I am so excited to be teaching at the inaugural Journalfest! I think if you haven't yet signed up, you should. There are spaces left, but the event is filling.
Port Townsend is one of my favorite places- the town is quaint and has lovely shops. Fort Worden, where the event is held, is a beautiful place and overlooks the ocean. The mountains (the Cascades, I think) rest in the distance like a mystical backdrop. Deer nibble grass right on the lawn of your classroom, and bed down on the sides of the road, ready for photo ops. A variety of accomodation styles are available- private dorm rooms, spaces in houses, and there are a number of great places to stay in town. (just five minutes away)
If air fare is putting you off, I highly recommend Southwest Airlines. (no affiliation) Sign up on their site for the email list. They have awesome sales that they only advertise via the email list. I am flying roundtrip from Pittsburgh to Seattle and my flight was $203 total.
Artfest has a place in my heart that defies words, and I will be seeing you there again in 2010, but Teesha and Tracy have worked to create a different event in Journalfest. The size is small, the goal is to create an intimate, wonderful experience. With a maximum attendance of 200, and interesting evening events planned, it really will be possible to get to know many people. I know they have live music journal gatherings planned and of course, a vendor night.
We were asked to create classes with minimal supply lists to debut at Journalfest. I have three classes:
The Paper Mirror:
Photographic self portraits are the focus of this class. Think of the self portraits as a mirror made of paper. Instead of seeing just yourself in the paper mirror, you can see the current events in your life, your history, your feelings, your thoughts. We'll use some easy techniques to work with the images- gel medium transfers, converting lightened images to drawings, layering to add content and meaning to the work. Using some guided activities/exercises, we'll explore ways of approaching content.Photographic self portraits are the focus of this class. Think of the self portraits as a mirror made of paper. Instead of seeing just yourself in the paper mirror, you can see the current events in your life, your history, your feelings, your thoughts. We'll use some easy techniques to work with the images- gel medium transfers, converting lightened images to drawings, layering to add content and meaning to the work. Using some guided activities/exercises, we'll explore ways of approaching content.
The supply list:
Your journal,
photos printed as noted in the description,
glue/adhesive,
your favorite pens, markers, and/or pencils,
watersoluble crayons, pastels or pencils- you choose,
gloss gel medium, a baggie of collage material (scrap paper, text, etc),
paint brush, water cup,
copies of quotes, poems and text that have meaning for you.
3 or 4 colors of acrylic and/or craft paints
I have just a handful of seats left in this class. This is clearly a process class- if you are interested in classes that take you beyond the "how to make it" , then you want one of my process classes.
Painted, Knotted, Sewn:
I am also teaching that fabulous sewn-over cords binding that you see on many of my journals as of late, and for an extra punch we will be doing the luscious painting you've see here.
The Supply list:
2 old book covers
12-16 pieces of sturdy paper twice the width of your cover
plastic cards- credit, gift, etc
1.5 yd waxed linen thread
5-7 color of acrylic or craft paint to use and share
1 yd cotton cord
bone folder- if you have one
I do have seats available in this class and it is a great one. I recently taught this binding as part of a different class to a small group in Philadelphia and the response was very, very positive.
My third class, which also only has a limited number of seats left, is called Outside Inside, and is also a class that deals with process.
Using imagery drawn from the natural world, we'll make pages rich with personal content about our daily lives and experience. Images of stones and trees, wet leaves, and sandy beaches, waves lapping he shore or snow drifted high along a fence line... These will be how we personalize and draw inside the outside world. This class will be part technique and part process as we nature print using gelatin and make some simple image transfers, and then begin to work inside these images with guided exercises to connect our daily lives with the natural world. This is NON-traditional nature journaling- not botanical illustration but an illustration of our experience with the large and the small of the world around us. A small supply list, including your own journals, perhaps with some pages prepped for work, along with your photos will allow us to focus on filling pages. Print some photos - using your ink jet printer- of the natural world around you- not just stunning vistas, but pebbles and trees, and plants and puddles- the things that catch your eye daily. 
The Supply list:
your journal,
your photos,
your favorite markers, pens and pencils for journaling,
water-soluble crayons, pastels or pencils- whatever you use,
gloss gel medium,
glue/adhesive of your choosing,
paint brush, water cup
10 blank pieces of drawing/plain paper the size of your journal pages
(use what you have- feel free to be creative)
3 or 4 colors of acrylic and/or craft paints
I think Journalfest promises be a very special event- being the very first one- without the bugs of a new event as this is a venue the Moore's know very well.
Navigating the site can be a little interesting- use the people sticking out the sides of the book.
