I am happily tinkering away at my Whisper's Art Journal. Above is a sneak peak of the cover. I'm also starting a sketch book with an unused moleskine journal. I've never used the moleskine because I did not know how to draw. Well it suddenly dawned on me that the best way to learn is by doing. *Thump to the head* You should've had a V-8! I'll admit to being slightly slow when it comes to my personal growth.
Anyway - the whisper journal is made from the covers of hardback books. Yesterday I bought the books from a local thrift store. I grabbed the least expensive hardbacks without looking at the titles. After all I wasn't going to read them. Then I promptly brought them home and removed the covers. Though I did not intend to read these books I felt guilty dismembering them and wanted to find some use for the interior (something akin to using the whole animal after a kill). So I set the pages aside pending creative ingenuity.
Well the book skeletons were still on the table when middle daughter came home from school. She picked them up and asked if she could have them -- I said, "Sure, why not?" thinking at least they'd get some use. A few minutes later Sis wandered back into the kitchen where I was journaling.
"Mom? What's this? There is a section called Petting."
"Petting?" I asked, my mental cogs turning, "Let me see that."
She handed me the book and low and behold I bought Facts of Life and Love; which includes chapters on the menstrual cycle, masturbation, homosexuality, syphillis, petting, dating, sex and, finally, marriage. Granted my daughter has a relatively firm grasp of most of these concepts already. Nonetheless an unanticipated conversation about sex might have been enough of a mood killer that I'd never pick up a paintbrush again. I'm thanking my lucky stars this was a 1950's addition. I coyly suggested that working on an art project with me might me more interesting than reading that old book. Thankfully she was happy to start her own journal and quickly forgot all about the text. Here's a little peak inside:
In these days it is not so easy to tell the respectable girl from the girl who plays fast and loose...
Indeed there may some good wisdom in there. Perhaps I'll let her read it after all.
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Here is a Ted Talk I came across today that seems particularly timely. Enjoy!
3 comments:
Oh, I love your sneak peak at the cover! What a gift you have to be able to bring beauty and joy with your drawing! I'm so glad you are sharing your art with us.
glad you enjoyed it :-)
great story.
sad to say my parents (born in the '20's and married in the early '50's) hung onto those beliefs/examples about sex ed all through my growing-up years. this did not make for an easy, functional transition to embracing my sexuality as an adult.
kudos to you for embracing your creative self - and encouraging your daughter to do the same. i'm watching the TED talk right now.
we are all born artists!
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