The Magic of Upcycled Gratitude Journals

One of my favorite daily rituals is to drink my morning tea from a china teacup and journal what I'm grateful for.  I used to keep chickens, and accumulated a stack of brown paper chicken feed bags.  The simplicity of these bags charms me, and makes them feel ideal for upcycling into journals. 

I never face the "fear of the blank page," because I'm writing on something most folks would just throw away or compost.  That gives it a magic that delights me.

 

I use the bag's original stitching as the binding, and then add grommets for fun.  The bag is made of three layers of brown craft paper -- designed to hold 50 pounds of grain, the layering adds strength. That gives me six pages to write on -- enough for a month of entries.  

New Classes for the New Year!

If you are ready for a fresh art project, new inspiration, or just a way to schedule some time for creative self-care, I invite you to join me in these upcoming classes!

Pittsburgh Figure Drawing Meetup

Guided Workshop: Drawing the Model

It's difficult to get started in figure drawing if you're not enrolled in a fine arts program, or able to commit to an expensive, multi-week course. In our 3-hour workshop we'll guide you through proven drawing exercises designed to get your eyes, brain, and hand working together to capture the human form on paper. Attendance is limited to 8 so our instructor can provide one-on-one guidance. Models will pose nude. Materials provided. $25 cash workshop fee. Instructor is artist and figure model Betsy Bangley. Models are Kathryn and David. Seating is limited. Free street-side parking.

Sunday, Jan. 5th, 2-5 pm
Metta: A Healing Arts Community, 5118 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA
Register online at the Pittsburgh Figure Drawing Meetup:
https://www.meetup.com/Pittsburgh-Figure-Drawing/or email: betsybangley@gmail.com

Community College of Beaver County Continuing Education

I'll be teaching these courses at the Community College of Beaver County.  You can register online for these courses here: https://my.ccbc.edu/ICS/Continuing_Education/
See the full catalog here: https://www.ccbc.edu/college-catalogs


Figure Drawing -- Back by popular demand
Do you enjoy drawing and want to take on a new challenge? Expand your artistic skills and connect with humanity by learning to draw another human being. Our models will dress in athletic wear, and will hold a variety of poses to observe and sketch. Each week we will start with quick gesture drawings and then work on proportions, foreshortening, hands & feet, and the face through longer drawings. Bring a pad of newsprint, drawing paper, a soft pencil, and charcoal.
Mondays, February 3rd, 10th, 17th & 24th, from 6-9 PM
Cost: $59 + a $49 Lab fee

NEW! Handmade Paper Studio
Create your own artsy & unique papers out of a variety of upcycled materials in the first class. You will craft your paper into a journal, stationary or other creation. All materials are provided, though you can bring dried flowers, glitter, a favorite essential oil, or other items to include in your paper.
Wednesdays, April 22nd and 29th from 6-9 PM
Cost: $39 + a $10 Lab fee

New! Pen & Ink
Learn to capture natural scenes with the simple, sharp lines of pen and ink. Learn a technique to minimize the stress of inking, and allow your creativity to flow. You will be drawing natural scenes and subjects using reference photos or natural objects brought into the art studio.
Thursdays, April 9th, 16th & 23rd from 6-9 PM

Cost: $49 + a $10 Lab fee

Create Your Own Journal

I recently created this blank journal out of mat board scraps, an old atlas chock full of maps, and several different types of blank paper I found at yard sales.  I wanted to use up materials I've had in my studio gathering dust, and prepare for an upcoming class I'm teaching for the Continuing Education Department of the Community College of Beaver County. 

Join me for Create Your Own Journal on Thursday, July 25, 2019 from 6-9 pm.  Check out this link to the online course catalog, and flip to page 2 for details of the class. To register, go to:  https://my.ccbc.edu/ICS/Continuing_Education/

I incorporated an old library card pocket I had from a second hand book.

When you sew your own journal, you can include different types of paper.  Here, I used white computer paper and an eco-green recycled paper.