The Journey to the Impossible

New work in the shop!

 Tomorrow is my deadline to submit my book manuscript....can you believe that?  I can hardly believe after months and months and MONTHS of work, the time has come to hand over the project in entirety to be beautified and completed by the editors and design team, all of whom have already been working along side of me in countless ways as we birth this project from inception to publication.    I'm so excited for this 'child' of mine to be released out into the world, but that will come many more months down the road. If all things going smoothly, we should see the release date in the latter part of 2016.   The experience has really pushed me to be higher limits than I ever thought were possible.  I already push myself pretty  heartily, how could one project exceed those limits?  Try writing a book and you will understand!  It's a labor of love for sure, and one that I am so proud of and hope that you will enjoy when the time comes.

One of the reasons I felt stretched beyond my limits was  that the timeline to write the book and produce the work wasn't ideal for me and my schedule.  It all started to unfold during perhaps one of my busiest travel seasons yet and during a time I also moved into a new studio, had a solo show, and spent almost a month out of commission with the flu. 

Yet, despite my own personal challenges, is there ever a right time to do something that is going to push us to our limits?  We can find excuse after excuse to not do something while at the same time, if we put energy into seeing how we can make it happen rather than just saying it's not the right time, you'd be amazed at what you can do.  

There were times when I thought all of this was impossible for me to accomplish.  Tears would flow and I'd become paralyzed with self-doubt.

There also would be times when I was in the flow and creating pieces for the book and  companion pieces for future collections that I would dance with joy from the fruits of my labor.  

Like most things I do, I take the project to the next level...I created so many pieces and many much larger than needed for the book, I could probably write 3 books.haha...but to me, it was necessary to experiment and try new things before I made final decisions on what to use for exercises in the book.  We don't know what we don't know, right?

Now, it's the day before the due date.  I sit here with a great sense of accomplishment, and bit of emotional release that this day is almost here.   Looking back at my journey to get to this place and time, I would never have thought I'd be where I am today.  I think that is the point.   Don't limit yourself to the possible, rather expand your world to the impossible. There's such a fine line between both states of being, why not reach higher and go farther than you imagine could be?

I want to give a huge nod to my editor Beth Erikson who has been the rock behind this whole project, keeping me in line, offering advice, soothing my fears, and urging me a long. Thank you for all you have done.  Thank you also to the acquiring editor, Tonia Jenny for nudging me to take this leap and for allowing me first to have this opportunity. My gratitude is wide and deeply felt for your belief in me!   There's so many people behind the scenes at F & W Media who have made this project come to life, I think you all for working so hard to create beautiful books and various artistic material, you do so much for the artistic community that you don't even realize!

Lastly, thank you all for your heartfelt comments to my previous blog post. Wow...amazing reactions and such love and support I felt from all of you. That story is such a small but yet poignant part of my life, it doesn't truly tell all of what has gone on, especially in my formative years, but it does let you know that we all have stories to share, ones of resilience and accomplishments,  fear and self doubt, love and rejection, and triumph over sorrow.     The story doesn't really tell you how my beloved Mother gave me more strength and will power to not just survive, but to thrive, not just back then but to this day.  It also doesn't discuss that I was adopted by the man I call my father when I was three, so even though my biological father didn't want to open the adoption and relationship back up, I did have a male figure in my world during those early years and remains part of my life today.  There's always more to the story but I wanted to add those points in as I felt I didn't do justice to just how amazing the role my Mother played in my survival after the accident and how much inspiration she is to me to this day and forever will be.

Jodi:)

Swept Up in Artsy Adventures! A Recap and Giveaway!

Over the last several weeks, I've been on a whirlwind adventure that's spanned from the Outer Banks of North Carolina to the Midwest and back again.  It's already the 2nd of November so before all the creative goodness fades away, I wanted to share with you some of the highlights of the month AND offer you a fun giveaway at the end of my post that you don't want to miss!!  

  As you can see from this picture, I've been painting...painting a lot!!  Preparing for studio openings, classes, solo shows, my shop and....don't fall over....for my a NEW book I'm writing!!!  Oh my goodness, all of this is truly a dream come true. I'll be sharing the journey of writing and composing my book over the next 12 months as YOU are a part of it just as much as I am!
In the middle of getting ready for my fall teaching tour, I also worked on HUGE project with my friends,  Jan McClay and Jean Skipper:  Jan  opened a new studio not far from my hometown and Jean and I are lucky to be 2 of the working artists who have their studios in the new shop.  

