Go Behind the Scenes with Jodi Ohl at the Filming of her latest DVD's

Throughout the week of taping my DVD's, the film crew were like little mouses, sneaking around with the cameras and asking me oddball questions..lol   Here's a quick little promo videos with a couple of the out-takes. Everyone had a great sense of humor and lots of fun during filming :)

To view all of the products and options available from F&W Media,  please click 

HERE.

Part 2 of the Big News: This is Really Happening! Behind The Scenes of Making My DVDS!

The last few months have  been a whirlwind for sure with all sorts of cool projects going on,  fun trips, awesome classes with super fun students,  and just incredible memories made doing work I hardly consider a job.  This week I'm super EXCITED to share even more news (with a few more announcements to come..what the what!!!!).  

Last May, some of you may recall that I traveled to the Cincinnati film studios of F&W Media (parent company of Cloth Paper Scissors,  Artists Magazine, North Light Books,  Artists and Makers, to name a few),  to spend 4 days filming for upcoming DVDs of mine they are producing. Well....the time has come and the 4 new DVD's  are ready for Pre-order (they  will be shipping starting October 2nd). The digital downloads are available now!!!   This is one of those pinch me moments that I can hardly believe is happening!

I thought you might enjoy seeing some of the behind the scenes photos of my work table and set up as well as meet a couple of the wonder women behind the scenes filming (sorry I didn't get pics of the guys that made it all happen, too)!  One thing is for sure, there's so much hard work and effort that goes into producing videos,  each and every person plays a vital rol in making it all happen!

My producer,  Amy Jones.  She did an awesome job putting all the details of my creative vision  for the projects into an actual product that we are delivering to you!    Not to mention she is a lot of fun and has a great personality. I felt welcome and valued as soon as I arrived on set!   I was scared as could be, not knowing what to expect and I know the first day I was not as comfortable with the whole process as I could have been but it didn't take long for my nerves to settle with all the support and help the crew lent me!

 Wowza...do you see that big camera facing down on the set?  They had 4 of those around the room...and 3-4 camera/film operators at any one time working on the set along with myself and the producer. It was quite the arty party!!!  :)

The projects range from watercolors on Yupo,  acrylic painting, collage, and ink paintings. Just tons of techniques and information jam packed into the DVDs that will be soon available.   The fact that I had the opportunity to do this is just beyond words.  I know I'm blessed for sure and I am excited to bring to you this new avenue of creative education at an extremely affordable price!   There have been tons of requests in the past from students of mine to have downloadable products or dvds and I just didn't have a way to create that type of product...well that's an issue of the past.  Now you can  enjoy the classes/projects anytime, anywhere!

Here's Christine, another one of the camera woman and a photographer along with Amy, our producer.  I hope you can tell how much fun we all had from their contagious smiles!  :))

 More samples I brought for the shoot...we 'prettied' up the set with a fun selection of my art over the course of the week. I brought a ton of stuff!  I seem to do that where ever I go.  Packing lightly is just not something I'm very good at!! :))

Preparing to work on a new project for the film...there's a lot of stop and starting during the course of the day but it is definitely a FULL day of work for each of the DVD's we created and then months of editing and polishing it all up for the  the final project(s).

So other than noticing for sure how dang chunky I look, I'm really proud of everything we created at F&W Media!!  I hope that you take a second to check out the DVD's or Downloads and buy one or two for yourself!   These would make great stocking stuffers for the holidays, too...just sayin!!! :))

Here are the pictures for the DVD's and if you click on them they will take you right to the store to purchase them!

Collage Characters

Expressive Watercolor on Yupo:  Painting Flowers

Graffiti Grunge Art

Tandem Techniques 15 Mixed Media Techniques for Canvas and Art Journals

My last words of wisdom for this post is simply to be brave in your quest to achieve your dreams.  You never know what can happen if you simply try.  Now go out and make some beautiful art or run that marathon you've been wanting to do!  You got this!

Ohhh...one more thing,  if you haven't had a chance to stop by my last blog post-I'm having a giveaway. Entries taken through 9/30!  

Stay tuned for more big news coming!!

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If you are in the neighborhood, join us for the opening reception for my new featured artist show, "Land of the Whimsical and Odd".  October 1st from 630-830. The show will be up through the end of October at Artful Living Group in Carolina Beach.  

Art Journal: A Vacation at Home

Last night I was working in my studio for the 3rd day in a row....late in the evening, immersed in some journal work and it honestly felt delicious and extremely comforting. I go in phases when working in my journal. I almost always have it out when I'm painting to use as a palette, cleaning off my brushes or stamps right into my journal, but it might take me days, weeks, or months to complete a page.  Not always, but sometimes.   Over the last few days, I completed a bunch of pages though and started a million others. Don't you love when creativity sparks an avalanche of activity??

