Autograph Sessions...Journal Spilling with Diana Trout

 

You may remember back in November, I kicked off this

new feature with internationally-known UK paper artist

Sue Roddis.

The feedback from that session was fabulous and now

I am pleased to tell you that I have a line-up of

tremendous authors and artists to share with you.

Just a quick recap on how this idea came about...

My dear friend Sarah Anderson

(The Art of Moodling) sent me an autographed copy

of Sue's book 'Handmade Decorative Books'

(click here for that Autograph Session)

and I thought it would be a great thing if we could do

something similar online, so that we could have a chance

to meet authors and other creative contributors to publications.

Coincidentally enough, Sarah has been featuring the author

of the next session on her blog over the past few weeks, so

I thought now is a terrific time to share her with you, too!

So here is my time with Diana Trout author of...

Diana...where in the US do you live & what do you love about it?

I live in Glenside, PA just outside of Philadelphia.  Glenside is great!

We call it 'Mayberry'.  I could never live far from a big city, though,

and I take full advantage of the arts and communities.

I love the hills and forests of Pennsylvania which have been a

major influence in my art-making.

I would love if you would 'toot your own horn' and share

a few of your professional credits with us...

I've been making art professionally for more than 30 years (yikes!).

I attended University of the Arts and Pennsylvania Academy of

Fine Arts in Philadelphia.

I've been published in several zines such as 'DogEared Magazine',

Teesha Moore's 'Play, Art & Life' and 'The Studio'.

I've had articles in 'Cloth, Paper Scissors' and 'Bound & Lettered'

and have published two zines, 'Something I Forgo't and 'Springfed'.

I've shown my work in numerous art shows in PA, NY & NJ

and at regional craft shows.

I am currently showing with a diverse and dynamic group of 

Philadelphia-based women artists called Mamacita.

I teach from my studio, in art centers and libraries.

I recently began teaching nationally at Art & Soul.

You have recently published 'Journal Spilling'. 

As one who journals, how is this type of writing different?

I love writing 'how-to's' and my years of teaching was great

practice for writing 'Journal Spilling'.  It's quite fun for me to write

this way because I start with the left-brain 'how-to' and then

my right-brain takes over for some magic.

Some areas of the book were written in a

'stream-of-consciousness' or 'spill-writing',

as I do in my own journal.

I enjoyed working with the North Light team.

I'm pretty disciplined and I love deadlines, so I break

projects down into do-able bits.

Most of all, 'Journal Spilling' was a realized dream I have

had for many years; bringing an accessible art-making

process to a whole bunch of people.

 

It's obvious you have a passion for art.

What else are you passionate about?

The top of my list is family, friends, students and my cat.

Paper and fabric in any form, reading, music, nature, color,

pattern, sewing and soup making.  Creative problem-solving

makes me very happy and I love to work with students

and help them find solutions.

What age group do you find most 'teachable' when it

comes to journaling?

Oh wow, I've taught all ages...teens through seniors and

everyone is super receptive.  When teaching a new group,

I spend a few moments getting a sense of my audience's

interests and experience, that way I can tailor my teaching.

Keeping an open dialogue and circling the room like an 

eagle on the lookout, I try to engage everyone on their

own level.  Very exciting!

What are tools can you NOT live without?

I love my watercolors, Caran d'Arche water-soluble crayons

and Derwent Inktense watercolor pencils.  When I travel light,

I take just the crayons, a water brush, spray bottle and

a black pen.

In the creative world, what have you NOT done yet

that you would really like to do?

Encaustics.  I took a workshop once and am really drawn

to the look of encaustics.  The veils of colors and patterns

and the ability to use collage within layers of wax is

very appealing.

 

 Who inspires you, living or otherwise?

Carol McDonald.  She is a Vermont artist who I

found on a recent trip there.  I am entranced by her

textile prints.  Of late, I'm in love with

Cy Twombly (again).

Now it's time for a little fun...

If you could be any fictional character,

who or what would it be?

Dr. Ellie Arroway in the movie Contact pops to mind.

Jodie Foster plays this scientist and dreamer.  In my mind,

that's a killer combination.  I have a huge respect for

scientists and mathematicians and sometimes I pretend

I am a scientist.  I guess on reflection, she speaks to me because

she has a solid faith in something and then takes a leap of faith

to prove it.  It's sort of like knowing the answer to an

equation and then working backwards.  I really admire

folks who can think that way.

Coffee, tea...or something more potent?

Irish Breakfast tea in vast quantities in the morning.

Herbal teas the rest of the day.  I love my Yogi Tea.

Something more potent?

Sure!  I'll have a Belgian white beer, do you have draft?

In your creative space, TV or music?

What show or artist?

Music.  I love my iPod.  Some of my favs are:

Josh Joplin, Simon Shaheen, Joni Mitchell,

Nellie McKay, Tony Bennett, Ella Fitzgerald.

I love just about anything but rock.

 

I've really enjoyed getting to know Diana, haven't you?!

I hope you will visit 'Hub Bub', Diana's blog and I

would really appreciate it if you told her you read her

Autograph Session here at The Open Window.

I know her book is available at Barnes & Noble stores

and at bn.com

Please leave a comment and let me know what you

think of Autograph Sessions....you will definitely want

to stay tuned for who's coming up next!