Art Journal Self Portrait 2

Singing is as integral to who I am as much, or maybe more than visual arts and crafts. I have memories through my life that are connected to singing. I remember skipping and singing about the moon as a very young girl. One thing I loved about kindergarten was learning music. We sang "Away in the Manger" at the Christmas program. Much later that song would have a big impact in my life. A "big girl" on the school bus taught me "Silent Night." I cried at the big family Christmas gathering when they kept singing songs I didn't know. My aunt took notice and we sang "Silent Night." Dad got me involved in the church and town choirs. I loved going to practice with him. I have sung in school choirs and honor choirs. My husband & I sang songs to each other at our wedding. The past several years it has been my privilege to sing with our church's praise band. It brings me great joy. I am an OK piano player and that was very therapeutic for me for a number of years. But it became difficult in recent years when I was having tendinitis and carpal tunnel issues. I haven't really played for two years since Dad died. My sister and I would play for him at the nursing home. It seemed to help him connect as Alzheimer's took him away. Lately I've been thinking that I would like to try to play again.

As for this journal page. It's loosely based on a photo of me, but I don't think it looks like me. I sketched with graphite, then drew in the lines with a Pitt sepia pen, colored with watercolor pencils that I lightly washed with water. The journaling is all Pitt sepia. I altered some sheet music with distress inks and glued it into my journal. The watercolor card was glued onto the page.