The new studio space includes a class room space,  2 working artists plus our managing artists space along with the work of over 15 North Carolina artists.  As you can see from the smiling faces, we are thrilled to be here!!!!   We already have started a great line up of classes and events and we are barely a month old..be sure to like our facebook page to keep up to date on all the fun 'happenings'!

You can see part of my studio beside of the classroom space.   

Just prior to our grand opening at the studio...and I do mean just prior to it.....I spent a few days over at Random Arts in the western part of our state (Saluda, NC) teaching 3 days of workshops to an incredible group of students!  I truly love this space!  It was great connecting with old friends as well as meeting lots of new people over the course of the weekend.

                    I never get tired of hearing all about these artists lives, inspiration, and stories that they tell during our time together. I'm constantly reminded how connected our lives are in so many ways!

After returning from Random Arts, I hurried back home and finished putting the final touches on my solo show at Artful Living Group in Carolina Beach. I returned from Random Arts on Sunday evening, got the final touches on the show stuff on Monday then headed to the beach with only a couple of days to spare before the show opening on Thursday, October 1st.  

When one has a solo show, it's not something that just comes together in a blink of an eye...but rather it's a compilation of months and months (if not years) of work.  I've been working on many of these pieces for the better part of the last 6-8 months if not longer, it was so satisfying  along with a teensy eensy bit stressful seeing each and every piece fit together like a jig saw puzzle.  No two things were alike of course, but when each of the pieces were shown together, I could see finally what I had been envisioning in my head for the longest time.      To me, that is success....or at least one facet of success: "To see your vision become reality through many moments which fit together into the sum of all parts".    

I kinda skipped the order of things that have gone on over the last few weeks..so sorry--anyways   so after my show at the beach, I immediately came home for our Grand Opening at Creative Studios, October 3rd.   It was sooooo much fun seeing our community, friends, and family come out to support us that day!  You could feel the buzz of excitement as our guests wandered through the gallery, checking out our studios, work in progress,  sifting through the selection of art supplies and many other gifts we are offering.    I hope if you are ever in the area, you, too stop in to see us!
(Hours and location can be found HERE).

As much fun as I was having at the new studio, work was calling me about 950 miles away towards another group of  incredible artists in Louisiana, Missouri where I was a guest instructor for 3 days of workshops at Kristen Power's shop and studio, "The Moon and the Maker".  What fun I had with this crew!!

As you could see, among the art, we had tons of moments of laughter and silliness!!!

No doubt, we all were meeting lots of new friends and reveling in the creative atmosphere all around us!   This was really more than a group of workshops,  Kristen created a retreat like setting with breakfast, lunch and tons of supplies to be shared with all.   I am looking forward to heading back to see my new friends next October!!!

So that was my Columbus Day weekend...see what I mean, it was a whirlwind few weeks!

But...that's not the end of the fun...nope....

I pretty much washed the clothes in my suitcase, got the boy all straight with his practices, school events, games and stuff he needed, re-packed my suitcase, got an oil changed, did a bunch of shopping and more packing, before I headed East to our Outer Banks, NC as the next week ReMe Retreats was commencing. I landed there on the 18th-with the rest of the organizers before the students started wandering in the next day for 5 nights and 4 days of creative recharging on the island of Ocracoke   

This retreat was our 4th in 2 years and as always, we all were just floored at the diversity of our guests, the range of talents, the warm hearts and open minds.  We had such a wonderful experience, and speaking for all of us who spear headed the retreat,  Jean, Penny, and our house mother Debbie,  we all are so lucky to have had the pleasure to host all of these women once again.

 From Texas to Maine, we had guests representing several states and although similar in their creative instincts, they were as different as could be in their day to day life outside of art.  As I say that, we all found many common bonds to tie us altogether in our experiences, some that made us laugh, stories that made us misty eyed, and other truths spoke that gave us all great reflection within ourselves.

We are all lucky indeed to have traveled together in order to share this experience, and I hope we all connect again soon!

Setting up for our first day of class with me--look at this great crew!

I could go on and on about the wonders of ReMe and the magic of the island, but I'll end this section by showing you the glorious sunset on the sound that was right outside our front doors.   

September and October have  been  simply  amazing and inspiring to say the least!

