The Daily Muse: Juliana Coles, Visual Artist and Extreme Visual Journalist

Juliana Coles, award winning fine artist, received her BFA from the Academy of Art University San Francisco. A controversial pioneer of the Art Journaling movement, Coles developed “Extreme Visual Journaling,” an active meditation technique and spiritual practice that accesses archetypal signs and symbols from the unconscious for transformation and healing. What began as a personal creative inquiry into developing new pathways in the brain after her epileptic seizures, this process, taught by Coles internationally, is now used by art therapists, teachers, artists and professionals around the world. Her inspiring Visual Journals have been featured in over 20 books including “Making Journals By Hand,” and as part of the “1000 Journals Project” her work was exhibited at the SFMOMA. Coles creates from her enchanted studio in Albuquerque, NM with her Ghost Cat, Petey, RIP.

Juliana has also just recently released her book “Ghost Pirate: The Legend of Juana La Loca” which is now available for sale on Amazon.com. Like all of her work, it’s truly amazing. < LINK >

Ghost Pirate is a non-linear, non-traditional brave tale of the legendary pirate, Juana la Loca, as told through the Visual Journal or art diary pages of mixed media artist and visual journaling pioneer, Juliana Coles. In a world that puts scant value on introspection, this soulful collection of imagery combined with text is almost overwhelmingly honest, raw, gut wrenching expression that will completely absorb you. This intimate cache of potent imagery and authentic narrative not only satiates with a revolutionary visual feast, but also provides assignments to create your own Pirate’s Journal that invite you to illuminate your fears by going into the dark. Not for the faint of heart. As Carl Jung said, “One does not become enlightened by imagining figures of light, but by making the darkness conscious.” This book, really more of a journey and a guide to the underworld, encourages each one of us to go to the depths of our being to discover inner treasure and untold riches.