The outcome of these messy pages are unpredictable. I know that's disconcerting to some.  It's not easy to let go and it's easy to go down the path of what the heck is this page supposed to be.  I rarely have a plan.  I also rarely finish one page at a time, rather I work on multiple pages and multiple books when I am in the journal state of mind.    Pretty much every supply under the sun is fair game, too.   I often use my journal to use up colors or supplies I hadn't tried in awhile.  It's a virtual playground, where ideas ebb and flow.  I do feel guilty sometimes if I indulge too much in playtime.  I have to admit, days off or playtime in general are few and far between for me lately.  I think if you push yourself too far, and place too many unrealistic expectations on yourself in any area of your life,  burn out is inevitable.  Taking time off to do something a bit different than your new routine can be that break you need so that you don't crash and burn.

 So yes, when I can't escape to the tropics, or take a full day off from the studio...art journaling is a little vacation for my mind and my regular day to day tasks.  

I'm grateful for having this outlet to 'think out loud' with, and breathe in and out a bit more slowly.

What do you do to escape from your everyday life or tasks when a vacation is not an option??  I'd love to hear what type of  tools you use to cope and take a break with!

Artfully yours,

Jodi

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Be sure to check out my Etsy shop!  Back in December I had around 40 items listed but for the new year, I had a goal to increase that to 80--well now I'm pushing almost 100 items now!!! Lots of new items and even a few supplies!!

And New Note cards

Wait until you see this!! UNBELIEVABLE Limited Edition Giclee Print!

With a very exclusive print run of 50 for this size (24 x 36), you don't want to miss out on this spectacular piece for a fraction of what an original would cost yet enjoy an amazing reproduction that shows an amazing amount of texture and detail similar to that of the original.

Art Everyday Month Project 11 "There is No Map"

I took part of the day off yesterday to go and play with little man which I don't get to do often enough. The kids of course had a day off for Veteran's Day and he wanted to go to the mall to get some new sneakers.  What is it with boys and their sneakers?  Oh my.  He's addicted.

We even started doing a little Christmas shopping which felt good to do. My normal MO is to wait to the last minute and be totally stressed out about it.  

Doing things at the wire of any deadline seems to be my MO for a lot of things! Funny how your personality traits trickle down to more than one part of your life.

It's not that I sit around either doing nothing. If there is free time in my schedule, I seem to fill it with more things. Then what happens, I start to scramble when I realize I've over committed. Time to change. How do you change?  What do you let go of when you want to do it all and feel like you need to do it all?

Today's Art Everyday Month (or yesterdays rather) is a journal page I'm calling:

"There Is No Map.....Only Signs"

 It may seem like there is a life map out there, but there's not.  No instruction book written expressly for you. Oh sure there are plenty of people, books, articles, shows and so on that will tell you what to do and when, but they don't know YOU and your situation. Your whys, your obstacles, challenges, opportunities, blessings and curses.

Only you know all that and sometimes not even you can see the big picture.

 So what do you do when you are at a crossroads, a fork in the road?

The only thing I know to do is:

Trust the signs.  It's simple enough but hard to do.  Sometimes discerning the signs is not easy.

I look for them all the time to guide me.

 Sometimes I follow them, sometimes I fight them with every last ounce of strength I have.

I do believe we get better at recognizing the right and wrong way to go as we get older but it still can be a murky highway at times.

So as you are swimming out of the murky waters and searching for the dry ground,  listen to your heart, it will more than not show you the way.

Okay so I'm off to the races....lots of great fun things in the air that need to be juggled one at a time back out into the world. I'm outta here to go and bring some colorful goodness out into the world!

Artfully Yours,

Jodi

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Do you want to paint and draw faces?  Are you looking for guidance on how to do it from a-z?  Join my class "Painterly in Pink" where we draw, paint, and collage our way to painting girls with depth and whimsy all in one!

Playing Outside of the Lines Art Everyday Month Day 8

 C'mon take a peek into my journal again today.  Art Everyday Month Day 8 continues with a little  Teesha Moore style funky collage journal page. I just love her style, don't you?  No one does it quite like her but it's fun to play with nonetheless! 