I think I mentioned at the beginning of the post (story, novella) that I had a giveaway for you and ...ta-dahhhhh here it is!!    You may or may not have heard that I recently had 4 DVD's published by F & W Media (Cloth Paper Scissors, North Light Books, etc) this month so I am going to be doing a few giveaways over the next few weeks that will include a signed DVD and a few art goodies to go along with your project.

In this special prize pack, if you win, you will receive the DVD, "Expressive Watercolor on Yupo" along with a 12 piece set of Twinkling H20s, a few sample sheets of Yupo paper and who knows what else. If I have more than 100 comments, I will add even more goodies to the pack!

So how to enter to win?  Please leave a comment at the end of this post and tell us about one of your creative or other fun memories from the last several weeks. We want to hear about your adventures.

To receive 2 chances to win,  you can simply share this post and then come back here and comment, letting us know where you shared.

I'll take entries from now through Monday November 9th---but PLEASE, keep coming back all month as I will have more giveaways, and tons of artsy inspiration to share with you!! :))

PS....PLEASE be sure to leave a way for me to get a hold of you if you win, not all comments link to a live blog anymore so if you can leave your email , it would help me tremendously! :)))

If you already  purchased this DVD and win, perhaps you can give your winnings away as a holiday gift.  PLUS...don't forget you will receive some artsy supplies, too!!

To see all of my newly released DVD's please check out the home page of my website:

Click HERE

Thank you as always for checking out my blog! I'll try next time not to be 'gone' for so long and do shorter posts from now on..lol :))

Artfully Yours,

Jodi Ohl

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Check out my 2016 workshop schedule!  Chances are, I may be in a state close to you!!

2016 Workshops

Taming Fear with Art Journaling

 The last few weeks have been super duper uber intense as we prepare for ReMe Retreats, May on Ocraoke Island.  I've been going back and forth between the retreat preparations,  working in my outside studio, working at my home studio, working on another big project coming up in May,  and of course keeping things together here at the 'ranch' with my 14 1/2 year old.    Whoosh. Makes my head spin in the best possible way.

To relax and unwind, I've been finding myself diving into my journal and escaping or relax in my own way.   Today I'm showcasing another journal I started not too long ago. This one is also a Dylusions Journal but it's the smaller version.

As much as I love the large Dylusions, once you get it really filled up...it weighs about 20 lb.s haha!! There's so many pages in it!

This one also has a lot of pages but not as many as the larger version, and they are about 1/2 the size which is nice for some quick evening doodling or collage work.

Many times I jump all over the place putting collage here or there,  going back and refining this or that, then moving on to the next spread or page.

 There's hardly ever a theme for my journals as a whole. I can't seem to stick with one theme, rather I just go with whatever the mood moves me for each individual spread. Most of the time it's a bunch of random thoughts!

I guess when I have a lot on my mind, I need a way to get it out without having to worry about the composition as a whole...just play around and communicate with myself through my visual journal.

Sometimes the pages do have accidental threads of similarity. That's often because I have my journal next to me as I paint almost all the time..so left over paint lands on the page or pages. I'll go back to the page in the evening or early morning when  I am ready to relax or begin the day in a quiet way.

If there's not a lot to say,  I'll look for a quote that has a bit of meaning or sparks my interest.   I've noticed that my pages are rather busy lately...that could be attributed to my state of mind. I constantly feel like I'm juggling everything at all times and rarely wind down.  Until I force myself, and that quietness sometimes comes in the form of art journaling.

Before I do a big project....I always, no matter how many times I've done something, get a case of anxiety and nerves.  I recognize this in myself and have learned to tame in my nerves, I need to have a sense of quiet and peacefulness. I can't just roll into an event or project in the middle of chaos or exhaustion.    With less than 6 sleeps left before our big event, ReMe..I have to find that sense of peace quickly...and I have in many ways, thanks to the preparation that we've put into place over the course of the year for ReMe,  thanks to the sanctuary of my journal, and thanks to the place I've come to discover within myself.  I'm learning to listen to what my body needs, I've learned how to quiet my mind and ease my thoughts...but honestly the fear and anxiety never goes away 100 % and that's probably a good thing.

I've found the more you care about something, the more meaning it has for you which naturally causes a bit of  struggle internally.  You want it to be amazing.You want others to enjoy it. You want it to flow smoothly and without any hiccups. 

