Learn to make your own postcards and connect with people with your own hand made art
There’s a new course coming up on Kitchen Table Art Journalling: Flying Art Postcards.
Flying Art Postcards are intended to inspire and uplift you, the creator, and your recipient. Your art, love and creativity will fly out into the word where they can be enjoyed and appreciated by people who need them. For artists and art journallers, making postcard sized art is relatively easy – but whether you think you are an artist or not, this course will show you fun creative methods and tips to make postcards that you will be proud to send. The process will push you to share your work, be inspired and uplifted and to reach out to people more.
Learn how to make gorgeous handcrafted art cards
Whatever your level of experience with art, there are simple and effective techniques you can pick up to enable you to make lovely cards that people will be very happy to receive. In this course, I bring together methods, approaches and inspiration, and encourage you to be creative your way.
If you’re unsure I’ll give you direct guidance. The course is suitable for all different levels of artistic ability because there are ways to find the artist in everyone. If you’ve longed to make art but do not know where to start, this is an excellent place to begin as attempting postcard sized art is not so scary. We will be taking an abstract approach to art. If you’re already making art or art journalling, you’ll enjoy the community aspect of the workshops as we are not sitting round watching someone else make amazing art, but making our own and learning from each other.
On my birthday I received handmade cards from friends who might have sent a pre-made card if they had been able to get to the shops. I so appreciated these, It was the thought and care that had gone into them, the personal messages, their slight wonkiness and individuality. Some were artfully collaged together from what was at hand, such as scraps from books and magazines or pressed flowers.
Hand made art has such a different feeling, because elements that have been painted or drawn by a human hand, however wonky, feel alive and full of personality. So many people would appreciate a handmade card right now, from you or me, with an uplifting and inspiring message on the back, to make their day. And so Flying Art Postcards came into being. They’re a kind of happy mail, or a new variation of art journalling, or artist trading cards.
Flying Art Postcards are intended to inspire and uplift you, the creator, and your blessed recipient. Your art and good intentions fly out into the word where they can be enjoyed and appreciated by people who need them.
It’s an idea whose time has come, as we do not need mass produced store bought cards with empty messages, but we do need to hear from one another, we need to reach out more to people who may be lonely, we need daily access to our creativity and self expression, and some of us need to find the courage to share our creative work and allow people to enjoy it. Give away something you made with love and care, send it with loving thoughts, and it will come back to you in unexpected ways – this is a miracle principle.
It works simply. You craft a handmade postcard. You create or find an uplifting or spiritual message to go on the back – you can write it by hand or glue on a copy. One way to find this is to use synchronicity and open a favourite spiritual text at random. (There isn’t a copyright issue if you copy something once for your own use.) If you are a journaller or writer, then tune into the recipient and write your own message, just for that person. These are not the “be happy” type exhortations you typically find on cards or Instagram memes, but perhaps something that you find through serendipity when you tune into the person you are sending the card to. Type and print it if you’re not sure about your handwriting, but your art on the front needs to be original and a one-off that cannot be repeated. You can include a Flying Art Postcards sticker and ask them, if they feel like it, to send a card of their own to someone who might appreciate it. You pop it all into an envelope that you can decorate or leave plain. You can also include other small handmade paper gifts such as bookmarks or mini albums or journals. However the important thing is to send your art out into the world where it is needed, and not to get bogged down in productivity or perfectionism issues!
The workshop format
The first session is free, and the format is a live Zoom meeting. The first session will be recorded. The idea is that you prep your materials beforehand and set up your art play station next to your computer, so we can join in making art together. Joining in and participating is more rewarding than simply watching someone else. You can ask about anything that comes up for you during the process, and get feedback on what is working. I will be taking you through techniques and approaches that will enable you to make different cards in different styles, so you can get started making and sending your own cards. Children and teens are welcome to join in, and you can mute yourselves if needed.
If you wish to continue attending further workshops, there is a series of three further low cost sessions offered for a total of £40.00 GB. Each session is 2.5 hours to allow time for making, and you will be learning techniques, practising making postcards and paper gifts, and sharing your work in the group if you wish. The focus is on learning to use the materials, learning some abstract art techniques, developing your self expression, being present in the art making process, working with the feelings and judgements that come up for you when you attempt to make art, and sharing the love and inspiration.
When you sign up, have a good look through the list of materials that is posted under Files on the Facebook group, Kitchen Table Art Journalling of materials, so you can order materials online and start preparing. Unless you are supporting favourite artists, you’ll never need to purchase another mass-made store-bought card… especially if you join our Christmas workshop series!
How to join
Learn to make your own postcards with art you are proud to send around the world!
Sign up for the free introductory session below or pay in full.
A link will be sent to your email address the day before the session
Dates:
Session 1(Free Introductory Session) – 7th June,
Session 2 – 14th June,
Session 3 – 28th June,
Session 4 – 12th July
Times Sundays 4pm-6.30pm, British Summertime (London)
Sessions are facilitated by Alyss Thomas who is a psychotherapist, writer and artist and is an experienced group conductor. She hosts enriching online journalling and art journalling classes and is the author of The Journal Writer’s Companion.
Message me if you have any questions.
Images courtesy of Joshua Thomas-North
