Art Journals are a combination of "art", "scrapbook", "photo journal", and writing. They are a sort of free-for-all format for creating and exploring art. You can click on most of the images on this page to see a larger version.

I created my first journal when I was 18 during a college class. During a six-week interim session we had to complete fill a 100+ page sketchbook. It didn't matter what we filled it with; only that every page had to have something on it and it couldn't just be scribbles or space-filler.

During those six weeks I painted, sketched, cut out and pasted everything I could get my hands on, and generally illustrated the time in my life. I wrote in the book, as though it was a journal. I handed it to everyone I saw and asked them to contribute in some way.

When I had finished, I was very proud of what I had done. Until that time I had never really drawn anything - outside of the occasional school assignment. Since that time I have continued to create art journals. At times they have been singularly "uncreative" but certainly are reflections of my life. As of 2002, I am working on my 30th art journal. I now keep separate written journals, which are private. I keep my "art journals" open to the public!

During my 20's, when I went through a time of insecurity, I did little more than paste memorabilia and a few magazine cuttings into the books. In later years, when I became more accepting of my creativity and began to explore it, the journals reflect that growing confidence.

Today I use the books as a creative playground. I take them with me on trips, record the "day to day" activities of my life, as well as the exceptional. I also use the books to test design ideas and color combinations so that I can find them later for my work. Pictured, right and below, are examples of the journal covers and pages from over the years. Most images can be "clicked" to see a larger version.

If you would like to see a gallery of photos of my journals, visit my personal pages at http://www.teraswish.com/tera/journal-photos.htm

Cover of art journal 31. Inside cover shown below.

Below, painted and collaged cover of art journal 32.

Writing journal cover. Paint and collage.

These pages and page shown right are part of 1000 journals project entries.

Cover, Vol 32

Paint, collage, and writing. Journaling page.

Paint, collage, and writing. Journaling page

Paint, collage, crayon over vellum journal entry.

4th of July journaling entry.

Example of early journal entry with a list of favorites, and pasted in ephemera from my life.

Collage, painting and ephemera journal entry.

Title page, journal 25

Page dedicated to my grandmother shortly after her funeral, 2001.

Art Journal cover, Vol 26

Painted page with collage elements and painted roses, vine and leaves. Journaling page.

Journal page from trip to Cincinnati, 2000.

Title page for journal 32.

Quotes page (still in progress). Painted and collaged.

White strips glued on, then collaged with image. Wrote on white with black pen and black with silver pen.

I often am asked what a page looks like after painted but before collage and writing. This is an example.