Juliana Coles Art
Mixed Media Paintings and Drawings
Live free online session w/ Juliana Coles and Lora Murphy: Saturday, December 27, 2025 9:00am -10:45am PT / 1:00pm - 2:45pm EST / 5:00pm – 6:45 GMT (Ireland) + 60 days access to recording
Join renowned contemporary artist Juliana Coles for a free introductory workshop! Learn to combine personal writing with art making in a book and discover the transformational power of Visual Journaling! At the heart of Juliana’s retreats is the sharing of stories and the in-depth work we embark on. In this live free Zoom seminar, Juliana will take time to comment on participants’ work, answer questions and offer personal insights!
Would you love to access an inner wild voice and describe that power through words and images in a precious book of meaningful art and travel?
Are you ready to make your mark in your own hand and capture the beauty of the wild Atlantic coast in quick sketches and washes of vibrant color?
Have you been intimidated by Juliana’s style of Visual Journaling, yet intrigued?
Does Pirate journaling - and accessing your inner raw voice on the coast of Ireland seem like your idea of adventure?
Have you always wanted to travel to Ireland but couldn’t find a way that connected you to a sense of place - not just a tour, but a personal emersion into a world you have always dreamed of?
If yes, then set sail with us for a free live introduction to Visual Journaling Zoom Seminar AND Q & A with Lora Murphy of Essence of Mulranny Arts in Ireland! Join an intrepid sisterhood of kindred spirits and discover the remarkable Visual Journaling tools created by Juliana Coles that blend authentic journal writing with gutsy raw imagery in the safe container of a book for self-expression.
No experience necessary, just an open heart and playful spirit. Within these well-worn covers of a Book of the Sea, uncover hidden histories reclaimed through an unfamiliar brave voice; she stands on the edge of the coast, overlooking the Wild Atlantic from the window of her castle. You know who she is, and she calls to you - that’s her voice on the wind. Women, it is time to reunite the Sisterhood of the Sea: Join Juliana and Lora in this free zoom seminar and find out what a retreat in Ireland with Juliana Coles entails!
Daring Visual Journaling…
In this mini lesson, Juliana Coles introduces you to Visual or Pirate Journaling with a few simple exercises that combine personal writing with art making in a book. Following this exciting workshop, artist and Director Lora Murphy of Essence of Mulranny Arts is available for a Q and A about traveling to Ireland for the upcoming “Daring Visual Journaling and Wild Sketching art adventure” May 5-12, 2026. Get your passport ready! No art or writing experience necessary! (Scroll down for supply list)
By the end of this live zoom session you will have begun the exciting process of Visual Journaling and collected a few tools for raw expression such as painting and collage. You’ll be well on your way to filling your journals, sketchbooks and altered books with your own personal signs and symbols!
Bonus: stay tuned to the end of the zoom session to receive a $200.00 discount on your final payment for “Daring Visual Journaling” the exciting retreat led by Juliana Coles and join Juliana’s creative crew in Ireland! (offer available to webinar participants only)!
About Juliana Coles: Juliana is an award-winning artist and pioneer of Visual Journaling, a process she developed for self-expression now used by artists, teachers, and art therapists worldwide. She has taught for over 25 years in the U.S. and internationally, published articles and journals in numerous outlets, and exhibited her work, including at SFMOMA and in solo shows such as Archive of Memory. www.JulianaColesArt.com
About Lora Murphy: Lora, best known for her luminous encaustic paintings and portraiture, is an internationally recognized artist, teacher, and retreat leader whose work is deeply rooted in myth, place, and spirit. Born in Ireland and widely traveled, Lora honors her Celtic heritage while embracing global influences. Lora Murphy | Artist
Essence of Mulranny, Ireland
The Art Center, housed in the old convent, offers a variety of workshops, classes and art retreats for groups of 6 to 12 students. Mulranny is a small seaside village on Clew Bay in Co. Mayo. It is located at the dramatic western edge of Ireland where land and sea meet. Croagh Patrick, Ireland’s holy mountain, rises majestically from the sea on the opposite side of the bay. It is here that the ancients as well as modern day pilgrims have climbed the steep path to the summit. Clew Bay is also home to legendary pirate Grace O’Malley and Rockfleet castle. To learn more about this spectacular setting CLICK THIS LINK
SUPPLY LIST FOR Zoom class: Gather your supplies before we begin so you are ready to create!
Any book any size larger than 6” x 9.” This can be a book you are currently working on, a found book to alter, a blank book, sketchbook, journal, handmade book, junk journal or any other book format. See video how to choose a book.
Pencil or pen for writing
Scissors, small stack of collage items and random paper scraps
At least one large glue stick (I recommend 2–3; avoid the small ones and office-store brands), and a squeegee or credit card/ gift card.
Magazine (to cut up/use as a gluing surface)
Acrylic craft paints (at least two favorite colors, or 1 dark and 1 light). I recommend inexpensive matte-finish craft paints (such as Anita’s brand). Higher-quality paints like Golden can cause pages to stick together.
Brushes: at least 1,” ½" & ¼” (you can also use your credit card to squeegee paint across pages for large coverage)
Jar of water for your brushes
1 patterned Stencil any size
Favorite supplies
Going Green: we’ll be creating a mixed media background in green, so gather a few green things - pens, paints, markers, collage items in various shades of green to represent the Emerald Isle. Green is not usually my color, so I may add black to make my one green darker, white to make it lighter, yellow to brighten it, etc.
Optional Supplies
Masking tape and any other fun tapes (clear or washi tapes
Rubber stamps and permanent stamp pads (such as Staz-On)
A couple Markers, pens, or paint pens (such as Posca) in your favorite colors
Any additional items that inspire creativity!
Email Juliana Coles with any questions or concerns meandpete08@gmail.com
Permission to come aboard: learn to follow an inner compass by connecting with the themes of brave pirate queens/seawitches/women of the sea and delve into a unique process that uncovers signs and symbols from the unconscious to reveal personal mythology. In a place where magic endures, Ireland is known for its scribes and illuminated manuscripts. We connect with this history by combining hand lettering and journal writing with mixed media imagery to discover our true essence. We’ll navigate treacherous reefs and gaze into the tide pools of our existence to see what was left behind; star fish, exquisite shells, and the occasional artifact of soul - so much beauty and magic in this churning sea of life now surfaces and is brought to light in the pages of our Visual Journal; a map of inner treasures waiting to be scavenged from the depths.
We are going back in time to a place where women ruled the Sea, and we knew these waters as any Irish sailor would. Forgotten? Lost? No, no longer, for your presence has been requested as you make your return to this powerful place. Whether in ancestry or past life, we are coming home and there are certain preparations we need to make and certain sacred supplies we need to gather. We do not do this lightly. We do this as if our lives depend on it; they do. We who have been summoned from distant lands to join this lively Sisterhood of the Sea; you must leave behind all expectations and know that what you need awaits you in Mulranny. How do we prepare for such a journey?
