It has been a busy couple of days as I started the course with Jane Davenport who is a mixed media, journal artist. There are fourteen of us here all drawing away in this little piece of paradise.
Umbrella Bali Journal Page
The mixed media journalling is a whole different world for me and their process is completely different to mine. They do not plan their work, just go where the page tells them, they work from their imaginations not from real life and they just lay done colour, papers, stencils on a page to start the journal without worrying what the picture will be. Also this group do faces, as anyone who follows this blog will know, I rarely do faces. I am used to planning a drawing, doing sketches and working from real life or photo references. Wasn’t I out of my comfort zone on the first day as we merrily slapped down colours and papers. I would be alright for a moment until I started to think about what I wanted to draw and then I would worry that I didn’t have a background that would work. Let go Karen, let go!
Bali Journal Page Background
Bali Journal Page Background
Anyway I got there and have managed to get most of my pages filled with a background. The great thing about these girls is they will use every different media under the sun in one picture, background using a scrape booking paper, on it will go a printmaking technique, then acrylic, then some water colour, ink paint pens and pencils. They know so much about all the different mediums it is inspiring to watch them work.
Unfinished Morning Offering Bali Journal Page Every morning a offering (canang) is placed at my door with a stick on incense (dupa).
I have only finished on page (Umbrella at the top), but I will show you where I am up to in a couple of other pages. I am also learning to work on a number of different pages at a time and not to worry if one doesn’t get finished.
Unfinished Manatee Page Bali Journal At the top I have drawn the fishing boats that go past every morning and evening and use their lights to attract their catch. The manatee swim with the surfers.
Working on these different backgrounds has been so much fun, and it is what I most wanted to get out of this courses, apart from the pleasure of working with so many other lovely like minded people.
Bali Girl Bali Journal Page
Karen Bailey Studio 
What fun! make the most of it! It is wonderful just to have the time to mess about with other like minded people. I can see that you will make the most of it and learn lots. Go for it!
Yes it has been fun, you would not believe the variety of art supplies I have had to play with, the teacher brought heaps and the other girls have been very generous in sharing their different supplies. I think this could be expensive!
It really does look like fun Karen. I love your umbrella! Leaving your comfort zone gives so many opportunities!
Thanks Anna, welcome home. Yes, pushed some of the boundaries on this retreat. Just back myself, will post some pictures soon.