Featured Artist--Donna Bauermiller

Our featured artist this month is Donna Bauermiller. Donna makes the most exquisite, heartfelt journals that always leave us speechless when she shares them. Here's just a brief sampling of her beautiful work.

1. What are the main mediums you use? What do you find satisfying about them?

I keep Visual Journals. I work in Braille Bibles and heavy watercolor books. My favorite mediums are Misubishi's Signo white gel pen, as I am usually writing over dark colors, Golden Fluid Acrylics, Holtz Distress Inks (in the bottle, as I paint with them) and paper. I love to see my favorite colors glazed onto a page and then write on top of this. The process if very meditative for me. I work slowly and alone. My mind wanders. It's kind of like traveling through time and space to me.

2. If someone were going to get started in those mediums, what suggestions would you give?

Get a couple of books on your interest, take some classes, then, BEGIN to experiment. We all need some instruction, but don't get fooled into using buying and hoarding supplies and books as a substitute for discovering who you are as an artist. I've fallen into that trap before. Working is how you will discover your style.

3. A perfect art day would look like_______

I like to work alone with my thoughts and myself. So a perfect day would be some time with friends or family, eating late breakfast after sleeping in, maybe a movie, then working into the evening and night in my studio.

4. Do you have dedicated studio space? Give a brief description of where you work.

I am fortunate to be able to use our 'guest room' as my studio. It is small, but has a large window with tiny lights strung across it that looks out onto trees, books, my supplies and objects on the shelves, walls and tables that I long to see.

5. Favorite place you've visited or lived?

My favorite place is at home, wherever that may be. I travel in my head.

6. What inspires you (or are there recurring themes in your work)?

I keep a stash of quotes, poems, etc. and a stash of images in files on my table. If I don't have something on my mind or heart to write about, I look through these. I am rarely without something I want to process/explore/express in my journals.

7. I still struggle with_____

I struggle with many things, but expressing myself in my work is not one of them. I do it for me and am fortunate to have people to share them with, but there are not expectations but my own.

8. I'd be lost without_____

my memory.

9. Favorite dessert?

custard, rice pudding...anything creamy and vanilla.

10. What's on the horizon?

I'd like to develop my blog, continue teaching and maintain my art friendships.

Donna's new blog is premiering in Sept.

Donna was featured in the Premier Issue of Indie Arts. Her journals have also been featured in March/April '08 Somerset Studios and Autumn '09 Art Journaling. She teaches journaling classes at Art on a Lark in Hillsboro. Don't miss her upcoming classes: Braille Bible Journals, Intro. to Visual Journaling, Twig Book, and a Worn and Torn Journal.