Carve December Creativity

03 Saturday Jan 2026

Posted by Jeanette Clawson in Art, carve december

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100 Mandalas, 100mandalas, Art, Art Journal, block design, block print, block printing, block prints, botanical, botanical art, botanical prints, butterfly art, butterfly mandala, floral mandala, Mandala, mandala art, mandalas, mixed-media

I carved more than 60 blocks in December. The picture above is missing most of the words I carved. They are posted below. Carve December is an Instagram challenge that helps me in the darkest time of the year. It has been the best medicine for my seasonal affective disorder ever! I’m really excited for this first version of a new, big torus mandala that I designed over the course of the month (below).

I wasn’t happy with one of the new blocks and used an old favorite that I’m still working to redesign. Here’s a gallery of the blocks I carved and the photos I posted on Instagram.

I made another paper bag art journal to capture all the fun blocks I carved and to keep a record of them all together. Now that I have completed 5 years of this challenge I want to be a little more organized about the hundreds of blocks I have! I will post a video of the flip through on Instagram.

Wishing you peace, good health and happiness in the new year!

I am Here, and Here, and Here

24 Wednesday Sep 2025

Posted by Jeanette Clawson in Art, art class, Art on Exhibit

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altered book, altered book art journal, Art, Art Exhibit, Art Exhibit Reception, art exhibition, Art Journal, art journal class, artist, block print, block printing, collage, floral art, floral collage, Madison art, Mandala, mandala art, mandalas, mixed-media, painting, tessellated block print, Zentangle Inspired Art

This coming Saturday I will be teaching an art journaling class at the Art Hub in Cambridge, WI. We will start out altering a book to serve as our art journals and then we will do some gelli printing. After that we will use a stencil and black or white paint to create a line from stenciled images along the edge of one of the pages. Then we will cut along that line to make an interesting edge. A gelli print will go on the next page that will show off the cut edge. Coordinating papers will be collaged on the main page to create a cohesive layout with pen work to tie it all together.

The class will run from 1-4 pm and the cost is $65. All supplies are included and you will leave with a new altered book art journal for you to continue your art journaling practice in. The Art Hub is located at 145 W Main St. in Cambridge. There’s still time to register if you are quick! Register here.

I currently have art on exhibit at UW Hospital on 600 Highland Drive in Madison, WI in the surgical waiting area. It will be up until October 4. Hopefully you won’t have a reason to see it in person at the hospital so here are photos of the pieces that I will have in the show.

I had one piece, Dane County Garden, juried into the Art by the Foot exhibit at the Center for the Visual Arts in Wausau, WI. This show will run from October 3 through December 20. Here is their description of the show “So much creativity in such little space! Art by the Foot features a variety of artwork that is 12 in or smaller in size. A great show for collectors to visit.” There will be a reception on November 14, from 5-7pm.

Wishing you good health, safety, plenty and peace.

Another 100 Mandalas Project

28 Saturday Sep 2024

Posted by Jeanette Clawson in 100 Day Project, Zendala

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100 Day Project, 100 Mandalas, 100 Zendala Challenge, Art, collage, Colorful art, handcarved blocks, handcarved stamps, Mandala, mandala art, meditation, mixed media, mixed media collage, mixed-media, stamping, Zendala, Zentangle, Zentangle Inspired Art, Zentangle Method

In the past I have done my own challenges during which I aspired to make mandalas (almost) every day for 100 days. I have been able to work on a mandala almost every day but a lot of my work takes more energy than I have on a given day. Frequently when I try to make a simple one it becomes complicated. So I once again am aspiring to make 100 mandalas by the end of the year, or make a whole lot and finish up a lot of works in progress. I started the project when there was a little more than 100 days left in the year.

Here’s an overview of week 1. I’m off to a good start! I did make 7 mandalas, but one is in the same sketchbook as the art supplies inventory rainbow so it’s not in the overall photo. Another one also appears twice as I combined a completed mandala with one that was in progress and not going well.