The truth is, there are always hiccups or bumps in the road. 

There are always unexpected occurrences that change the direction, big things and little things.

The only thing you can control is your reaction and actions I've learned.

You can tame the fear and turn it into wonder and excitement.

You can quiet your mind and ease your worries by doing something you love  and taking care of yourself.

You can be more confidant by preparing yourself ahead of time and not rush into your project or event.

These are just some of the things I've recognized within myself, I hope it helps you to know that you are not the only one with fears. 

We all have them from time to time.

Until next time,

Jodi Ohl

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Just 2 days left to take advantage of my workshops sale going on over at Creative Workshops!!

This includes my popular class, Podtastic!

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*Classes have unlimited access,  work at your own pace for and return time and time again to the workshop.  

In The Quiet of the Night....Reflections from the studio

 

One of the things "They", forget to tell you or talk about when you work alone and from home...is how lonely and isolating it can be, even if you are doing what you love and couldn't think about doing anything else.  The freedom of being able to walk right into my studio any time, day or night is glorious and amazing.  It's also very quiet at times and extremely, well...solitary.

There are times when I relish the quiet moments, escaping from the noise and clutter of the world as I paint away and make peace with my mind and allow my heart to open up so I can create without boundaries.

And then there are times when the quiet is deafening. I wonder in my head what am I missing, not really wanting to find out truthfully because I've come to feel safe in my studio and getting out would require me to become unsafe and to be seen once again.  

As I finished this set of paintings I started as demos for my last class....one of the few times I really have been around a group of people in quite some time...I reflected back on the slight anxiety I had about leaving my studio for something other than a quick jaunt to the store or out to dinner with friends.  It is becoming quite clear to me just how isolated my world has become the more and more I grow as an artist and as my business grows.    

At times, its' a bit disconcerting.   I wonder if I'll always feel this way.  It's not a bad or a good thing truthfully. I don't regret anything I've done or not done...but I still wonder if the trade off for doing something you are so passionate about, you care less and less about other things...or am I just putting a wall up as someone suggested so there is no hurt or chance of vulnerability.

Maybe the hibernating/isolation/is merely a result of a long cold winter, one where the comfort of home is really the only company I've needed.   

As I completed each Angel (there are others in this group)...I had a slow soft tear wander down my cheek. It was as if I knew that these were not mine to keep, they belonged to someone else in the world, that person unknown for the moment, but they are out there.   Nothing created is truly my own...nor is it any artists. We are all vehicles.  I think there is great joy in knowing that..and a touch of sorrow too. 

 Letting go isn't easy.  When you are in the quiet of your studio, painting in isolation..the revelation that you can't hold on to anyone or anything forever is repeated day in and day out.  It can be an emotional roller coaster sometimes.  

The  release isn't just about the art.

It's about life in general.

One must feel the bad to feel the good. Experience the pain, to know the elation of joys that come our way.  We must truly feel isolated to understand the comfort of being surrounded by love. 

We must feel it all...there's no escaping it, no matter what path you choose in life.

I see how it's not living in any extreme for too long that saves us from the pitfalls and the climaxes that can put us over the edge at any moment in time.

Late night musings as she paints in the quiet of the evening.

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See more additions to my Angelic Inspiration Collection by visiting my Etsy shop:

Special-Coupon code to my shop:  happypaddyday15    Save 15% off your order from now until St. Patricks Day 2015.   Enjoy!!

The Burning Question: Why Is it that I am Drawn to OTHER things?

From time to time I get asked questions about  living a creative life, art business, and tons of art technique questions, so I thought I'd share the questions posed occasionally so that everyone could chime in on the discussion or perhaps benefit from my insight.

Notice I didn't say answer.  There rarely is one right answer or truth that fits nice and neatly for everyone.  Even for technique related questions--heck, humidity, temperature, substrate,  and brand of supplies, can skew a technique related answer.  

The same holds true for insight around what to do, why or why not to do something around your creative path or art business. **Not that humidity effects your art biz..heeehee** but your individual circumstances and your ultimate goals effect your direction.  Your experience could effect the question and or answer.

So, with that said...take my advice as for what it's worth.  It's just my opinion based on my circumstance and experience, or my point of view as I see it today...and yes it could change tomorrow :)

Today's question is from a friend on Facebook  who posed this question/predicament to me:

'I often find in my road to mastery, being drawn into different directions which often results in using different mediums. I stop doing what I was doing and go on to that 'new' thing and may not get back to my original medium or path for say up to 2 years.'  Why is this so?  It makes it hard to master anything when this occurs.

