Whirlwind Adventures in Art and More....

 Hello May! Where have you gone already?!! I've had  whirlwind 6 weeks (actually more) of travel and shows and all sorts of fun, including class productions, promos, adding new businesses to my list of galleries and boutiques that represent me, and I have to say that life has never been fuller and more rewarding!  The pictures I'm sharing today are from a couple of shows that I've been in and feature some new designs including my graffiti block houses (on wood).

 ....brightly colored and full of fun, expressive journal writing and detailed city scapes...

 I've even added a few new items like bookmarks to my inventory that are super cute, as well as new color combinations within my projects that will rock your socks off! Have I listed all of these items online yet?  No, of course not. LOL All in good time. I do have to say that is one area I need to get better at but the truth of the matter is that I've been traveling so much that my online shop has taken a back seat to my brick and mortar shops that are carrying my work (which reminds me I need to add a tab to the top of my blog to feature those new shops!!...where's my to-do list???) as well as the shows I've been doing.  The good news is, I have one more trip this month to go to...and its a big one...I'm heading to California to teach at CREATE and I will be vending there as well as teaching...and then I'm home (except for a well deserved vacation mid June that corresponds with  my sons high school graduation party (what what?? I can't be that old!!!) for a few weeks. 

 When things settle down a bit (who am I kidding, I hope things never settle down because if they do...that means I'm not doing enough!), I will be doing a big shop update soon. Soon. Very soon. Until that time, I always share my work on Facebook (follow me if you don't already!!) and if you are interested in something or want a special order, message me!! Not the best set up but that's  what I got right now.  :)

 In our travels this week, we did a little show over at Carolina Beach, NC which was super cool! Not only was it an art festival, it was an interactive one where artists designed HUGE wood block prints and then created these block prints that were the size of ummm...maybe a comforter for lack of better measurement...using a steam roller to transfer the print. I have to say it was an amazing sight to see and the detail was incredible!!!

 Even though it was a small show, it netted big results for me including adding a new gallery to list of places that are representing my work, The Artful Living Group which is owned by an amazing silversmith,  Chris Cheek Higgins  

Chris also asked me to do a solo show next JUNE, June 2013 at her gallery which I'm totally stoked about as it will be my first solo show!  I have lots of ideas around funky things I can show at her gallery all fun and whimsical and infused with coastal living as a theme. Ideas are circling around my head as we speak...so stay tuned on more info on that project! 

See you just never know when an opportunity is going to arise!!

 Just be brave and go for it. Try it. Own it. Do your best. If you fall down, so what. Get back up and try again.  The biggest successes can come from the dips, the trips, the falls, the stumbles, the oopsie daisies.  I'm saying this because I haven't had the best outcomes on the last few shows I did, but the good news is after each of the shows I participated in, something great happened. Really it did. From huge orders, to new opportunities, to emails that people reached out to me saying this or that about my work, to new directions that arrived from my need to change things up. 

 Never give up. Try new things.

 Think outside of the box and go for it! 

You are right where you are supposed to be for a reason. You just need to cultivate the movement of the moment and grow with it. 

 Life is sweet. Life is good.

And speaking of the sweet life...I've been painting cutesy fun cake and cupcake paintings for over a year now and I love love love them. If you are interested in painting and learning some new techniques full of texture and fun, then I have the class for you. Starting June 6th at Artful Gathering 2012, I'll be offering a class called "Sweet Art". You need this class!! You really  do, if you can't travel or time (or even money to get to a retreat) is an issue, online classes are the answer. If you want to paint your heart out at 2 in the morning you can with an online class. I have a great format to teach you to create paintings that infuse fun, color, glazing, and funky designs that will sure to inspire you.

Take a look at a little trailer from my upcoming class then hurry on over to Artful Gathering 2012 to read more about the description and register for my class!

If you have any questions or need guidance on how to participate, feel free to drop me a line at:
jodiohl@hotmail.com

Until next time, I'll leave you with this thought.....nothing worthwhile ever came easy to even those that make things look easy. You have to do the work to get there...and to stay there...and to grow....so if you want to start knocking down the doors to your dreams, start by showing up and simply knocking down those doors :)  More on that topic soon!

With love and inspiration,

Jodi Ohl