Thursday, 1 January 2015

New Challenge at Art Journal Journey!

Hi everybody!

Happy New Year to you all!

As I write this it is 2 AM and I just got home from celebrating New Year
with some friends, and we had an enjoyable and very yummy evening!

At Art Journal Journey we have started a new challenge, and by popular request, we are repeating 'Inspired by the Masters'. We are looking forward to seeing by whom you are inspired and what you make. There is so much inspiration out there, so get cracking, be inspired and join us at Art Journal Journey!

My first inspiration for this year and theme is René Magritte, a Belgian Surrealist painter, and his exploration of dreams and reality, which meet each other in his work. I made a page in my giant journal. The backgrounds were painted with acrylics; blue-black for the night, and sky blue and white for the day.  For the heads I used my stencils, and have made the Umbrella man 'my' man, I am sure Mr Magritte would have liked him, too! The houses were also drawn with a stencil.








Today was a cool and very misty day, the world around me was shrouded in mist. I love how the mist absorbs the colour and sounds.



Have a great start in the new year, take care, 
and thanks a lot for coming by!






41 comments:

  1. Good new them, and I love what you have made. Glad you had a nice evening with your friends. The misty photos are very atmospheric! Happy New Year, may it be a healthy, creative and prosperous one for you! Hugs, Sarah

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  2. FROHES NEUES JAHR Sweetie!
    Deine erste Arbeit gefällt mir schon mal super gut - diese Gegenüberstellung von Tag und Nacht ist
    großartig!
    Das neue Jahr möge Dir Gesundheit und Freude bringen und wenn möglich doch noch meinen Geburtstagsumschlag.......

    Bussi Susi

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    1. Danke - snail-mail! Irgendwann kommt die Schnecke hier an!

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  3. magritte applaudiert, da kannst du sicher sein... eine tolle Inspiration!
    und was mir irre gut gefällt ist dein Foto mit den bänken... sehr schöne Stimmung!

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  4. Fabulous artwork--I do love Magritte paintings I think I did one for the theme last time but never posted it so will look for it and post it this time at AJJ.

    It does look at bit bleak along the Rhine but the photos such a lot of atmosphere.

    Happy 2015 Valerie

    Love Chrissie x

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  5. Wonderful pages Valerie and fabulous photos.
    Happy New Year.
    xxx Hazel.

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  6. Happy New Year to you, too! My post with some projects for 2015 is here: http://kokopellidesign.blogspot.de/2015/01/alles-gute-fur-2015happy-new-year.html

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  7. Your paintings have me singing the old Cole Porter song, Night and Day! Happy New year Valerie, hope 2015 is a good one for us all. Xx

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    Replies
    1. That is strange - I was listening to that song as I painted it!

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  8. Your Mr. U. looks happy up in the air, he looks softer somehow. I like the way you have made the skyline and made both night and day.
    I love seeing your world in the rain and gloom, especially the line of benches looking out on to the river enjoying the peace and quiet.

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    Replies
    1. Yes, I love it in this weather, makes great photos.

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  9. Wonderful pages Valerie and it's great to hear that you had a fun time out, celebrating a new year with good friends. May your year continue in the same happy, crafty vein ((hugs)) x

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  10. Even though I never participated, I think this is my favorite of the challenges so far. Looking forward to see a month of beautiful art!

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  11. It sounds like you had a good night Valerie! It's great to see Umbrella Man back in action. Have a very happy and creative 2015 xx

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  12. Very misty and grey, nice work for this educational challenge

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  13. And glad you had a good new year celebration!

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  14. Love the NEW/REPEAT theme!!! It will be a fun month :-) You got off with a great start and I love both of your collages. The photos are fantastic! Beautiful captures of an other wise dreary day. HAPPY NEW YEAR MY FRIEND!!!!!

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  15. Happy New Year dear Valerie...your misty world is beautiful!
    Wonderful surreal art pieces you created too for another fun AJJ challenge theme
    Cheers
    oxo

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  16. Wonderful pages Valerie, Mr Umbrella man, looks as good as he always does when given your special touch.
    Yvonne xx

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  17. Happy New Year!
    Nicole/Beadwright

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  18. Love your silhouettes and your clouds are great.
    Happy New Year.

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  19. Happy New Year! I love your pages and especially your pictures from where you live. I hope 2015 brings you all of life's blessings and happiness and creativity!

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  20. ooohh valerie,deine verschidenen seiten sind umwerfend schön,besonders geföllt mir die nacht variante.
    hab auch gerade eine doppelseite zum thema gemacht,
    wünsch dir einen wunderschönen tag,und nur das beste für dich für 2015,bleib gesund und munter,bleib so wie du bist.

    knuddel

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  21. Lovely page. The misty photo with the seats is awesome! Happy New Year.

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  22. Valerie, I love your artwork. I see you are really quite involved in the journaling site. How wonderful. I always enjoy your photos, too.

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  23. Eine tolle Interpretation von Magritte, sehr kreativ mit einer tollen Wirkung.
    Danke.

    LG
    Claudia

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  24. I love how your pages look next to each other... Fantastic!
    xo
    Kristin

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  25. Love, love your umbrella man. What a beautiful and thoughtful series. I love the misty photographs, too. There's a picture book called Magritte's Marvelous Hat by D.B. Johnson that you might like. It has color overlays that really capture the spirit of Magritte's imagination. I love that you've captured his spirit, too. Have a creative New Year.

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    Replies
    1. Thanks for the tip about the book, I will see if they have it in the library.

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  26.   Creative and mysterious designs of the day and night! Beautiful!

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  27. Very lovely, you have such great ideas, I love your creativity!

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  28. Gorgeous pages, love the photos too! Big hugs, ~Diane

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  29. Love your artwork Valerie. It is appropriate for us here as it has rained for 2 days ~~ a cold misty rain.
    Your pics look about the same.
    Wishing you a wonderful first weekend in the new year.
    Joy to you!

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  30. Love the mirror-imaging you've done not only with the shapes but also the colours.

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  31. Oh, you got the point...This is very challenging but could be fun to try...
    I checked Susi's blog - I guess this is only for Blogspot bloggers because no commenting option for self-hosted bloggers like me. Sad.
    Enjoy your 'masters' trip!

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    1. We have lots from World Press etc. I think perhaps you need to comment with open ID? Hope you will be able to join in!

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  32. Tolle Doppelseite! Schön dieser Tag-Nacht-Kontrast ... wunderbar Magritte´s Surrealismus nachempfunden! Ich finde es ganz großartig, dass du jetzt Susi bei AJJ unterstützt ... ihr seid ein tolles, kreatives Team! Danke auch für das Januar-Thema ... ich hoffe, dass ich auch was beitragen kann!
    Ein frohes neues Jahr für dich, liebe Valerie!
    Ganz liebe Grüße, Annette

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  33. Arylics I use. Do you add water to yours at times? I read one can to spread it. I sometimes use baby wipes to thin down Arylics to spread.

    Love your little man piece with umbrella. I prefer the light blue back ground but I do see were your going as you continue. I like your imagine of a face also. Your indeed creative. Thumbs up. Valerie.

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  34. I always love your heads. These really stand out. Wishing you every good thing possible in 2015, Valerie ~ Happy New Year!

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  35. Love the René Magritte paintings! What a fun challenge, to be inspired by the Masters. Beautiful photos too. Thank you for sharing & Happy New Year! xx

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  36. Sehr schöne Bilder! Ich finde die Gegenüberstellung von Tag und Nacht ist super!
    Richtig toll!

    Liebe Grüße, Steffie

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