Check out the top border--guess what that came from?   Citra Solv altered National Geographic papers!!! (HOW COOL!!) I have been messin' with this technique for over a month now and have accumulated a whole slew of papers that are just yummy and fun to play with. I'm finding the process totally addicting now that I have figured out the technique. In fact, I'm going to demo the process at the Art of the Carolina's this weekend (Saturday at 4:00pm) in the Carolina Mixed Media Guild's Make and Take room. I'll also be sharing a few other UBER  cool background techniques to enhance your work for paintings or ATC (which is the main focus of the make and take room)  If you are in the area, definitely come and check it out! Did I mention the Make and Take room is FREE????!!! Come make ATC's with us and stay for  one of the many demos our members will be sharing throughout the weekend.

 I really probably have a few more things to add and enhance to this page but that's the beauty of a journal...it's yours so it's done when you say it's done. Come back to it tomorrow or come back to it 2 months from now and play some more!

 I'm actually working on a bigger 24 x 30 commission piece this week so this journal was by my side as I painted on my canvas (I'll feature that soon...it's sweet as can be :).   Excess paint paint goes on the journal, then when the paint was drying on one thing, I went over to the next and back and forth...back and forth I went. I finished up some of the lettering in bed (hence the letters probably need a little touch up because I have poor lighting in my bedroom.  Maybe I need to buy another Ott light for there if I continue to draw and work in my journal at night.  Can you tell I'm single??? LOL  Who plays in their journal at bed time that has a partner....oh my. I have too much time on my hands!

I really had no plan as I worked on this page, just started to put things to gether (all the borders, hand, shirt, hand, circle thingy are all citrasolv papers) and then I came up with my main phrase and just wrote out my thoughts around that for the day.....relaxing and invigorating to be free to just do whatever no matter how crazy it is!

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Materials Used:

9 x 12 Strathmore Mixed Media Journal

Liquitex lime green acrylic paint

Citra Solv Altered magazine pages

Black Sharpie

White Deco color acrylic paint pen

altered magazine images

Gel Medium (I actually would advise not to use too much gel medium when adhering magazine pages...I prefer glue sticks when using magazine images in journal pages.  I have no idea what possessed me to use medium....the pages crinkle more and are left with a bit of a glare)

Pan Pastels in black, gray, and titanium white

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Challenge yourself to think outside the box and just play. No rules, no needing to stay inside the lines...just play and have fun. I did!

The Search For Balance and Focus

Lest you think I've been sitting on my duff--think again. I have been!
Painting that is!
I've completed my Winter in NY series--but may add one more piece to the mix if I have a chance.
Time. Time. Time. It's a constant struggle to make enough time to do what we love to do.


Staying up till 1-2am most nights will wear at you especially if you are working
full time during the day. Oddly enough, I'm really not complaining. Just
working on ways to keep my energy level up and to BE THERE for everyone and
everything. Maybe there's not a way to do it all. Maybe some do it better than others.


I do feel blessed that I learned determination from my Mother.
It's a trait she instilled in us to keep plugging away at whatever it
is that we want to do and not give up.

So, now I'm working on a way to make my dream a reality and
to be able to really afford it. That is, I am working towards being
a full time working artist and have a nest egg stashed away so I don't
fret in the down times. It's going to require me to work my tail off for
2-3 years doing it all. Maybe working 14-16-18 hours a day some days.
It's going to require me to pay down my debt and stash a good chunk of
money away in savings for those down times that will surely come like an
ebb and flow. I met with my local artist guild this evening and this was a
very hot topic for many of us. The beauty of doing what you love comes with
a price. The worries, the anxiety, the struggle, and then the joy, the passion, the
self satisfaction follow--sometimes on a daily basis.


One thing that resonated with everyone, is to do what you love because
if you wait until a better day, a better year, a better time....it may be too
late. But you also must do what pays the bills and be smart in how you
market yourself, your work, your products. Be willing to change if the
times are changing, the trends, the competition. Stay a step ahead, but
at the same time--stay with you heart. Everything else will come together.

For me, it's a matter of creating a body of work that is distinctly mine and
getting myself out in the world in the way I want to be known, to be heard.
Finding a niche and exploring every angle of it. In order to do this, I need
to be fully committed, and 100% dedicated. I am. I will be. But there are days of
doubt. But I am grateful I am able to do this now, I'm grateful for finding it in
me again after a long respite of 20 years or so.

These pieces are for a collection that I will be offering at the Fayetteville
Museum of Art. The good news I eluded to in my earlier post was that I
am going to be their featured artist in their show starting November 7th. I can
hardly believe it! Me???? How did this happen? Would you believe, I was
found by one of the directors through my Etsy shop because of my little itty
bitty magnets?? My magnets. And then one thing led to another and before I knew it,
they asked me to do this. Amazing. I'm blessed, I'm lucky, and I'm honored all at the
same time. I'm also energized even more so than ever to keep pushing myself
to do better work, and to keep up my pace with even more determination.

