What Is It?Journal Jam is a local, traveling workshop that teaches beginner and seasoned artists how to express their creativity without fear of failure. We lead you, step-by-step, through writing and painting prompts to create beautiful journal pages that document your life moments. If you can splash paint on a page and write words in your own handwriting, you can create an art journal!
Our journaling workshops often have a theme tied to individual expression, family moments, parent-child relationships, or family history. We also have sessions that focus on bringing life to the journal itself -- adding pockets, designing covers, etc.
These journals can be filled at any time. We typically do not date our pages, as there's no obligation to journal daily. This is about having fun and capturing moments in an artistic way. Here are samples of our most recent pages!
Supplies You Will Need if You Attend a Workshop
- A sketchbook with mix-media or watercolor pages, so they won't wrinkle
(5.5" x 8.5" for portability -- you'll want to take this journal with you!).
Check out the selection at Artists' Mediums in Williston! - A fine-point Sharpie pen
- A pencil
- Watercolors (children's kind are fine!)
- Acrylics
- Gesso Paint (to prime pages)
- Sharpie pens
- White Signo gel pen
- Scrap paper
- Lined Post-It Notes
Kim and Gretchin are sisters who teach separate classes -- Kim, memoir writing, and Gretchin, art and doodling. Kim recently had the brilliant idea of bringing the two teaching styles together. By combining memoir-writing prompts with art techniques, they realized they could create a complete journaling experience that teaches anyone to paint, draw, and write!
Here are their bios!
Kim is a writer, artist, and memoir-writing instructor. She has taught throughout the Upper Valley and Vermont at Lebanon College, AVA Gallery, Thompson Senior Center, Harvest Hill, The Writer’s Center in White River Junction, and One Arts Center. She holds a Masters in Creative Writing and Religion from Norwich University and a bachelor’s degree from Middlebury College. She is also an avid blogger at www.pugsandpics.com.
Gretchin is a freelance graphic designer, mommy blogger, and dabbler in all things crafty. She acquired her bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design and Multimedia from Champlain College and enjoys combining traditional design and layout theory with good, old-fashioned, messy art-making. Inspired by the artwork of her three-year-old, she’s learned to let loose a little bit and fully experience the joy of the creative process. She manages a small, ever-growing art blog that gathers local resources for artists of all ages: www.artsourcevt.com.
