When shall we start?

Ladies - and it is "Ladies", because Alejo left us (momentarily too much troubles):
Let's set a date. Shall we say 25th of May for the first mailing?
That means: in the course of the next (let's say) ten days each of us posts either the theme for her book or an information that there will be none ;-)
And we should look on the order to send the books (do you prefer someone to send to or to get from?)

Please let me hear your voices!

Sharing my studio

I know every studio is interesting to watch, at least for me it is, but we always share photos when our studio is really beautiful and organized, this time I wanted to share the life in my studio,clean, mesy, clean, messy, messy messy! Before and after! But that´s the result of having so much fun! :D

Susanne's Moly

Hi Ladies (since Alejo didn't answer ...),

Theresa and Ronny set a good example and I learned my lesson: My writing table covered with things that have nothing to do with writing ;-) and the first altering of my moly.

Introduction - Katya

Hi! I am here again. Some time we all have bad time or very busy week...

I have my Japanese Moly and I finally got an idea for my first entry.

About me – I am Russian but now live in Los Angeles. I worked as a photographer for some museums in St.Petersburg, Russia.

My English is not good enough because I am still learning. I will make mistakes – please have mercy. I also learn Spanish but my Spanish is next to zero. I am taking printmaking and ceramics classes at local community college. They also have great silkscreen printing program. I like etching and linocut but now I make silkscreen prints and some times print directly into my moly. In addition, I like paper cutting and folk art. I think I don’t have my personal stile because I like to experiment with different techniques. Right now, I try to explore solvent transfer technique.

I am a little bit slow and I still struggle with my English but do not worry I will send my book on time.

Moleskine Madness

Hi Everyone!

Instead of picking up my studio (it's a mess) I thought I'd share a few pictures of my moleskines. The first picture is where all the moleys are kept that I am working in right now (5, soon to be 6)

The second picture is of the bag I use to carry a few moleys with me wherever I go since you don't know when the journaling/drawing thing will hit you.

Enjoy! --Theresa

My Moleskine

I've bought my Japanese Moleskine finally. It's not difficult to get. But it's quite expensive. Anyway, it's here and I'm thinking what should I do to "destroy" it. Hahaha.

I'm a bit confused. So we'll pick a group theme and everyone will follow that?

Surprised Today

I hope you don't mind me posting this here, Susanne, or think I am "tooting my horn". I'm just so excited about this. (Feel free to delete this post it's inappropriate for here.)
I was checking my email this morning and there was a message from www.moleskineus.com
"Ah, I thought, there they are, tempting me with their wonderful journals..." Imagine how surprised and thrilled I was to see one of my journals in the Gallery. You can see it here:
http://moleskine.stores.yahoo.net/moleksine-submission54.html
I'd submitted a picture of it awhile back and had forgotten all about it. Now I'm so jazzed that I want to make more art in my moleskines instead of doing what I SHOULD be doing-cleaning the house. :)
Anyway, I just thought I'd share my surprise this morning.
I can't wait for this project to get going. I only wish I could go to all the wonderful places it's going and hand deliver it to you all.
Cheers!

Susanne's Moleskine: Theme

Hi dear artists!

I said I would make some proposals, so that we all can choose one of them ... Now I have a theme I would prefer, but I'm willing to go for another one if most of you don't agree with it!

My first proposal for a theme: "'Words with birds' or 'It sounds beautifully, but I don't know what it means'" (I would be deeply grateful if one of the native speakers could translate that in proper English before we start!)
I think, I must explain the theme *g*: I thought about pages with either a text scrap or a single word on it in a language or writing the artist doesn't know - but of which he likes the presumed sound or the appearance. The word or text must not be completely visible, it may be just a layer or background ingredient. And the second part of the challenge: A bird. Or part of a bird. Or something you associate with it.
And, third of all: Leave something in the pocket for the next artist. He/she can use it or send it as it is to the next person or substitute it with something else ... (feel free to do with it what you want - but there must be something in this pocket, when you send it to the next artist.)

Is that a possible theme you could live with?

My second line proposals:

Me, myself and I
Clowns and Heroes
Text/ure
Fantastic journey / Fantastic world (You know, I'm a writer of Fantasy novels!)
Rainbow (A colour challenge - free theme)

Okay - the discussion is open!

Introducing my self...

Hello everybody! I am Monica from Mexico city, I have been a mixed media artist for over two years now, but I have been painting and drawing and searching through a lot of different techniques since I was a child, until I found something called altering books, which I really love, I am here because of Susanne G, to whom I am grateful for inviting me to join this wonderful group, I´m really exited to get started, although I haven´t find my moleskine yet, it is my intention to find it this week and get started, but I´m not sure if I´m going to find it in Mexico or will have to order it from the United States. It is my wish to learn from everybody and I am so grateful for the incredible ocean of opportunities that internet offers, like this exiting group! See you guys!! :D

Sign In Pocket and Intro Page

This is a pocket I put into my moleskine where everyone can sign in. The mailing order and instructions are written on the card.