I hope that doors continue to open, but in order for that to happen, I must keep
my eye to the future and roll with the punches and take the opportunities that
are put before me and run with it. Thank you for your support. I greatly appreciated
comments!


To see more of these pieces-please check out my flickr page!
***
For the winners of my contest, I haven't forgotten about you--apologize for the
mail delay. I will get your prizes out to you as soon as possible!!

***

I hope that whatever it is in your heart that stirs a passion and determination, you
follow your dreams and chase after it with every bit of resolve that you can muster.
Things will happen for you! It's the Secret of life!!!! :)

Winter In New York--WIP (and good news!!)

I didn't know where I was going until I arrived at my destination.

So much of the creative process is the willingness to let the canvas
speak to you as it evolves and takes on a life of it's own.
You can start with a sketch, formulate an idea, have a notion of what it is you want to communicate--and then be okay if the fork in the road tells you it is time to turn towards a new destination. Those that fight that direction to turn usually end up frustrated, standing still or worse yet--turn back. It's okay to pause and reflect, but move on you must.

I fully intended to make this new set of canvases in the same vein of the many other collections I've been creating as of lately, but this grouping seemed to speak to me in a different way. I loved the backgrounds that had evolved, they are in many ways when examined close up, deep, reflective and hauntingly peaceful. Perhaps it's the color combination, perhaps it's the many layers-whatever the case is, I decided to understate my little houses and show just shadows of others in a winter like scene.

Winter In New York
I wanted to show you a sample of where I'm at today. I haven't posted in the last several days because I've been extremely busy trying to complete several works in progress for a couple of different venues. I'm at the point right now where I just need to add some final details in the shading and then varnish and sign the pieces. What a relief. That will be done today for these pieces and I'll be halfway done with my projects. At some point today, I need to write an Artist Biography. Has anyone compiled one of their own? I've written a statement but a biography is different. I am trying to think of what right I have to even say I have a biography let alone one that someone would want to read--but I must try to put into 100 words or less what it is that I do, where I come from, and what is it that inspires me. That's a daunting task.
I've been so many places, emotionally and physically. I do many different things but am leaning towards focusing on just a few. Inspire surrounds me where ever I turn, but I suppose some things speak to me now more so than others. Where do I want to go? Forward. It's pretty simple. By revisiting the past through my memories and laying them down on a canvas, I'm hoping to move forward in my career as a full time artist (which by the way I'm only at the point where I can pay for a weeks groceries and my art supplies with what I make, but that's a starting point, right??). I'm no where near where I need to be to do this full time.

But good things are coming....and I need to allocate my time wisely, be productive, and be business like in what I do to keep my work flowing, profitable, and meaningful. And still make time for my family and my day job that pays the bills.

For those of you who are subscribers of Cloth, Paper, Scissors--perhaps you've seen my article, "Finding My Way Home"---it's finally published!!!! What a journey!!! I have only seen the PDF file sent to me for final approval as my artist copies have not arrived but a few little birdies sang out that they had seen it and it looked really nice. It's scary to think so many will be seeing up close and personal what I created, even scarier for me to think that so many will be reading what I wrote. Both make you so vulnerable, but at the same time, it's exhilarating and tremendously exciting!! I hope to have another article out in the Spring--some things are tentative now, so stay tuned for that, for now--please let me know what you think if you've seen it, and if you think this an avenue I should continue to pursue.

Next week--I'll let you know where the collection "Winter in New York" will find her home. Wait to you hear how this came about....it's funny how little things can open doors. :)

Till next time,
Don't be afraid to turn if the sign tells you that this is the right way to go. Life is an adventure, be ready to roll with it!

Color Contest WINNERS and What's UP with Me :)

State of the art table tonight. I have toys out in full gear, some of my
favorites: staz on ink in black, ink essential pen in opaque white,
gel medium, golden glaze, golden titanium white, gesso, flourish stamp,
black acrylic paint. Okay, time to unveil my winning color choice for my first
collection: It's none other then Glenda of Two Cool Texans! Her choice was black,white, gray, and brick red. I already had pretty much decided on doing at least a few pieces in black and white, but I was stuck on the contrasting color--red just spoke to me. It seems wintery and fresh, and it reminds me of winter time in NY for some reason. Dark, gray, even black at times, then driving down a snow dusted street coming to a stop light, you see the stark red glaze of the light speaking to you to slow down and wait for just a bit, like winter time itself. Slowing down, waiting, refueling for the start of a new year and new beginning. Anyway, this color choice seemed right for me and it definitely is different than what I have been doing.


I had prepped the canvases over the weekend, my newest trick is stamping into molding paste to enhance the form of the stamp.

