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Art Journals and Creative Healing: Restoring the Spirit Through Self-Expression
A beautiful, artistic offering that offers projects on challenging, but universal subjects. In follow up to Faith Books & Spiritual Journaling, author Sharon Soneff will continue to show that there is a richer, deeper reward to artistic, creative journals beyond the beauty they supply. In this new volume, Art Journals & Creative Healing, she demonstrates with real excerpts from beautiful and unusual artistic journals that the process of journaling can be a tool in navigating through some of life's more challenging seasons, as well as a tool to support personal growth and achievement. Challenging and complex experiences are treated with dignity and sensitivity, and will inspire readers dealing with their own issues, by placing the greater emphasis on the positive outcome that was yielded for the artist who is willing to be vulnerable in the process. Hope, growth, and healing are at the center of each work, and help deliver the message of the book. Additionally, the ideas, artistic approaches, and resources provided by the author and numerous contributing artists will help the reader with creative ideas for working through various situations through their reflective and artistic journal keeping. Through a marriage of beautiful imagery, uplifting and literary quotations, and other rich sources, Art Journals & Creative Healing offers its audience a full-bodied experience pertaining to creative journals, along with journaling worksheets and journal prompts to help readers get started with their own journals. Specific topics to be addressed would include using mediums as metaphors, journaling for cathartic expression, gaining wisdom through introspection and reflection, finding strength in the midst of suffering, and finding beauty in pain. Art Journals & Creative Healing is a supportive and encouraging text offered as a creative companion of sorts for those traversing over the obstacles and overcoming the challenges of
128 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2008
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
December 11, 2015
This is a very specific book. It's for people who like to look at other people's art journals, to get inspiration, and who perhaps are contemplating using their own art journal as a vehicle for healing.
I've done a lot of journaling in the last year, as I've healed from traumatic events that left me depressed and with PTSD. Mostly I've been journaling in words, not art, because I had to work through so much, and much of my journaling was assignments from therapy. One thing my therapist strongly advised was getting back into art, for the creative outlet that I desperately needed. I've decided to make 2016 a year of art for me, and this book was just one step in moving in that direction.
I keep several art journals, I use my regular journal as an artistic outlet, I make altered books, I scrapbook. This book is about all of those outlets. It shows work from artists dealing with loss from natural disasters, from illnesses, from mental illness. It shows work that is raw and emotional and beautiful. Some I could relate to, some I couldn't.
This is not specifically a "how-to" or technique book, though each layout is accompanied by suggestions for how to use the methods in your own work, from how to journal about certain things to how to use certain mediums in different ways.
The book is split into sections by type of healing, then by artist, where one to four layouts from their journals are posted, along with the artists story of healing and work, and a commentary on the work.
Did this book work for me? Yes. I enjoyed it and found it inspirational. Will it work for everyone? Probably not, which is why it has such mixed reviews. But if you're like me, you might want to check it out.
I've done a lot of journaling in the last year, as I've healed from traumatic events that left me depressed and with PTSD. Mostly I've been journaling in words, not art, because I had to work through so much, and much of my journaling was assignments from therapy. One thing my therapist strongly advised was getting back into art, for the creative outlet that I desperately needed. I've decided to make 2016 a year of art for me, and this book was just one step in moving in that direction.
I keep several art journals, I use my regular journal as an artistic outlet, I make altered books, I scrapbook. This book is about all of those outlets. It shows work from artists dealing with loss from natural disasters, from illnesses, from mental illness. It shows work that is raw and emotional and beautiful. Some I could relate to, some I couldn't.
This is not specifically a "how-to" or technique book, though each layout is accompanied by suggestions for how to use the methods in your own work, from how to journal about certain things to how to use certain mediums in different ways.
The book is split into sections by type of healing, then by artist, where one to four layouts from their journals are posted, along with the artists story of healing and work, and a commentary on the work.
Did this book work for me? Yes. I enjoyed it and found it inspirational. Will it work for everyone? Probably not, which is why it has such mixed reviews. But if you're like me, you might want to check it out.
January 26, 2015
Amazon.com often makes user/buyer-based suggestions.
Most of the time I read the "surprise me" pages, if they're available, and leave it at that (especially when it comes to art-making or other people's creativity.)
This is one of the few books I purchased from reading only Amazon.com reviews, and admittedly, I was in a bit of a creative slump so the title grabbed me by the hand.
Happily, I can report that flipping through the creative processes and healing process co-joined in the experiences of the artists in this book has been (and is) very cool. I like the book. A lot. I pick it up a couple times a day and browse. There are journaling ideas or challenges (I forget what they're actually called) but I've yet to be tempted - it's really a matter of giving myself time to sit and think, write and create.
The examples, the accompanying stories, are good. At least creatively, they speak to me on some level if not directly where the healing is discussed.
Glad I bought this one.
Most of the time I read the "surprise me" pages, if they're available, and leave it at that (especially when it comes to art-making or other people's creativity.)
This is one of the few books I purchased from reading only Amazon.com reviews, and admittedly, I was in a bit of a creative slump so the title grabbed me by the hand.
Happily, I can report that flipping through the creative processes and healing process co-joined in the experiences of the artists in this book has been (and is) very cool. I like the book. A lot. I pick it up a couple times a day and browse. There are journaling ideas or challenges (I forget what they're actually called) but I've yet to be tempted - it's really a matter of giving myself time to sit and think, write and create.
The examples, the accompanying stories, are good. At least creatively, they speak to me on some level if not directly where the healing is discussed.
Glad I bought this one.
