Saturday, February 4, 2012

My Third Adventure Journal
























I finally completed my third adventure journal which chronicles a day trip that I made to the Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh this past October.
























Since this was just a one day adventure, I made a smaller journal than what I used for the two previous adventure journals. This one doesn't contain any flaps or fold-out pages--it's just a very simple 10-page journal made from watercolor paper. I'm all for using whatever supplies are on hand, but I don't really care for the paper that I found in my studio and used on this journal. It has a very soft texture and didn't take watercolor as well as the paper that I used for the other two journals. By the time I realized I didn't like it, I was too far along to quit.





















The majority of the journal was created after the trip, but I did do some sketching and writing on the day of the adventure. 
























This page tells the story of how I got busted sketching a stranger on the bus.




































Luckily, the museum was only a short walk from the bus stop. A quick stroll across the bridge and we were there in no time.




















































The museum is quite large as you can see from this photo which I cut from the museum brochure.



















About half of this spread was written or drawn on-site from exhibit text or images.






















In addition to the artwork of Warhol, the museum also featured exhibits and work of other artists. I sat on a bench and sketched this giant paper mache elephant by Keith Haring. I only managed to sketch a few of the black and white figures while I was there and had to fill the rest in later. I basically just made it up--but I think you get the idea of the piece.


















































The final spread is just a few memories from the day written around an iconic Warhol soup can which I cut from an old 365-day calendar of art from the Metropolitan Museum.
























Naturally I had to eat tomato soup and grilled cheese for lunch in the museum cafe.
























I had a lot of fun taking these adventures and then recording them in these little adventure journals. You don't have to go far or do something extravagant to have an adventure. I think adventure is primarily a state of mind.





















I probably spent more time journaling about my adventures than actually living them--but now I can re-live them over and over and over. For someone with a rapidly shrinking memory, that's priceless.
































So there you have it--my 2011 adventures all neatly tied up with a bow. I don't know yet what adventures 2012 will hold in store for me, but I have a brand new blank journal all ready to go when the times comes.

Happy journaling my friends!

9 comments:

Linda said...

Pat, I love your journals. Thanks for sharing them. Linda E.

Jacky said...

Well done Pat....three journals completed (I find it hard to complete mine). I like the idea of these smaller journals just for special trips/outings.
Great sketching.

Jacky xox

Emie58 said...

Absolutely wonderful!!!!! It's a great way to save your memories!!!

TJ said...

Soup can, crazy haired Warhol LOVE!!

Pat you are an amazing journaler...

xx tj

S.E.Minegar said...

a. ma. zing. i haven't stopped by in a while, so this is the first i've seen this series. i love the lettering, color, and the sleepy lady portrait!!

these journals are beautiful. what a special way to capture an adventure!

Candace said...

That is a truly awesome way to document and remember an event. It's so elaborate yet so fun.

Shelley Malone said...

I love these more than I can tell you. Total eye candy! Thanks for sharing!

Unknown said...

These are truly amazing and inspiring! I'm traveling this summer, and I want to try and do something like this. I love it!!Did you use watercolor for some of this?

Gloria said...

Hi Pat, this is an awesome website I love what you speak about, I love writing, I finished a BA in the Writing Arts a little over a year ago. I was determined as an older person in pursuit of a college degree over a thirty year span. I admire original thought, much like Original Sin, I wanted to meet Andy Warhol personally and would go downtown and check out many art gallery's in the Village, back in the day probably before I had kids. I was always in places that inspire and am a great believer if something is meant to be, it will find a way for it's own reasons and purposes all in it's own time.