Art Journaling Where Time Stands Still

The photo leading off this recent post was a precursor to this week's Positively Creative Art Journaling exercise. Yes, I'd looked ahead, and as long as I'd returned to City Beach to photograph the ice, I took the opportunity to get a good shot of my favorite place to sit. It was the photo I would need to answer the journaling prompt of "that ONE PLACE where you want to go. That ONE PLACE where you can go sit for hours & SEE, LISTEN, BREATHE, SMELL (maybe TASTE as well) that magnificent place. That ONE PLACE where time stands still." Nothing to hide here - I've shared it multiple times, the fact that this particular spot captivated me and kept pulling me back during my reconnaissance trip to find the area I wanted to make my home. That feeling continued after I moved here and this spot continues to be my favorite place to sit. The journaling prompt fit how I feel about it so perfectly, I just copied the whole thing at the top of the page, then added more specifics on down the page - all with gel pens. I think you should be able to read them if you click on the pic for a larger view.

As for creating the spread itself, I found it quite fun. Because the spread was to be painted such that the photo would more or less blend into the page, I could get out some different colors and play around with mixing to come up with shades close to matching those in the photo which I kept close by for reference.  The photo also guided me in the placement of the bands of color.

I opted to glue the photo off center for a couple of reasons; that placement allowed a smoother blending of painted background with actual photo and played up the slight angle of the bench. It also allowed slightly better open space for the journaling.

I've seen this photo blending technique used in art quilts, where instead of using paint, fabric and/or piecing or applique is used to extend out the subject in a photo that is printed without manipulation onto fabric. I thought it was a clever use of realistic photos in quilts, just as I think this art journaling method with paint is. This spread just makes me smile, in a way transporting me to the real place where time stands still, just as it is intended to.