into the journal: frances reyes-bolinger
15
This feature series examines how and why people journal, because no two practices are identical. Appreciating the journal as a sacred inner world for uninhibited wandering and wondering.
If you have a journaling practice that you’d like to share about here, email me at evapberezovsky(at)gmail(dot)com.
frances reyes-bolinger
Hello! My name is Frances Reyes-Bolinger. I’m a multi-disciplinary artist and a location scout by trade. My friends call me their hummingbird friend because I am always on the go and traveling, but I always come back excited to share what I’ve learned.
origins
I’ve been journaling since at least the fourth grade, so about nine or 10 years old. Ever since I learned to write, I’ve been bringing my thoughts to paper.
language
I associate “journals” with thoughts, “notebooks” with notes, and “diaries” with a little lock — back in the day at least. I rarely use the term “diary” and prefer saying “journal.” “Diary” feels too personal, like I’ll tempt others to read it. But “sketchbook” also belongs in the mix for me. It’s been part of the landscape of my inner thoughts in recent years.
routine
I like to journal at my yoga mat before I start my practice. I recently did The Artist’s Way and wrote three pages to start each day for the duration of that experience. I like to journal when I first wake up, when I’m waiting in line (sometimes), when I travel, when I dine solo, or when I work at a cafe.
current journals
In my rotation:
A decomposition book for writing out thoughts.
A small notebook for scouting and work notes while on the field. I prefer one with a small pocket in the flaps to keep business cards and receipts.
A large sketchbook for drawing and sketching (usually dry media with acrylic markers or water color pencils on occasion).
A small sketchbook that I keep with me at all times for when inspiration strikes.
As far as digital journals, I did have a LiveJournal at one point and a digital photo journal (Blipfoto) when I first got into photography. Now, I prefer my decomposition books and mixed media sketchbooks.
purpose & evolution
My reasons for journaling have absolutely changed over time. Part of my practice involves keeping designated pages for noteworthy quotes from books I read or things I hear and want to remember, and this has been constant no matter what the rest of my practice looks like.
In general, I journal more when I’m going through a rough patch — recording 10 things I’m grateful for and 10 things I love about myself. If I find I need to do this exercise for consecutive days, I force myself to name 10 different reasons why I’m grateful/why I love myself. It always helps me put things into perspective.
Beyond that, I have my phases and different ways of expressing myself. I had a phase in high school where I would constantly write poetry. Now that I’m exploring different mediums more, I like the option to draw or write. My sketchbooks have their own phases.
Sometimes I draw the same thing over and over again just to refine it. In the past year, I’ve attended live drawing sessions using charcoal pencil, whereas I was completely blocked creatively and hardly journaled at all during the previous year. And aside from charcoal, I’ve been into graphic designing zines. A lot of my current journaling is working out how I will be producing and designing my next zines.
preferred utensil
For writing, I’m fine with any kind of pen that works. For drawing, I currently prefer charcoal pencils. But I do like taking notes in those pens that have multiple colors so I can color code my notes. I also like those for drawing so I have more values to work with.
rereading
I rarely look back at old entries. I do so every once in a while, but to be consistent in any creative practice is already a challenge and an invitation to be present. I have so many ideas that are either half-baked or never actualized at all. If I do look back at old entries, I usually do so to reference my pages of quotes or some of my past drawings. I typically look back at previous sketches to revisit specific subject matter.
a recent entry
The last thing I wrote was a list of recommendations of things to check out from a podcast called Cortex:
Notion, collaboration tool should I use?
Bake Off: The Professionals
Podcast, What Went Wrong
Youtube: It Was a Shit Show
Netflix, 7 Days Out
6 Days to Air (movie)
Podcast, Working It Out
*
“Be the answer to your ancestors’ prayers.” —Sean Sherman
“Create like a child, edit like a scientist.” —Tyler the Creator
“Migration patterns existed before boundaries.” —A patch seen at the Shellmound Prayer Walk on Black Friday of 2025 in Berkeley, CA. This quote is the basis for my newest zine.
Love how the practice evolved from blocked to charcoal sessions. That shift from complete creative block to tactile drawing with live models is such a specific unlock. The multijournal system makes sense too, keeping work notes seperate from personal reflections. I tried mixing everything in one notebook once and it became this weird hybrid that served nothing well. The quote pages idea is solid organizational thinking.