Monday Music, Maps, Muses & A New Etsy traveling journal

Bleh - that's a mouthful. Need more coffee....must articulate... while I stumble to the kitchen, click the button & go visit Diane over at GoodMourningGlory, okay?

Ahhh...that's better. Here's some of my wake-up-it's-Monday-already?! music. I've posted these guys before but they do get me off & running. 1st some L'arc en ciel. followed by The Seatbelts....

Mixed Media Monday's Prompt is MAPS today - what fun! Don't think I'll get a chance to play but go check out what everyone else is up or add your own take on this fabulous art challenge.

Other Muses today include Maternal Spark's Weekly Inspiration - This week's feature is 7 Steps To Opening The Door To Your Artist Within by Whitney Ferré (author of the book - The Artist Within: A Guide To Becomming Creatively Fit).

The Next Muse is a doozy - Do you have a shop on etsy? Yes. Do you like to create? Yes. Do you have some free time? Heck No! We'll 2 out of 3 isn't bad! Check out this cool project I heard about in the etsy forums....The Etsy Collaborative Traveling Art Project!

Now, this project involves journaling and I don't journal. My feeble attempts have always devolved to do lists which have then been lost. I also haven't done anything collaborative in a very long time. But I love playing outside my comfort zone so I answered this CALL TO ARTISTS.

Then I contacted the person behind the idea, Heather of Decadence Designs on etsy:

So, Heather, what can you tell us about this collaborative art project?

Heather: For this project, four handmade blank journals are traveling the world by mail, each visiting 25 different participants. Each participant will have a week to fill a two-page spread in the journal with any artistic expression he or she chooses before mailing it to the next person. Spreads may include painting, writing, drawing, collage, poetry, photography, lyrics or any other creative technique.

Participants have no limitations on what they can create on their spread, but may not interfere with anyone else’s artwork. The public can watch the project evolve via scans and photos of each person’s work posted at the Etsy Journal blog.

The result will be four books filled with the creativity of 100 people. The goal is to create a collaborative art project that belongs to no one and everyone at the same time. The completed journals will become part of the Etsylabs Library in Brooklyn, NY.

Please Note: This project is named the Etsy Collaborative Traveling Art Project simply because all of the participants are Etsians and is not an Etsy sponsored project.

Are you still putting out a Call to Artists? And what are the requirements to participate?

Heather: Yes, we are still looking for artists! :) We have at least 50 more spots! Yes, all participants must have an Etsy shop name, even if they are just a seller.

How can anyone interested sign up?

Heather: To sign up, please email the following to me at EtsyJournal@gmail.com - Your Name, Mailing Address, Etsy Shop Name.

How many have signed up so far?

Heather: I have 3 books of 25 artists already signed up. I do have 1 book with 50 slots still open. I am also looking for other interested coptic book makers to donate books to this project. Please contact me at the above email address if you are interested in making & donating a book :)

What prompted you to pursue this project? What are your goals & hopes for it?

Heather: I was originally inspired by the Postsecret project. The art is so amazing, personal and unique! I didn't want the artists to share a secret, just their amazing art :) I also liked the idea of a traveling group project :) We have so many talented artists on Etsy!

I see your blog link (& flicker) are dated 2007. Was this a similar project?

Heather: This was the original leg of the project. Sadly, it never finished. All 4 books became lost, some in transit, others just MIA. One was lost somewhere in Israel, probably in customs. This time around, all participants are *required* to send the book Priority (or International Priority) so that I always have a tracking number. It is harder to lose the package that way :)

Where can someone find the Participation Rules?

Heather: All of the info can either be found on the Yahoo group page or on this forum thread. Basically, each participant gets 2 page spread. Use only the pages assigned to you. No materials thicker than 1/8 of an inch, please. Scan and email your finished pages. Then ship the book via Priority mail to the next participant & email the tracking number to me

Many thanks Heather! This sounds like a fun activity & I'm looking forward to taking my turn at the book :D

So, Etsy Artists, are you interested? Have more questions? Here's a list of the misc. project links:

Traveling Art Journal - Etsy Forum
Etsy Journal Blog
Etsy Journal Flicker
Etsy Journal Yahoo Group

Heather's Info:
DecadenceDesigns shop
Decadence Designs blog
EtsyJournal@gmail.com

Thanks for your patience with my rambling post today. To go off topic 1 more time, I'm still taking entries for 2 random drawings - click links for info:

Original Mixed Media Drawing Gazelle by Cara Walz (ends 10/8)
Custom printed vinyl banner with grommets by Uprinting (ends 10/22)