2021 Creative Journaling Challenge

Laura Canty - Winner

My approach to this sketchbook challenge was to attempt to incorporate a wide range of techniques and materials, to create a varied and dynamic work as a whole. I decided to utilise the option of incorporating the two pages per...

Louise Ray - Highly Commended

Every morning was a waking moment of anticipation, followed by a moment of dread, and the opening of the mind. Journaling called on discipline, wits, and household tolerance and it resulted in a rewarding habit of spontaneity or deliberation to get my musings...

Elaine Camlin - Highly Commended

The practice of journaling each day and responding to a prompt provided a space to navigate loss. Together we have lost so much – our connection to others and our sense of safety and belonging. Our human nature shifts, adapting to ambiguity...

Olivia Carroll - Highly Commended

My daily journaling was an intuitive process guided by the prompts and my bank of crafting supplies. I wanted to incorporate many different techniques throughout the journal but keep a central focus on textiles. My journal features weaving, embroidery, dyed...

Krystelle Watts - Highly Commended

Transformation, for me, has not only been about exploring a theme, but also an exercise in self-discovery. My journal is a reflection of who I am. An exploration into how I see and think about the world. While COVID has...

Julie Ryder - Highly Commended

My objective for the “Transformation’ Nurture journal challenge was to really think about the prompt word and to interpret it using only the materials I had to hand. Sometimes this was very literal, as in the case of ‘Pod’ and...

Owen Jocz

I am ten years old. I like drawing, singing, Axolotls and Among Us. I am not allowed social media yet, but my mum can post it to hers if that is allowed. It made me reflective about nature. some things...

Diane McWhirter

Each morning on my daily walk I would collect a few Eucalyptus leaves which —whether it was their colour, shape or texture— inspired a simple response to the day's prompt. I found as the journaling process unfolded, the leaves organic...

Agi De Simone

Transforming a response to a word prompt into an idea or ideas each day for 30 days and creating a work that reflects that response is both stimulating and challenging. Some of the ideas flow easily and effortlessly and others...

Lesley Anderson

I’m an early riser, so when my journal prompt came through each morning, I’d get up and take the dogs for a walk to contemplate my response. I had a mental list of loose criteria I wanted to achieve. The...

Emma Batchelor

I was drawn to the Nurture journal because it provided a structured frame to explore and test new ideas; a tangible space to create a daily practice complimentary to my written one. I approached this journal with a sense of...

Margot Date

I tried mostly to journal whatever my first thought was after reading the prompt and completed the journal artwork entry every day of November. These I shared on Instagram. I used coloured pencils, cloth, beads and sequins, stitch, pen, photography...

Helen Keogh

I found this journaling process to be at times invigorating, frustrating, overwhelming but always interesting. When I had time and energy the pages looked finished. When I didn’t have time or was behind, the pages lacked the care I wanted...

Sue Peachey

This journal was created in November 2021 by ceramics artist Sue Peachey in collaboration with poet Owen Bullock, who specialises in haiku. Each responds creatively to daily prompts provided by Craft ACT as part of the Nurture festival.The prompts were:...

Sally Goodspeed

I'm an artist only in the sense that I'm alive, have an observer's eye and (for this challenge) was equipped with some coloured textas and pencils. I do like to create though, and having completed the journal challenge, maybe I'll...

Hazel Francis

This is my first focused journaling journey, and it has been an exciting, challenging and an expanding of ideas experience. Having to work each day on a specific word and thought has been enriching. At first, I was endeavouring to find...

Elizabeth Paterson

Elizabeth Paterson graduated from the Victoria College of the Arts Drama School in 1979. She worked in professional theatre for many years before gradually moving into the visual arts. Her completion of a Graduate Diploma in Sculpture at the ANU...

Eileen Abood

In my journal practice for the theme of Transformation I drew on collage materials and unfinished works collected over my lifetime to respond to the journaling prompts, including some from my early childhood. The process has been part self-portrait and...

Virginia Mcleod

Trained as an art teacher, I have always dabbled in creative projects. I have never referred to myself as an artist, just an art lover. I was surprised by how hard I found it to respond creatively to the daily...

Catherine McCulloch

My work generally comes from emotion and includes themes of the environment and protest. As words were provided (and remembering that the overall theme was Transformation), I attempted to think of ideas that were not too literal or obvious. Each...

Sarah Earle

We were presented with another disjointed year in 2021 and again, surrounded by uncertainty we looked for escapism or nostalgia. For those fortunate enough to be absorbed in creative solitude we've continued our journey through alternative online workshops and challenges....