Gulfsprite

One of the things I wanted to do with this blog is to talk about some of my favorite classes and and teachers that I have encountered over the past year. I think I will make this a weekly entry for the next few weeks.

The first teacher that I discovered on this artistic journey is Christy Sobolewski.  So it is fitting that I share about her first.

 

Artwork by Christy Sobolewski

I wandered into Christy’s art journaling videos on you tube a little more than a year ago and I haven’t looked back.  She grabbed me at the start with her knowledge, skill and creativity.  To subscribe or watch any of her you tube videos please go here.

Christy is one of my main mentors, constant sources of inspiration and encouragement.  She is a wonderful artist and teacher from Florida.  One of my favorite things about her is that she is really there for you as a student.  She really helped me get my mojo back last fall.  You can also find more of her work and all of her classes at www.gulfsprite.com

 Artwork by Christy Sobolewski

For a couple of years I would go into a bookstore or online and look at the world of art journaling and art books but did not fully delve into it until last year.  Not until I saw Christy’s videos.

Christy is the one that got me to start drawing and painting for me again.   She has such a fantastic approach to teaching and sharing her art with the world.  Her videos were so inspirational and her work completely dreamy.  I just new that I would be taken on a journey.  One of her main subjects is faces.  She is the person that helped me find my love of drawing faces or journal girls as they are sometimes called. She is living the artist life and creating  beautiful pieces.  You can additionally find her work here on society6.com.

Artwork by Christy Sobolewski

When I began art journaling or my artistic journey I never would have imagined that I would be some one who drew the human face or even as i draw them a stylized face.  I always thought of myself as an abstract person.  Abstract expressionism is one of my favorite genres of art.  I will talk about this another day … I digress.

I am currently a student of Christy’s and I will be taking her original 30 pages in 30 days class.  This class entails that we will create one art journal page a day.  I am really enjoying the class so far.  It began and is running as a live class for the month of February.

I have also taken all of her obsessions classes last year and this is really what got me going with my art practice.  She encourages you to make it a daily activity even if it is just to sit down and flip through your previous work.

 Artwork by Christy Sobolewski

She also has a plethora of other classes on her site that I haven’t even gone into here.  As I write this I am impressed at all of the venues she has going and that I am following along with her. I haven’t even gone into her Art Geeks forum. This is all listed on her website…see link above.

Christy is thoughtful and as well as talented.  You should give her a look up if you have the chance.  You won’t be disappointed.

Artwork by Christy Sobolewski

What is an art journal?  These are my quick thoughts.  I will go into art journaling more in a future post.

An art journal is a collection of illustrated pages on any theme you feel you need to express.  This is a very simplified definition of an art journal as there are a myriad of ways to keep and record your life or ideas or feelings or what you choose to express on the page.  Just google art journal and you will see what I mean.

My Work from Christy’s Obsessions Classes.

Scrappy Journal – August

Scrappy Journal – August

Collage – September