Hello my artsy friend!

I recently released a very special online class called From Page to Canvas, where I share all the ways that our art journals can help us create beautiful paintings (find out more at the end of this post).

And today I’m excited to welcome one of my beautiful students here on the blog, so she can share with you the journey from a stormy art journal spread to a beautiful (and award-winning!) moody painting… and a mini series too!

I hope it will inspire you:

Meet the lovely

1. The journal page

“During the bleak days of the pandemic, when people were frightened and frustrated, and wondering when it would end, I felt like I was amid a cloud of chaos. The need to release the anxiety of those times is how my journal pages began. It was an evolution, starting as just an angry swirl of black scribbles that took on a life of its own. Later there were storm clouds. Later still, a ray of light. And finally, wise words of hope from Rumi:

This dark, stormy journal entry was the first time I’d worked with that colour combination (black, grey, deep teal, white), and I was attracted to the feel of it. It was moody, powerful, and ethereal.

2. a mini series

When Laly offered an abstract colour challenge as a mini-series, it was the perfect opportunity to play with those colours again!

Two other elements came into play: I had seen a striking magazine ad that featured lightening against a dark sky, and I’m drawn to circular shapes – the moon in particular. 

I decided to combine all three: storm clouds, lightning, and the moon, as the theme for the mini-series.   

3. The canvas!

I was unexpectedly happy with the way the series turned out, so I considered the next step of creating a larger painting built on a similar theme. One of the minis hinted at a double moon, which I loved, and that became my inspiration.

Through Laly’s workshops, I discovered the deep-sided canvas, which I absolutely love and is now my preferred substrate. For this piece, I chose a 12”x12”x1.5” (30x30x4 cm) canvas.

I titled the painting “Stormy Night” and recently entered it at a local Winter Art Exhibition. To my delight, it won an award and sold on the first day! It’s a testimonial that Laly’s methods work. I ended up doing two canvases and I’m considering entering the second one at another show this year.

Meet the artist

I’m Linda Cardillo and I am a very late bloomer. Aside from a collage I did as a teenager, my first work (in 2016) was an altered journal cover created by following a step-by-step tutorial using paints, shimmer sprays, and tactile embellishments. A coworker (and dear friend) liked it so much, she bought it as a gift!

Feeling encouraged, and taking the embellished technique to the next level, I created my version of a self-portrait, using a photo of my 19-year-old eyes as the focal point. It’s entitled See Me, and in 2017, it was the first piece I ever exhibited in an art show. (Photo below)

Suddenly, to my shock and absolute delight, at 68-years old, I was a Connecticut-based budding artist! Proof that it’s never too late.

That first art show was seven years ago, and I never looked back.

I first ‘met’ Laly in 2020 when I registered for her free event called the Artist Soul Retreat. I was drawn to the sensitive and dreamy nature of her art and shortly after, purchased Soulful Abstracts. She teaches with a sense of wonderment and reverence, always positive, always encouraging. Since then, I’ve purchased nearly all her workshops! They are generously rich in content, offering numerous projects, techniques, advice on the best mediums, tips on supplies, and even how to fix ‘mistakes.’

So many of Laly’s techniques have become invaluable, like using matte medium to seal and smudge at the same time; using wax on my finished journal pages so they don’t stick together; and the magic of combining collage, paints, inks, crayons, and pens. 

Texture and touchable art are kind of my thing, so I often use modeling paste, crackle paint, and 3D elements.

I love drips and splatters and the cool effect when water hits the paint. There’s a lot to love about deconstructing, and the value of dry-brushing cannot be overstated!

Art is a process. It’s discovery. And re-discovery. It’s a thrilling journey of infinite possibilities. It has become a dear friend that soothes my soul and quickens my spirit. I am so grateful we found each other at last.”

It takes courage to share what you create, like Linda just did, so please leave a word of encouragement for her in the comments at the end of this post!

And if you’re curious to learn how you can find inspiration in your art journal to create unique paintings, I’d love for you to join me in the classroom of “From Page To Canvas”:

Are you into art journaling, but also wish you could create gorgeous, large mixed media paintings in your own unique style? If so, your journal is your best friend!

DID YOU KNOW THAT YOUR art JOURNAL COULD…

… become an endless source of inspiration for larger art?

… bring you ideas and solutions whenever you get stuck?

… help you create art that is more personal, moving & unique?

Let me show you how to dive into your pages to create a dreamy mixed media painting on a large canvas. You can do it!

If there’s one thing that has helped me grow as an artist, it’s art journaling. It is so satisfying to find inspiration in your own art, just like Linda has, and I’d love to show you the way.

Leave a comment for me!