Tanya is 50 year old, home-educating Mum to three fabulous females. After surviving a brain tumour, breast cancer, and an abusive marriage she has decided to stop waiting for life to stop throwing her curveballs before she invests in her creative self. She loves all things paper, fiber, and paint. It has taken her a long time to believe in herself as a creative. Her idea of heaven is a creative space in a coffee/book/art supply/fiber store.

What is art journaling to you?

Art journaling is an opportunity to play, to relax, to try new techniques, to challenge myself. It grounds me and helps balance all the overwhelming endless to-do lists of my crazy life.

What does community do for your art?

Being in an art journaling community provides support and encouragement. It provides a place to share the creative part of yourself that you may not be able to share with others.

How do you live a creative life? How do you incorporate journaling into that?

I am creative every day. It is not necessarily in a journal or even on paper. I also crochet, sew, embroider, make cards and do textile art.
I am currently in a season of being in my art journal every day. I sit down at my creative space of an evening to journal after my younger two are in bed

What does your creative space look like? Where do you journal?

I have a corner of our project room. My art space is the most organised it’s ever been. I use the Ikea pegboard system and the IKEA trolleys. I love it. It’s my happy place. I have struggled for years because I would spend most of my time looking for a specific supply or tool. That (almost) doesn’t happen anymore.

I journal at my desk. It’s usually night time so there is no natural light. Sometimes I will work at the dining table on the weekends as the table is situated infant of a big window. I will occasionally take a journal with me when I go out to sketch/doodle but not often.

Do you have creative routines?

More often than not after kissing my girls good night I will sit at my desk ( as opposed to my recliner). I will either work on a page that I still need to work on or start something new. Sometimes I will watch a class. I endeavour to check in with the Get Messy forums at least each Week Day. I am also in some other classes too. I get in with my accountability buddies weekly.

What is your favourite art journal page that you’ve ever made and why?

I follow a lot of prompts and lessons as I am still learning and discovering what I like and what I don’t. I love just playing with paint. And when I like what comes out, that’s a bonus. I love this one.

What is your biggest barrier to creating? And how do you overcome that hurdle?

Time and tiredness are the biggest barriers for me. Sometimes I sit down to create and I can’t keep my eyes open. I do my best to show up even if it’s just a few marks or putting gesso on a page ready for when I can grab another few moments. I try not to give myself a hard time. Having friends to be accountable to definitely helps as do deadlines.

Have you ever made something you don’t like? What did you do?

I make stuff I don’t like frequently. I am still learning what I like and what I don’t. I try to focus on enjoying the process, not the outcome.

More often than not I will leave it. Sometimes I will ask for feedback and advice. Otherwise, I will add more layers and keep doing it until I like it again. I learnt early on that Gesso doesn’t cover everything ( permanent black ink for one) so I really don’t like it… collage is the answer. I rarely create outside of a journal so it’s not a big deal really.

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

I am still in the process of making showing up daily a habit. So I haven’t really experienced a true artist block of showing up and then walking away with not having done anything. I have definitely had times where I haven’t prioritised showing up for one reason or another. When I do show up I am aware of the fact that I am a recovering chronic overthinker. If I have a block then I usually check out lessons or GM IGTV for some quick inspiration. Sometimes it’s good to have a semi plan before I get to sit down so I utilise every precious moment I have at my art desk.

I returned to my work by making a commitment to show up. I made myself accountable to like-minded friends. Caylee is the best Fairy Art Mother.

How has Get Messy impacted your creativity?

Get Messy has been the biggest blessing. I feel more confident in my creativeness. And can almost call myself an artist. Get Messy provides the space for connection, belonging, community and friendship. As well as an amazing well of experience, advice and care.

What journal do you use?

I currently use Dylusions journals in the both sizes. I also love making my own journals too from repurposed books or from scratch.

What is your one *must have* supply?

My current favourite tool is the Princeton Catalyst tool. It makes layering gesso and mark making in paint an absolute dream.

What do you make when you don’t know what to make?

Some days it’s doodles in pen others it’s geometric doodles in paint. Still others it gluing down leftover bits of collage papers that I keep in a tiny bowl on my desk. I also love mark-making abstract flowers in puddles of paint.

What is the most important (non-tool) thing to your creative practice?

A recent game changer for me in showing up to create is making sure my small desk space is clear at the end of a creative session, so it is set as an invitation to me the next day.

Who are your favourite Messy artists?

@phoenix_mango_pash, @gillywelch21, @janet.joehlin, @thekathrynwheel, @willa.wanders, @junqueart

What’s the best art advice you’ve ever received?

To show up. Anything other than zero is fabulous. I usually find that if I sit down to just make a mark, it’s hard to stop at one.

Advice to new art journalers:

I think when you are new you can be trapped in to thinking that you need all the latest and greatest supplies. It’s amazing what you can do with what you have. So see what you can do with what you have before going out to buy more. That said, when you do decide to buy, get the best quality you can afford. Especially with paints. If you are learning to mix your own colours there is a huge difference in the end result depending on the quality of the paints you start out with. Swatching what you have and learning about Colour mixing are great places to start. Also don’t compare yourself to others. Be kind to yourself. If you have never done any art, encourage yourself as you would a kindergartener showing you their day’s achievements.