 nights). Off-site – $475; Tenting – $550; Shared room with twin beds - $625; Woodland cabins – $675; Private room – $750. HST extra. Out of town participants wishing to arrive Thursday, July 11 (the night before the workshop begins) should add $95 for the extra night, dinner, and breakfast. HST extra.

Workshop registration closes June 30, 2013.

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Binding Art to Books.

The Studio was filled with creative energy on October 13 & 14 when five fabulous workshop participants came together for the Creating Muse Journals Workshop. Saturday was spent making small pieces of art on canvas boards with acrylic paint and mediums, collage, stamps and all sorts of delightful embellishments.

On Sunday, holes were drilled to transform the art into book covers. Text blocks and spine wraps were folded and punched and everything was sewn together with a Coptic stitch to create wonderfully personal books, infused with art and creativity.

The resulting Muse Journals were spectacular! It was a fantastic group and we all enjoyed ourselves :)

Next up: Creating Collage Workshop on Saturday, November 3. There are still 2 spots if you are interested in joining us!

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It's Back. Creating Muse Journals.

In fact, all of the FIVE FABULOUS WORKSHOPS are back. Starting with Creating Muse Journals on Saturday and Sunday, October 13 & 14, 2012 at my studio here in Merrickville.

Learn techniques and develop your artist's eye to enhance your own work. For the artistically experienced or the curious beginner. There are only 3 spots left, so sign up quickly :)

Make a rare book of your own where you can spill your thoughts & ideas, hopes & fears, dreams & desires. Write, sketch, doodle & paint...

Mixed media art on canvas panels become front & back covers. Each signature is wrapped with decorative paper. A sturdy Coptic binding allows the journal to lie flat when open. 192 pages, 75 lb. white, acid free paper

 

Create small mixed media paintings on canvas board; drill holes for sewing & adhere decorated papers to inside covers

 

Cut & fold signatures, punch for sewing; cut decorative spine papers

Sew your book with waxed linen thread using the Coptic binding technique

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Arabesque Muse Journals.

I love making Muse Journals. It gives me a chance to explore techniques and ideas in my art on a smaller canvas. They take quite a while to make, but I find the experience delightful. There is something magical about marrying books and art.

Both front and back covers are mixed media originals, hand-sewn onto a blank text block with a Coptic stitch. The binding allows the book to lie flat while it is worked in. It also looks beautiful and is very strong.

The inside covers are decorated with lovely papers and each journal is signed. The spines of each signature are wrapped with decorative paper, enhancing the overall look while adding handy dividers.

These are my latest offerings: Arabesque II and Arabesque III. You can read more about Arabesques and Zentangles in my previous blog posts.

If you would like to buy one of these Muse Journals, please click here to go to my web site order page. Everyone deserves a special journal to capture their creative ideas!

  ARABESQUE II
Muse Journal with original, hand-painted, mixed media covers by Holly Dean.
7" x 5", 192 pages, 75 lb. white, acid free paper suitable for writing, drawing and painting.
$89 CAD plus shipping

ARABESQUE III
Muse Journal with original, hand-painted, mixed media covers by Holly Dean.
7" x 5", 192 pages, 75 lb. white, acid free paper suitable for writing, drawing and painting.
$89 CAD plus shipping

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Arabesques. Muse Journals.

I spent a lovely couple of hours binding two new Muse Journals in the studio this morning. On a rainy day. With a genius mix playing. It's great to be an artist!

Attaching the first signature to the painted cover.

The back cover goes on.

And - voilà! A new Muse Journal.
The covers are hand-painted and collaged with Arabesques.
You can learn about my Arabesques here and here.

And now there are three.

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The Call of the Muse [Journal]

my first Muse Journal

I made my first Muse Journal in August of 2010 as a birthday present for a wonderful artist friend. After that, I was hooked. Since then I have made more than 30 Muse Journals and find it hard to keep enough available for sale in the studio. They are particularly popular as gifts and, I must confess, I have kept quite a few for myself :)

cover paintings in progress

I tend to create six or more Muse Journals at a time. The small canvas panel covers are ideal for exploring intriguing ideas with paint, collage, transfers, texture & whatever else my muse suggests. I once made a pair of strictly black & white Muse Journals as a commission, expressing the similarities and differences between two cousins who grew up as best friends.

gorgeous papers are wrapped around each signature for a beautiful exposed spine

Binding the mixed media art covers to the text block is a zen-like experience. Beautiful papers are chosen to wrap around each of the eight signatures, along with a complementary or contrasting coloured, waxed-linen thread. I use a Coptic stitch for a few reasons. I love the look of the exposed spine, it is a very sturdy binding and it allows the Muse Journal to lie flat. I really love this aspect when I am working in it. The paper-wrapped spines also create handy sections in the book!

this title looks like it's written on shards of slate

The final step in this creative process is naming the Muse Journal. I enjoy perusing my list of fantasy book titles, considering which will be the one to magically bring the Muse Journal to life. The title is added to the cover art in calligraphy or typography.

a grouping of Muse Journals

These useful & beautiful books are a labour of love - it can take a day or more to create one. They don't sell for big money - they are priced from $72 and up, depending on their size. I create Muse Journals because I love the process and the opportunity to combine my love of art & books.

collaged bits, calligraphy, doodles & scribbled ideas

I have one that fits in a large pocket that goes everywhere with me. I have a larger one always at hand in the studio. Four more await the call of the muse and my collection continues to grow. I will be teaching a Muse Journal workshop in 2012. They have become a passion of mine :)

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What? When? Where? Workshops.

I hoped to hold at least one workshop in November here in Merrickville at the Studio. Many of you expressed an interest in signing up for a Mixed Media Painting, Muse Journal or Mixed Media Storybook class.

As of last week, we received confirmation of a huge order for Costume Balls from Cirque du Soleil. YAY! and YIKES! This means that, unfortunately, the workshops will have to wait.

Over the next weeks I will be planning workshops for 2012. Once the dates are firmed up, I will create a sign-up page on my website and let you know all the details.

In the meantime, here are a few "Sneak" peeks of what to expect...

MUSE JOURNAL WORKSHOP

Create mixed media covers, then hand-bind these small pieces of art to beautiful paper-wrapped signatures using a Coptic stitch. Take a look at a variety of Muse Journals here

each Muse Journal is work of art

these journals are useful and beautiful... and addictive!

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A STORYBOOK IN MIXED MEDIA WORKSHOP

Paint, images and text all come together to create a personal Storybook. Check out my 2010 storybook blog post - remember, the link is for last year :)

our "Sneak's" story

Sneak provided the torn collage bits!

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MIXED MEDIA PAINTING WORKSHOP

Create a mixed media painting with acrylics, collage, text & image transfers. Check out my 2010 mixed media workshop blog post :)

moody layers of mixed media

room for four to play in the Studio

I do look forward to teaching these workshops. They are so much fun and the creative energy in the Studio is awesome!

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