My reply:

To me, it sounds like you are in the 'percolating' stage of your creative self. You are still finding what it is that you really like to do.  Is it Acrylics,  oils or watercolors that tempt your art'full self?  Perhaps you are drawn to the allure of encaustic painting or the textural effects of  of raw collage.  Are you drawn to the old papers found at a thrift store, knowing there will be a use for them down the road?  Do you pick up a journal and use it religiously for 2-3 months and then let it get dusty for a year or more?   Maybe you find pen and ink drawings exciting or a portrait painting a challenge but one that you want to take on.   In the quiet of winter do you cozy up with a knitting needle and go back to working on a blanket you started the year before?  Maybe it's the sale ad that came through your email this morning with a promise of 20% off if you order 100.00 or more of new art supplies that you find impossible to resist despite the fact you have a room full of stuff that has yet to be touched.

We all go through the percolating and distraction stage.  The stage where we hunt and gather information, supplies, and inspiration.  We want to do what others are doing, and doing better than we are (because we have yet to start).   Easily bored or uninspired, we move on to something else to capture our attention for the time being (and the time being could be years).  We pick things up, and we put them down, in a cycle of learning and exploring that is neither good nor bad, depending on what it is we are really looking to achieve.

At some point however,  YOU, WE,  need to decide, what it is that we really want to do and where is it that we want to go.  Based on those answers,  the next step is to pare down the distractions or limit those 'extra curricular activities'  to our 'filling the well' time if we want to go down the path of mastery of what's really important to you.

No supply on earth is going to be the one size fits all answer to making you a brilliant artist.  Having a 100 of those supplies will not make you the best at what you do. Granted, good supplies have lots of value and I'm not saying that certain supplies won't make your work better, but to believe it's the supply in itself that's the answer-would be a fallacy.

Being drawn to different types of techniques is totally normal and very much encouraged.  But you are right, it is hard to master a few when you are distracted a lot.    Perhaps you aren't ready to make a choice about your art and that's why you are easily drawn to other mediums.  If you are ready to make a choice, know that it doesn't mean you can't go back to something else here and there (or for long periods of time).

When I first started creating, collage was my favorite  medium.  And then it was journaling.  And then I knitted for a while.  I moved on to drawing.  Then water colors called me for a period of time, until I discovered acrylic paints...and at that point, I was hooked. I still do all of the things I love or loved  (well except for knitting) , but I decided when I became really serious about my craft, to zone in on acrylics.   I wanted and still want to discover all I can about the medium and stretch my limits as an artist using acrylic paint as my primary medium.  But I still want to do other things, too,  and I think when other mediums (or genres of art)  pop into my work for periods of time--they are there to serve a purpose.  They help me grow as an artist.

Really understanding why you do what you do and what your ultimate goals are as an artist (and an individual) is very important in this process as well. It's hard to know where you are going without some idea of where it is you want to go! :)   

Don't loose sleep over the fact you are in the percolating stage if in fact that is where you are.   Trust your instincts and you will know when it is to start specializing in whatever it is you want to do.  Listen to yourself  so you can hear when it is time to take a break and play with some other 'toys' or processes.  

If you are on the edge of the percolating stage and about to get off on the road to mastery, then very possibly yes...it's time to make a decision . Start drawing out a road map of how you are going to get there and stick to it.  Get excited about it and passionate about your process.  Be swayed by other things when it makes sense to, or supports your ultimate goals.

Or...maybe it's not time to make  a decision.

If you never master anything but are great at a lot of things, that's okay too.  If you are happy with the path you are on, that is all that matters.  Life is a journey and all parts of it should be enjoyed. If you aren't enjoying one part, the beauty of this life is that it's never too late change your direction. 


  Mastery does not equal success. Nor does success equal happiness. We all define each in our own way, and find our balance according to the beat of our individual drums.  Understanding our definition of mastery, success, and happiness should be perhaps a first stop on the road however.

Carry on my friends and have a fantastic weekend!
Jodi



Do YOU have a burning question around the artistic life, art business, art techniques or topics you'd like to hear or learn more about?  Leave a comment here! I'd love to use them in upcoming posts!


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