For those looking to leave a personal mark in Raleigh's creative landscape, the Pullen Arts Center is currently hosting The Community Journaling Project, a collaborative bookmaking initiative open to all. Spearheaded by artist Jennifer Sandry of Ink and Axe, this ongoing project encourages community members to express themselves artistically on paper, with the end result being a hand-bound collection of local talent and perspective. According to Raleighnc.gov, Sandry believes that "Art is about the process and the meaning for the individual," and this project aims to "show how wonderful every mind is and to hopefully inspire one another."
Contributing to this tapestry of thoughts and visions is simple: Participants can pick up journaling pages from the Pullen Arts Center or the NC Museum of Art Museum Store, or use their own materials as long as they fit the specified size guidelines. Once the artistic endeavor is complete, creators are asked to return their pages to a dropbox at either location. The submitted pages will then be folded, combined, and bound into a book using a traditional long Coptic stitch, which is a method that dates back to the early Christians in Egypt, known for it’s durability and unique, exposed spine.
The Pullen Arts Center, located at 105 Pullen Rd Raleigh NC, as well as the NC Museum of Art Museum Store at 2110 Blue Ridge Rd Raleigh NC, are facilitating this project. The locations serve as both a starting point for aspiring contributors to join the fray and as a collection point for the completed works. The Pullen Arts Center has been a hub for local artists and those interested in immersing themselves in various forms of art, offering classes and workshops alongside such community engagement projects.
Jennifer Sandry, the project’s leader, ensures that the final compilation will not just be an anthology of pages, but a collective work of art that represents the myriad expressions that define a community’s creative pulse.
