Molly had been saving various items for their potential as mark-making tools. The bubble wand was brilliant!
For this week’s artist date, I again forced my introverted self beyond my comfort zone to attend another art workshop.
An adorable neighborhood vintage supply/repurpose shop, Junket, hosts various artistic workshops and events that have peaked my interest for months. This past Friday was an Open Studio Creative Art Journaling Session with one of their Artists-in-Residence, Molly Anthony.
As with the meditative mandala drawing class I attended for my Week Two artist date, I still felt anxiety at the very idea of going. But, I know the more I try new things, the less daunting they’ll be, especially, when I realize- “Seriously, me? What is the worst that can happen? You’re going to a place to make art with other humans who like to make art. Quit being weird.”
The open studio session was an hour and a half. This was a good amount of time to check out the available materials, paints, papers, dye cuts, ephemera, etc. and get started.
I’ve been visual journaling for over a decade now, but it’s always fun and inspiring to see the styles of other artists. Molly had a lot of fun tools she’d been collecting for mark-making. She is also very dedicated which was super inspiring. Also, just working in a new setting with new/different materials is an inevitable, but welcome disruption from my standard routine and process. I only started a few pages, but it was certainly enjoyable.
Carly Swenson is an intuitive painter originally from northern Montana. She spent more than a decade working primarily as a mixed media artist before shifting to acrylics. Swenson received a BFA in Visual Arts with an Art History Minor from Bemidji State University. During and after university, she traveled and lived abroad, this included studying in China, traveling throughout Europe and living both in England and the Azores.Swenson’s work has been shown in solo and group exhibitions throughout the US and internationally. Her freelance writing and mixed media journals have been published in nationally distributed art magazines. She has facilitated art workshops for various age groups. Swenson’s work is also included in the permanent art collections of Angra do Heroismo Museum and Bemidji State University (Bemidji, MN). Currently, she lives in St. Paul, MN with a smart little dog and a weird little cat. They’re nice.
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The open studio session was an hour and a half. This was a good amount of time to check out the available materials, paints, papers, dye cuts, ephemera, etc. and get started.
Carly Swenson • Intuitive Artist 