Sara lives in a small apartment with her "art studio" crammed into a corner. She does several different kinds of art but mainly focuses on mixed media, zentangle, and collage. For her entire life, they have been creating as a way to express themself and process the world around them.

What is art journaling to you?

To me, it’s using art to express oneself in a way that feels natural and freeing. In my case, this typically means a blend of text and visual elements which express whatever is going on in my life at that moment.

What does community do for your art?

Community helps me feel supported and encouraged. There have been some people who say wonderful things about my art and it always makes my day. Sometimes, I get a bit critical of my work, and at those moments it’s nice to know that there are people who genuinely enjoy my art.

What does your creative space look like?

Right now, my creative space is a cluttered corner of my living room. My desk is a card table and it is completely surrounded by art supplies. There are some supplies on each side of the desk, underneath it, and on top. I am trying to get it more organized, though.

How has Get Messy impacted your creativity?

Get Messy has improved my creativity a lot since I joined back in 2020. I have learned from and been inspired by other members. The prompts have helped me come up with ideas for art journal pages. The classes and tutorials have taught me plenty of tips and techniques that I otherwise may have never stumbled across. Since joining, my motivation to create art has risen.

What is your biggest barrier to creating?

My biggest barrier to creating is a lack of time. To overcome this, I have incorporated art journaling into my morning and night routines and I draw zentangles during my lunch breaks. This ensures that I at least do a little bit of creating each day thus ensuring that it remains a habit.

Have you ever made something you don’t like?

When I make something I don’t like, there are a few things I do depending on the circumstances. If it’s a zentangle, I’ll usually cut it up and use it in a collage. For art journal pages, I might cover it with gesso or paper and start over, add more layers to it, or leave it alone if it has a lot of meaning.

Have you ever been through artist block? How did you return to your work?

I don’t get artist block often anymore, but I used to a lot. Back when it was a common occurrence, doing something random like scribbling or splattering paint helped the most. Now I have a plethora of prompt cards with techniques on them that I draw from when I’m not sure what to do next.

What journal do you use?

I use pretty much anything I can get my hands on. I’ve used mixed media sketchbooks, junk journals, old magazines, cheap notebooks, and more.

What is your one *must have* supply?

A pen. That way if I have nothing else, I can probably at least doodle on something.

Advice to new art journalers:

You don’t need to spend a bunch of money on supplies. Start out with what you already have, even if it’s just some loose paper and a pencil. If you want more supplies, there’s no shame in going with the cheaper option. As long as you enjoy creating with them, you have the right supplies.

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