Share your Joy – mixed media shareable art
Sarah Gardner’s book Share your Joy – mixed media shareable art is a year old by now so I’m well overdue to write about it. Firstly, I’m one of two contributors to this book, so as a reviewer (and a blog fan and friend of Sarah) I might be a bit biased, but I still wanted to add my two cents about the book. Some of you actually appreciate my opinion, haha, and you will always have it, especially on all things mixed media art and books. I’m fan of all that, period.
I wrote about the joy of the DIY Postcard Swap that I host in her book, and I think that chapter turned out really nice if I may say so myself.
Last night I sent out all the address lists for the autumn swap, so today I feel tired but content. Let’s take a closer look at Sarah’s book Share the Joy.
Art Paper Obsession
After going through some of the usual mixed media art materials and tools Sarah jumps straight into what she calls “art papers”. I usually call my collection of hand decorated papers collage papers, painted papers, collage fodder or simply “background papers” but what ever you call them they’re the same thing and I agree with Sarah – they’re addictive to make and super fun to use. She even calls it her “Art Paper Obsession”, and she writes:
…none of them are meant to be finished works of art. It’s an experiment every time with different variables and outcomes. It is a playful process that can be quite addicting. Letting randomness take over helps you to let go of perfectionism.
The ideas she demonstrates in the book are quite simple, and I think this would be a great chapter to work through with a couple of girlfriends or kids (any age). Painting papers can be as simple as slapping on some paint, making marks and playing around with colors, and I know from experience how fun that activity is. It can also be time-consuming and detailed, it is all up to you. Use stencils and all your available tools and make beautiful patterned papers. Once you get into it it is hard to stop.
In the book there are several ideas on how you can get started creating art papers. They are shared over several pages with process photos, on how to create patterns, high-contrast doodles, tiny watercolor marks, sheer watery leaves, wistful watercolors, stenciled layers and how to play a bit with inks.
I think it’s the perfect start for anyone wanting to get into mixed media.
Then the rest of the book consists of step-by-step tutorials on how to create the art that you are going to send out. Because Sarah’s book is about shareable art such as artist trading cards (ATC:s) and DIY Postcards. Her take is not only to create something beautiful on paper, but to know what to do with it once it is finished. She encourages us to send it or give it away.
The truth is, I’ve given a lot of my art away. This is partly a way of practicing letting go, not grasping and holding onto things. Setting them free, saying goodbye, and being okay with not having them in a collection – these are all ways to practice mindful detachment.
Sarah Gardner
She shares her best ideas for creating DIY Postcards along with my contribution, as well as a conversational interview with Jana Clinard-Harris, a collage artist that has also been in the swap several times. I love her collages, and I think that the altered postcards I created for the swap this year is a bit influenced by her, because she often uses vintage book illustrations in her work.
But even if you don’t want to create your own postcards I think you’ll enjoy the book. You can learn how to create greeting cards, a Valentine paper mobile, how to embellish envelopes for your pen pals and there’s even a bigger project of creating a little journal. Sarah calls it the “Intention Journal” and it’s such a cute project!
If I had to mention one thing I am not a fan of with inspiration books like this, it’s when the line of text goes across the entire page instead of in shorter, easier to read columns. It looks clunky to me, and it’s easy to fix if you work with layout. But that is a minor detail I’m sure most people won’t even notice.
Over all, I’m a fan of the book. Sarah takes gorgeous pictures of her in process and finished art, her color aesthetics is almost always spot-on and very similar to mine (which again, if I may say so myself, is excellent. LOL). If you enjoy my style (pink & bold, a bit messy, very colorful and happy) then you will love Sarah’s shareable artwork and this her very first published book.
Sarah was recently celebrating her first book’s one year anniversary on her blog and also did another workshop tour all though September, and when I saw that I realized I never sat down to thoroughly read through her book, I just helped her promote the pre-sale of it. But now a year later I picked it up to read the chapters. So glad I did, and that I can now add it to my “books that I have reviewed on the blog”-page.
You might want to read more about the book Share Your Joy by Sarah Gardner here.
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This looks like an inspiring book. I love her woven papers. I love making painted papers – it’s so relaxing.
Agreed, paper weaving is fun for sure. I did it many years ago, maybe I should give it a try again soon… :-)
Congrats of having your part published in that book.
I love the weaving idea. I have only ever done it with same colored paper but this is so much better. I live it. I may have to utilize that on my ever growing to-craft-list
Thank you for sharing.