September 19, 2015
Ok book with example art journal pages from different women who used art journaling to help themselves through physical, mental, and spiritual challenges. I've never really understood the whole spiritual/religious thing; YMMV.
February 2, 2011
I was very hopeful this book would be one of those really inspiring ones you can use to juice up your mojo and start to lay out some new creation and feel really good while doing it. I am a major journaler, and at the time I bought this book I was going through a particularly rough period and felt like restoration of my spirit would be a good thing for me. However, this book did not help me with that, neither did it help me be inspired in a crafty way at all. I'm not into scrapbooking and felt like this book would be better for those who are. There are several stories contributers have shared of the difficult times they have had in their lives, and the journaling had helped them through it all which is great. This book didn't have the same effect for me.
June 24, 2018
Inspiration for art journaling - pages from other people’s journals, writing prompts, suggestions for creative media and interesting tools...
“If you can’t get rid of the skeleton in your closet, you’d best teach it to dance.” - George Bernard Shaw
“If you can’t get rid of the skeleton in your closet, you’d best teach it to dance.” - George Bernard Shaw
April 12, 2011
I am always interested in books that combine creativity with healing. I know from experience that creating art can bring a sense of calm to a chaotic life. Sharon Soneff shows us in this book, that you can use your emotions, no matter what they are, to create beautiful art and help heal your emotions at the same time. Keeping a daily journal has proved to be therapeutic many times. Now with the help of this book, you can turn those dull journals into lovely works of art that incorporates your feelings into the art.
July 1, 2020
Thoughts: This is about the fourth or fifth time I've read this book, and each time it gets a bit better. Reading the techniques, the stories, and analysis of the various journals is amazing. Sometimes it's the art that appeals to me and sometimes it's the stories. Sometimes it's something else. But I always come away with a stronger commitment to mental health via journaling. Whether you use it to get you through the tough times or do it to document something in the past or to work out your past, art journaling means good mental health. Recommended
January 6, 2026
1. Art Journal and Creative Healing is an informative and inspiring read penned by Sharon Soneff. In it she walks readers through a step by step process that focuses on journaling that focuses on using art and introspective journaling writings to allow inner forces to help in one’s healing process. I got the impression that by infusing different art techniques in the journal coupled with reflective writing makes the journaling process less threatening.
May 28, 2020
Excellent. This book is full of inspiration.
September 2, 2022
You can check out the book review - https://youtu.be/dG61Yqvq8FE
September 21, 2022
I really enjoyed reading the stories that went along with the layouts, and all of the creative tips in between. It gave me a lot of ideas for what I would love to do with my art journals.
January 17, 2024
A interesting book at looking at journal styles, full of ideas and inspiration.
September 27, 2014
This is a very enjoyable book. This isn't a typical book of how-to, filled with step by step photos and incstructions. Instead it's full of personal stories that inspired the featured projects. It's a book to help you reflect on what you need to release in art journaling.
Covers depression, combatting myth with personal truth, keeping too much bottled up, coping with natural disaster, loss of loved ones, phobia due to childhood trauma, divorce, the highs and lows of parenting, insomnia, arthritis, cancer, confronting medical diagnosis, and more. The projects are moving and inspiring, and there are four worksheets to help get creative juices flowing as well as many tips.
Covers depression, combatting myth with personal truth, keeping too much bottled up, coping with natural disaster, loss of loved ones, phobia due to childhood trauma, divorce, the highs and lows of parenting, insomnia, arthritis, cancer, confronting medical diagnosis, and more. The projects are moving and inspiring, and there are four worksheets to help get creative juices flowing as well as many tips.
September 29, 2014
This book is a compilation of various artists' journals of healing emotions and body. I felt inspired by the use of art journaling for healing as I do believe in this concept and hope to tap into it in the future. However, honestly, reading all of these stories eventually became depressing! I have compassion for people who need healing, but reading so many stories at once felt heavy. So I suggest taking this book in bits and pieces, or when it gets too heavy, skimming the pictures simply for ideas.
August 3, 2010
Mixed thoughts about this book. The author's text could have been more concise and less formal. A good portion of the art journal pages really seemed like scrapbook pages, so I wouldn't classify this as a pure art journaling book. Yet, I enjoyed the personal letters from the contributors, sharing a personal experience and how creating a journal helped them find strength. A great concept and a good read.
May 8, 2012
I loved reading through these essays and seeing, and hearing from people how the art helped them. The tips and techniques were really helpful, and it was a great help when I decided I wanted to give it a try. I'd recommend this book.
This I will be reading over and over, I loved seeing the images as well. It helped because I was able to see it and get my own ideas together. Loved it.
This I will be reading over and over, I loved seeing the images as well. It helped because I was able to see it and get my own ideas together. Loved it.
December 30, 2008
Interesting and inspiring. I most often like to SEE other people's scrapbooking/art rather than READ about it. There's both here, but the stories inspire me to get busy and art journal about the HARD stuff, too.
January 9, 2009
This is a great book for inspiration for art, journaling, and the creative process.
March 21, 2009
some lovely pages but not as I had hoped, I hoped for teaching about journaling instead it features a finished page from each artist
August 8, 2012
Not a “bad” book per se, by a humdrum collection of examples from art journals pages and uninspiring subjects make this book and overall unremarkable read.
August 17, 2012
Raw and real...loving every minute of it so far. People share their various struggles and examples of how art journaling helped them work through them.
February 21, 2013
Great layout & visuals but would have liked to have seen some of the pages devoted to guiding the reader through their own journeys, rather than merely reselling stories of others
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews