Big Things Happening!

Feature from the May/June 2017 Cloth Paper Scissors Magazine

They are finally out!  Some of you already know this but since I've taken a little bit of a blog break lately, I thought I'd share with you my latest collection of DVD's published by F+W Media.   These are some of my hottest and most popular techniques all bundled up in 4 different projects including:

Abstract Painting on Yupo

Zen Painting

Texture Techniques for Abstract Art

Art Journal Jam

While they are available as a DVD or Download, you could also join Artists Network and stream them for a monthly subscription price!  Whoohoo!

Some of you have asked me what the difference is between my DVD's and Online 

Workshops and are the techniques the same, so I just wanted to give you an over view of how the DVD's work,   they are generally an hour or hour and half long (each description on the website will tell you exactly how long).  You'll get an overview of the processes featured along with a couple of projects to work on.    Because their price is very low and they are meant to be self studies, student do not get hands on help from me as an instructor,  I love to see projects but unfortunately can not answer questions as would be able to in the online workshop.

The online workshops are usually about 5-6 hours long and encompass projects and step outs that generally should take you about 6 wks to complete.  You'll get a PDF that overviews the projects as well as a downloadable supply list, access to private Facebook to interact with peers, upload photos and work with the  group along with instructor assistance. Access to the online class is unlimited unless the class gets retired down the road, in that case you will be given ample time (generally a year) to finish the workshop.   

You'll find both options a great way to educate yourself around the creative process featured on the DVDs or specialty workshops online, it just depends how in depth you want to dive and whether or not you want to work as a self study or with a group.  Obviously there is a price difference between the two options as well.   

With that said, if you would like to check out my new DVD's, Here are some links to them!!

Jodi Ohl's Zen Painting Workshop Video Download

$19.99

This video workshop soothes your artistic soul through a zen-full painting experience. Jodi Ohl encourages you to go...[Read More]

Jodi Ohl's Zen Painting Workshop Dvd

$26.99

This video workshop soothes your artistic soul through a zen-full painting experience. Jodi Ohl encourages you to go...[Read More]

Texture Techniques For Abstract Art Video Download

$19.99

Creating textured and layered abstract art has never been so easy or fun. In this video worskshop Jodi Ohl will guide...[Read More]

Texture Techniques For Abstract Art Dvd

$26.99

Creating textured and layered abstract art has never been so easy or fun. In this video worskshop Jodi Ohl will guide...[Read More]

Art Journal Jam Video Download

$19.99

In this video, Jodi Ohl will guide you through a variety of art journaling techniques that you can then mix and match...[Read More]

Art Journal Jam Dvd

$26.99

In this video, Jodi Ohl will guide you through a variety of art journaling techniques that you can then mix and match...[Read More]

Abstract Painting On Yupo&Reg; Video Download

$19.99

This video workshop will give you exciting insights about the special effects you can create in your artwork, and how...[Read More]

Abstract Painting On Yupo&Reg; Dvd

$26.99

This video workshop will give you exciting insights about the special effects you can create in your artwork, and how...[Read More]

Check them out and I hope you enjoy!!!

Till next time (I'll be sure to pop in sooner than 2 months from now!! )

Artfully Yours,

Jodi

PS...oh my I have something  super duper fun coming up for my next online workshop to be released later this summer.  Stay tuned for more info--or pop up to the beginning of the page to get on the pre-release mailing list. I'll be sending out some hot information next week!!!!

A Big. Huge. Giveaway! New DVDS are HERE!!!!

We Can Only Go Up From Here  16 x 16  Zen Houses Painting   *will be featured in the Spring Auction by Stephanie Gagos starting April 18th, 2017

Hey Kids!  Yes I am still alive!   Heck I go to CanCun, and I don't surface for a month!  HaHa!  Gosh, so sorry it's been so long since I've posted!  It's been a world wind last month or so that included a vacation with the fam,  my first ever book signing! Woot Woot,  My 3 day Abstract Class at the studio, and then I just returned from a fantastic weekend in Melbourne, Florida where I taught a 2 day Zen Painting course at the wonderful Art More Place!  

In between that time I've been sick...I mean really sick!  Dang why do I always get sick in February??? Maybe it's some sort of hidden life message I'm supposed to recognize! Who knows?!  Because I was so sick, I actually tore a muscle in my rib from coughing (okay, and exercising on one of those AS SEEN ON TV exercise boards that you twist on)!! haha   Oh my goodness, so I guess I twisted too much, too hard, and too fast for these old bones and blew out my rib and and then further injured it by coughing like a lunatic for 2-3 weeks straight.  All I know was it was PAIN-FULLLLLLL!!!!  Like, damn, I can't even breathe painful!  Well, I'm happy to say that I'm back to ohhh you worked out too hard and have a pulled muscle pain which I'll take any day from the stabbing in the lung and blow out my insides type of pain!

Moral of the story friends, go to the Dr's if you are sick and get some medicine!  Bad things happen when you don't!!

Cover art for my new DVD:  The Passing  18 x 18 *will be featured in the Spring Auction by Stephanie Gagos starting April 18th, 2017

I'm sort of back to work this week. If you count digging yourself out of a big hole back to work then that's what I'm doing!  haha!   As a thank you for sticking with me during my absence, I'd like to offer you a fun giveaway featuring my new DVD'a JUST released by North Light, and can be purchased as a DVD, Download, or streamed over at their site, Artists Network TV Network.


I'm soooo excited to release these new products!!! Take a look:

If you'd like to take a look at the new workshops,  please check out the links, here:

My 4 New DVDs:

1.       http://bit.ly/2maKlSh   Graffiti Grunge Art: Abstract Painting on Yupo

2.       http://bit.ly/2mQWpp5  Texture Techniques for Abstract Art

3.       http://bit.ly/2mQnVmb  Art Journal Jam

4.       http://bit.ly/2nAkSyL  Zen Painting Workshop

NEW  Cold Wax and Oils!  Stay tuned for upcoming workshop info!

One question that comes up about the DVD's compared to my workshops is:  How do the dvds differ than the in person or online workshops? This is a very valid question as the prices differ significantly as do what they each offer.  Here's a brief explanation of some of the differences:

The DVD's are complete lessons usually spanning 1-2 hours in length.  You'll get tips, projects and see an abridged version of the work in progress from start to finish.  If you want a great set of lessons that you can view on your tv or computer at an extraordinary price, these are for you! *Or if you've taken an in person class and want to have something to reinforce the lessons learned after you leave, the DVD's are great options too.

Paper art...mixed media painting on paper. work in process.

Online workshops are more robust.  For those of you who have taken them with me before, you know that my courses are very intensive and span usually 5-6 hours worth of content. The online courses do have more projects, some crossover with the videos but generally they are new lessons.  In  Online workshops you also will get a  page handout and a supply list reference ( with clickable links  in my Zen Painting course).  Part of the course tuition is the fact I've done research for you and will make it easy for you to collect your supplies with a click of link. You also have access to my private groups and will receive help from me personally if you request it during the course.   *I can not provide questions and answer time nor project review with the dvd or download of my videos unfortunately.

Looking for Love  6x6  Dirty Flirty Bird painting   

*will be featured in the Spring Auction by Stephanie Gagos starting April 18th, 2017

In person classes are great if you have a hard time focusing in an online environment and need to ask questions/receive feedback in the moment.  Workshops are filled with exercises, demonstrations, and live q&a in the moment.  There's an energy that fills a room of eager students and a passionate teacher that just can't be replaced.  Very often you also have the benefit of sampling very expensive products as part of your class or kit fee which saves you money from buying things you won't use again or didn't quite love. You can also see live how to use products you may never have experienced before.  In most cases, instructors have to travel so the price of travel and expenses is factored into the workshops as are supplies so you will find that in person classes are on the highest end of the spectrum price wise (other than destination art retreats).   

NEW Cold Wax Painting  Stay tuned for a new collection release and upcoming workshop information!

Now that we got that out of the way,  let's talk about my giveaway!!       I want to share all 4 DVDs with one BIG winner so this is HUGE,  a value worth close to 100 dollars!   YAHOOO!    The pot will sweeten if we get over 200 comments and shares in that I'll throw in a few key supplies you may want to use in each of the DVD which could potentially up the value of the prize another $60-75 dollars!    

How to enter?   Simply leave a comment and tell me what are some new techniques you are most eager to learn and why. If there's a new class you'd like to see me offer, heck let me know, too!  You can get 1 extra entry if you share a link to this post in one of your social media outlets. To get that extra entry, just come back and comment again where you shared it.  PLEASE be sure to leave an email or a way I can get a hold of you. If there's no clickable link or email when I got to pick a winner I'll pick a new one.  Entries will be taken up until Sunday evening and I'll pick a winner on Monday!  whooohoo!  

Good luck everyone and have fun!     If you just want to go ahead and pick up a copy of one of the dvds regardless of the prize pack, there are links above for you to go to right under the product image.

Have a great weekend, stay healthy, be well, and enjoy some creative time for yourself along the way!

Gratefully Yours,

Jodi Ohl

Walking That Line. Tightrope.

Tightrope  10 x 10

I'm sitting down to write a bit late today. I meant to get up early and take care of this blog post earlier in the day but the hours flew by as I took care of a bit of this or that, a lot of this, and a lot of that.  

The usual suspects.

Laundry.

Hair cut.

Post office.

Painting.  More Painting.

Talking with customers

Paying bills.

Cleaning house.

Cleaning the deck.

More Painting.

I don't know about you, but there are occasions when I feel like I'm walking a tight rope-especially doing it by myself these days.  Who am I kidding, doing myself still for many years.

If I waiver on the line, I'm going to fall, and fall hard.

But if i make it to the other side...oh man.  That's exciting prospect and what an accomplishment.

The tight rope is there in all of our lives. It just looks a bit different for each of us.

Heck, it can look different to each of us by the hour!

If you don't try to cross the tightrope in front of you and make it through something rather tough in your life, than that's a fail in and of itself, even before you fall...and fall you might.

 A lot of my work lately has rocks, boulders, water, stones,  lines, and pathways in it.  It's all about crossing over my own bridges.  Making pathways that make sense to me even if they go in circles from time to time.    There's away out, up, down, and around--the beauty is you get to choose the path.



Life isn't always easy depending on the path you take,  but easy isn't necessarily what I want. I want satisfying, challenging, gratifying and enjoyable.   Not easy.      I've been able to do a lot of work lately because I'm more inspired than I have been in awhile....I've also been at home more than I have been in several months in one stretch. It feels good.  Not that I don't love traveling and more traveling is on the agenda over the next 6 weeks, but I need the touchstones of home and familiarity, too.  In fact, I'd like more of it to be focused and deliberate for a while, not reactive and rushed.

Next year, I'll be teaching in several venues but I'm not going to be teaching a whole myriad of classes, I'm going to focus on a select few and rock it out like no one's business.  There's something to be said about mastering something... I'm going for mastery in this next phase of my career.

The tightrope will still be there every day as I balance home, work, personal life, career, hobbies and more....but there's confidence that's building I can feel it that will allow me to cross each of those bridges with grace and tenacity-working my way through to a better form of me.


Jodi

For more of my new line of paintings, "Zen Paintings" be sure to check out my Etsy shop!  I'll be listing a few new pieces soon, so keep an eye out for my posts by following my shop!

The Last 20 Miles....

Hey my peeps!    

This little birdie pretty much says it all!  

"I'm on a Mission" !

It's funny, I was telling someone yesterday that when I agreed to do x y z months and months and months ago, it all sounded doable and like a great idea, and believe me, it all has been great (lots of fun once I'm in the moment,   fun meeting everyone, and fun preparing...eehhh hmmm...well, fun painting not packing,  un packing, hauling stuff around and driving from one end of the state to the other 2 or 3 times this week...haha)!  But really, things could not be crazier lately! I haven't cooked a home made dinner in a bout 2 weeks for the boy!  Well, a little exaggeration, I did make home made  white chocolate chip Belgian Waffles and bacon this morning for lil man.  

Here's how my last week and half have been:

Sample from my class at Random Arts, "Skinny Little Mini Cities"

So some of you that follow me on Facebook know that last Thursday  through Sunday I was just outside of Asheville  (about 4 hours from home) teaching at Random Arts a 3 day workshop (oh my gosh..soooo sooo much fun!  I'll be back next September if not sooner for another round of artsy goodness).  

My demo piece from my class at Random Arts,  "Wild Flowers"

Choose Wisely,   16 x 20 abstract featured at Artful Living Group in Carolina Beach through October

 Monday I headed back to the new studio to finish hanging and pricing my work for my next trip down the coast to Carolina Beach (3 hours from my house).   I had most of it finished but you know how it is, there are always last minute touches that need to be completed.   

Not having a lot of time to spare, I had to return to the studio Tuesday morning  at 5:30 am after taking Josh to football to pack my car  so I could go down to the beach to hang my work for my featured artist show.  

For those of you not familiar with NC...Saluda is in the Western Part of the state,  I live in the middle of the state, and Carolina Beach is on the  southern coast of NC...altogether from one end to the other we are talking about 8 or 9 hours a part.

Okay..so travel down to the beach Tuesday morning,  hang the work in about 2 hours, drive back that afternoon, collapse in a heap of exhaustion evening.

Wednesday, not a bad day considering all the running the last few days... got up at 5:00 am,  took little man to football, cleaned the house, finished packing for my next trip, worked on some writing material in the afternoon,  dinner out with lil man evening,  then slept like a log before heading back to the beach for the show the next day. 

Several of my favorite pieces from the collection at Artful Living Group. I have over 25 new pieces featured!