The other page is an introduction for our project. Can't wait to see what everyone will do in my little book.-Theresa in Tucson

www.flickr.com/groups/moly_x/

The Cover of My Moleskine for this Exchange

This is the cover art I created for my moleskine. I usually don't do the cover first, but enthusiasm got the best of me. My theme is "Imaginary Landscapes". Feel free to draw, collage or ? in my moleskine.

Introduction-Theresa

Hello, my name is Theresa and I am addicted to moleskines. I'm a mixed media artist and instructor, currently living in Tucson, Arizona, USA. My husband is living and working in London now and the plan is for me to join him there in July. I'm excited!
I've been scrawling or painting something since I was a kid. In second grade my teacher made me stop selling my drawings to my classmates for 25 cents a piece. :)
I absolutely love travel and journaling, so being a part of this exchange is very exciting. I can't wait to receive my first moleskine in the mail and am toying with mine right now.
I'm looking forward also to getting to know each of the artists in this group. I only wish I could hand deliver my little moleskine.
AFN-drawing calls me-Theresa in Tucson

Introduction - Susanne

Ronnie and petunia_rocks have set a good example - I will follow!
I'm a german writer and live with two human beings and two cats in a small town near the dutch frontier. (I love it - after almost 30 years living in the center of Dusseldorf!)
I'm half a century old (*sigh*) and my first attempts in creating collages and mixed media stuff happened in February ... I bought my first moleskine, loved it, discovered several moleskine-groups on the web, glued and painted my first three collages and showed them on my flickr-stream.
Then moleskine.com asked me to participate in an exhibition of moleskine art journals at the London Book Fair (wow, that's today!!). They sent me a sketchbook and I filled it up within three weeks. It was a learning-by-doing marathon, and I loved it!
Now I'm infected with the "glue something on something" virus. I hope we will have a great, thrilling, creative exchange and I can't wait to start!

Hi folks!

Nice to see you *g*.

First of all: Please send me your postal adresses to my email (sgerdom (at) gmail (dot) com) I will collect them and send the whole list to each of us - I've got your email adresses.
Second: Go and get your japanese albums, please. If you don't know where to buy them: ebay. ;-)
Third: I tried to make a list in which order we can send the books, so that the distance for each book is as short as possible. Well, no, that was impossible. Forget it. I made a list: Look at it and say yes or no. (Starting with my moly:)

Susanne sends to Ronny,
Ronny sends to exo~
exo~ to Mónica
Mónica to Maria Elena
Maria Elena to petunia_rocks
petunia_rocks to Katya
Katya to Theresa
and Theresa to Susanne

Okay? If you want another sequence, let's talk about it.

I thougt about different orders for the different books, but it would be too complicated - we all have to work in all books and so it's better the books go always the same way.

Do you think, a month on each book is a good time? And the other thing I'm not sure: shall we do two turns for every book (that would say: everyone creates two pages per turn, one person is left over - I would propose, the owner of the certain book - so he or she gets more of the other artists in her or his book ...)
Or we make only one turn - then we can create four pages ... I don't know. I personally love the tiny format, I would prefer a two-pages-solution.

Oookay. Now I have to introduce myself and say a word or two about the proposals I thought about the theme for my album.

Sorry, tomorrow. I'm dropping dead ... ;-)

Hi guys!

I just realized that our group has 8 members. That's huge. It's going to be a lot of fun.

Hi I'm Ronny from Hong Kong. I start art journaling since January, so I'm not doing this for a long time. But I did quite a lot of collage when I was younger. I always make collage to decorate my notebooks and spiral folder. I still haven't try to make a full collage on my art journal yet. I think it would be fun.

So I remember SusanneG said that she has some ideas on the themes of this group. What are the ideas? And would we focus more on collage or mixed media art? Or is it up to us?

Ronny

Welcome to moly_x_17!

This group, founded by Susanne Gerdom (Germany), is an extension of the Moleskine Exchange. This blog will follow the adventure of a group of Swedish artists, in a Japanese fold Moleskine sketchbook exchange.

Each artist will set off with a small Japanese (accordian) folded Moleskine. Creating a drawing, collage, or painting, then send on to the next artist. Each artist will draw on a couple of spreads (3-4 pages) then send it on to the next artist. When the artists book is filled, it will be returned to the owner with images created by artist around the world. Each artist has a month to make an entry. The outcome will be a pleasant and surprising adventure, as artists are encouraged to interact and merge their art with others.

The concept:

1. The artists start with the Japanese fold Moleskine - Name, address, email address written in book.

2. Each artist gets 1 month to make a sketchbook entry, and mail it to the next person. The order is listed to the right.

3. Each artist will do 3-4 pages each round.

4. Artists are encouraged to interact with other images in the book. Please be respectful.

5. When the book is full, when one side of the unfolded book is filled, the book will be sent back to its original owner. That artist may continue by buying a new book and sending it to the next person.

6. If a person decides not to continue, she will simply keep her book when it comes back to her. She should email all of the participants to say she is not going to continue. We will decide, then, if we want to find a new person.

7. Please communicate regularly via email. Let each person know that you have received/sent the book. The goal is to have a dialogue. Any comments and questions are welcome.


This moly_x_project was begun by Marty Harris, Minnesota, USA.