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Thursday, July 30, 2015

Recycling Old Paintings


This is my latest journal.
I just finished sewing it yesterday and thought I'd share my process to help spark ideas for you in the studio.
I know a lot of you, like me, generate works on paper that stack up in the studio. 
While the paintings may be beautiful, they aren't really enjoyed if they're languishing in a folder in the dark.


The painting above, 12x12" on 140# watercolor paper, was in a folder with a stack of other non representational paintings that I did over a year ago.


This one above was in the same folder. 
I used both of them on the cover and end sheets of my new journal.


Here is the cropped painting mounted on the back inner cover of the book.


For the outside of the back cover I gathered up smaller pieces of random scrap that I keep in a bin for collage.
Arranged and glued them, then painted gel over all for protection.


Some beads and a stenciled canvas spine completed the long stitch journal.


I love the way the raw materials of the old become folded into the new carrying history and memories with them.

It also makes me happy to use and enjoy something that I liked well enough to save. 

Back to my de-cluttering.
xo 

20 comments:

  1. Hmmm, you always have me thinking. Thanks for sharing. I think I need to come pilfer your papers. That would be even more fun.

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  2. Judy, This is a beautiful idea.
    Nice work too.

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  3. Love these together...and that little touch of bright red and turquoise in the binding are great

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  4. Absolutely beautiful!

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  5. I love the way you define decluttering! Your end product is stunning. I am absolutely taken with it.

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  6. Brilliant! Your journals are true treasures. Thank you for sharing your inspirations.

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  7. Thank you Judy this is just beautiful -- how do I learn though to actually make the journal like this? I have heaps of paper painted and drawn on and would love to make journals for friends for Xmas gifts but I don't know how to do this process.
    Thanks Marilyn

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  8. Judy, I love this. Great idea! Lovely work.

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  9. Judy, does your Mixed Media Ebook explain this process? Your journal is gorgeous.

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  10. Nice! I've dond this before with old paintings on canvas that I knew I was never going to fo anything with. Feels good to use old work and declutter by making something new test will be used and enjoyed.

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  11. Lynda Dunham-Watkins, yes, all instructions and so so so much more are in that DVD eBook. One of my best.

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  12. Gorgeous journal... bella!

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  13. love it! great idea, thanks for sharing~

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  14. Sometimes when I miss so much, such as the incredibly wonderful work in this post, and all your facebook yummies, and your instagram because I'm finally posting my own blog post, which takes up time and I get behind, or your corn because I'm not even up there, or the fact that you were thinking of me the other day but I'm not psychic... sometimes when these things happen, I get very sad.

    Luckily, today I'm too busy for emotion.

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  15. Wow, these journals are beautiful, so inspiring.

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