Thursday, finished some personal stuff then headed back to the beach (another 3 hour drive) in the afternoon,  I wasn't sure how all  the weather was going to effect attendance, with Joaquin looming out to see and rain that hasn't stopped in about a week and half, but I was hopeful nonetheless.

We did have a few brave souls that came out to the reception  (which the gals at Artful Living Group did an awesome job of preparing tons of great appetizers and other goodies). however the weather was so uncooperative, it wasn't as good as it could have been.

I  met some really wonderful people and reconnected with old friends,  the collection looks fantastic, we had a great spread, I had a wonderful crab cake dinner afterwards, and my hotel (despite the rain) looked out at the amazing ocean!  All in all...not a bad thing.

Drove back home Friday, unpacked the car, then headed up to the studio to work until early evening with my studio partners to get ready for our Grand Opening Saturday of our NEW studio...swept, rearranged, hung, signed, tidied up,  and put the glitz on our new shop.....yep...went home exhausted, collapsed about 8:30 in the bed.

This a view of where my side of the studio started off at the beginning of the month....

Finally--Saturday arrived and our Grand Opening was here!  Jan, Jean and I along with a host of other friends who helped out in numerous ways over the last month or two were all  ready to meet and greet   our guests bright and early-whoa nelly, it was busy right from the get go, full of friends, family and community members!

Here's 2 of our first guests getting settled in while their Mom shopped:

 

You can see me in the background making some last minute signs while our visitors colored at one of our classroom tables. :)

Remember my side of the studio from the first picture--here it is now all set up (well kinda of, there's another section the picture cut off but who's counting):

Doors are open and we are now open regular hours of Monday thru Saturday, 10-5pm. Additional hours for classes or special events  as needed.

By Saturday evening we were all ready to crack open the champagne and celebrate all the amazing things we accomplished in the last few months and relish in how the studio opening event went!  

We hope the community embraces a new artistic endeavor  and we become a destination place for those that want to take creative classes, one on one workshops, and of course peruse the array of offerings by largely NC artists along with specialty art supplies to sooth your creative muse.

So here I am Sunday evening, bleary eyed but happy,  exhausted but energized. And guess what...I'm working on getting ready to head out again on Wednesday to drive to Missouri for my weekend of workshops at KP's Rubbermoon Studios!

Like I said in the beginning, it all sounded like a great idea at the time...sure I can handle it (and I haven't even talked about perhaps one of my biggest projects of my entire life that I'm working on in between all of this!!).     It all HAS BEEN great!!!! I created a painting to communicate the emotion I've been feeling lately:

It's called: "The Last 20 Miles"....  it's that point where you are sure to run out of gas, you are on empty and you don't think you can make it any further than you already have gone.  Somewhere deep inside of you, you pull out that last ounce of strength you have so you can go that last 20 miles.  You never know how far you can go unless you push yourself to the limit and out of your comfort zone. 

With that said, I haven't been all that realistic as to what I'm capable of.  My house is a  state of organized mess.  My laundry is just barely kept up.  I've been missing my boy because we've been passing like ships in the night, and I have been stretched with how much work I physically can do.  The point is, I am going that last 20 miles by tackling each day as it comes and pushing myself to do my best no matter what.  No matter how tired I am. No matter how long it takes.  But also, I'm taking moments of self care so I can keep up. Going to bed relatively early.  Deep breathing.  Early morning wake up in peace and quiet. Reading when I can.  Staying focused within each project and not jumping around. Stopping every here and there to take it all in. For as crazy as these last few weeks have been, I am beyond lucky to be able to do what I am doing  for a living. 

If you don't stop to enjoy it, you rush right through the good moments.

My only conclusion to this whole laundry list of to-dos and to-dones:  In the future, I am going to space out events a bit better. Haha.  That's it, my words of wisdom.  Get a better calendar :) Oh, and keep a sense of humor, surround yourself with people who will lift you up when you fall to your knees, or who will kick you  in the butt when you say you can't go any further!

Until next time!!

Jodi

#livingthegoodlife

#livingthedream

************************************

To find more of my classes, check out this link HERE:

Can't attend an in person class, try one of my online classes or purchase on of my DVD's!

Will you be in the Carolina Beach/Wilmington/Crystal Coast  area this October?  Stop by

Artful Living Group to see my featured artist show, "Land of the Whimsical and Odd".

Last but not least,  please stop by our new studio and gallery, "Creative Studios, NC" in Vass, NC and like our Facebook page to keep up on the latest and greatest! I'll be scheduling new classes at the shop soon! In the meantime,  Jean, Jan, and several guests artists and teachers will be hosting classes, meetups, and workshops on a monthly basis!

Wandering the Precipice 24 x 24 (one of my newest abstracts)  available at Creative Studios NC!