Be guided by artist Janet Gallagher to begin your own Altered Book Art Journal.
This form of art journaling is an excellent way to express yourself, to experiment & explore ideas & a variety of mixed media including collage & simple Printmaking . It’s also a great way to transform unwanted old books into rich & personal, creative journals. All materials are supplied including diverse collage materials & a range of art media to explore in a friendly small group setting. All materials are supplied (BUT if you have an old hard-backed book already, bring it along plus any special bits & pieces you might like to include in it.) There are really no rules & art experience is not important, only your willingness to explore & play. No art experience is needed, only a willingness to let yourself explore & play. Places are usually limited for 10 participants to ensure a small group environment & personalised experience. Any upcoming workshops will be updated here & on social media. Get in touch if you’d like to have a workshop run in your area. 
Janet Gallagher is a practicing artist & arts facilitator working across a range of different media for over 25 years. Her Adventures in art have included exploring printmaking, collage, sculpture & installation & being employed in a variety of arts, community & health settings. She enjoys helping people of all ages to cultivate their creative spirit in whatever form it takes. Between 2017 & 2021 these fun workshops have been held across several venues & centres for adults & children...
The Red Hen Strathalbyn Recreate Community Mt Pleasant Barossa Regional Gallery The Summit Community Centre Hills ReVamp, Littlehampton The Hut Community Centre, Aldgate If you'd like to have me come & run a workshop in your area or community please get in touch! call 0409150469 or email me here. Here's what some past participants said... "Thanks so much for today - I really loved it! You’ve got me inspired and excited about creative possibilities!" "Stimulating, interesting, fun, exciting, friendly" "Wonderful & so full of wonders - loved every moment" "A feast!" Below are some montages of participants creations. 
Mono print & watercolour
Kranky Kewpie
Expressive collage after a bad day at work -repurposing
packaging
from Kewpie Brand Mayonaise
Winter pages done while sitting by the fire - oil pastel
Torn collage, oil pastel & cut away page in between.
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Self-care collage of intention
I take my journal when I go on holidays - I saw this show at GOMA in Brisbane & worked from a photo afterwards.
Bowie ❤️
Spatial, tonal & geometric play
Coloured Textas - half an hour.
Altered Book Art Journal
An ongoing Journal Journey An Altered Book is the creative repurposing or re-use of old books to become a living document. Altering can take many forms & for every person who does this, there will be as many unique ways & results. I have found this is an ideal way to explore a variety of media, ideas, expressions and ways of journalling life. They can be a way of saving old books from ending up as landfill, (yes, it does happen) & giving them a new life as a personal art journal. It can be an alternative to consuming more things, in the form of a new blank journal. I began this one in 2014 after completeing a 'normal' blank page visual journal, to try something different & because they were in great supply & almost being given away. The books are sourced mainly from giveaway trolleys or in opp shops. Old hardcover books are ideal as the paper quality & feel has more body and substance and presence as an object and can withstand altering. I love books and see this process as a way to give old & often unwanted books another rich creative incarnation. There are many resources online & altered book groups on Facebook too. Here's a great resource from Lisa Volrath which shows how to prepare a book especially if you want to remove pages. http://mixedmedia.club/a-crash-course-on-altered-books/ 
Collaged scraps of marbled paper
Paths collage
Collaged rose petals & magazine image- a synchronistic synthesis
Chapter one. Gesso, collage & gel pen
Texta & tempera paint. Integrating & layering with original text.
I didn't know what t do with this map so it became home for my fruit stickers
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