I did a black color wash of these, then used white paint with glace to add another layer so far, then overstamped with black and white inks/paint. You probably can't see it but I did add some journaling with the opaque gel pen. I wish you could touch my pieces--there's so much texture and many hidden layers a picture just can't capture!


Because I am doing more than one collection at the moment, I chose a second winner--
Runner Up-Sheila at
Createitcottage--I really love this color combo and think it speaks of winter and the holiday season in a fresh cottagy shic way and is very modern which I think will fit well in one of my stores that I have work in.

In truth, I LOVE all of your selections and had a hard time picking the runner up--I will probably use all of your choices at some point soon!! So, here's my pinky promise to you: if I use your combo before the end of the year, I will send you a prize of some sort! You'll have to trust me to contact you..lol..or better yet, keep checking back in since I love featuring my work in progress both on flickr and this blog. Thank you everyone for joining in this quick and inspirational contest!

I have to admit, I am scared to death that I won't be able to meet all my self imposed deadlines, but I have some great opportunities ahead of me so I am going to put my nose to the grind and create up a storm over the next couple of weeks. I have an offer to be in a prestigous venue for our area, so once I've fullfilled my commitment to them, I'll let you all in on where it is. Other things I'm doing, well I am part of a really great group project with some of my Etsy mixed media friends--my turn is coming up this weekend so I'm siked about that. We are hoping this venture turns into a publishing opportunity for all of us..so stay tuned for that. Next, I'm working on MANY MANY ATC's for my local group of mixed media artists, the Carolina Mixed Media Guild. We are having a 'Make and Take' table at the Art of the Carolina's this November, so it's a great opportunity for us to show our work, teach a bit, and ohhhh ya, SHOP for some fabu supplies on the cheap!! As if this weren't enough, I am working on a few custom orders for some very special peeps--gotta love your mamma and sisters :) LOL. Oh ya, and keep up the etsy shop. You know what, I just need to ride this wave while it's coming and do my best that I can do. No turning back now. I'm in it for the long haul!

What wave have you been riding lately???

Reflections of the Week

Today I feel like someone hit me across my back with a baseball bat. It has to be stress is all that I can think of, my shoulders, my upper back, and my chest all feel like I have been in a slug fest. What a difference a week makes. After reading the Secret, I should know better than to let all this negative energy into my world but even those with the strongest resilience to pressure and stress at times fall victim to the negativity. That would be the case with me this week. Many of you may know that my day job is that of a bank manager, and my company just happens to be on of the big ones that has been splashed all over the news this week. It's been disheartening to say the least. With the economy of the world spinning around at the speed of light and our livelihood and career seemingly falling apart, it's amazing how it all can not just affect you emotionally, but physically as well.

While I normally don't speak much of my work life, I just wanted everyone that does know me and who does know who I work for in real life--know that I haven't lost my job and our branches are secure for the moment and not going anywhere. I wish I could cushion my employees though from hearing many thoughtless comments from people who come in to the center but I can't. If those who open their mouth would actually listen to what comes out of it before they actually breathe the words that dribble from their lip, it would be a miracle. I wish people would remember that the fault of a few are not caused by those that you deal with on a day to day basis and who have taken care of your needs for many years with a smile on their face. People are feeling the stress of the world and are rightfully so frustrated and angry and concerned, and perplexed at how did this all happen to us.

As a manager though, I take it in and handle what I can for those issues that are brought to my attention--but it does feel like all of my energy and my every bit of life has been just about sucked out of me. I am glad i was able to escape a bit this weekend and finish up the last of my September paintings. Those that I have created to feature in Flynne's Coffee shop in Southern Pines, NC. All in all, I brought her 18 new pieces and 11 prints and many new magnets I made. I feel better now that that's all done and ready to go. I pushed myself to get it done and it was a hellacious weekend for me to be plugging away with my artwork in a lot of ways because of all the stress I was feeling. But I did it, and I feel better. Talk about mixed emotions. Amazingly happy that I made my goal and then some, but anxious and mentally exhausted from all the craziness going on in my work life.

In the end, I just have to stop playing out every scenario in my head and beating myself up over things I can not control. You have to roll with the punches and instead of fighting the winds of change and subscribing to the chaos--you hold yourself with dignity and carry on to the best of your ability. That's all you can do.

This weekend I saw a fellow mixed media artist at our farmer's market and she said something that is prolific in a way. ' If you can make something, you can sell something. We will be okay because we can create with our hands. You just have to get out there and do that. ' Maybe that's what I'm moving towards because I'm quickly finding out that even the safest of havens aren't always all that safe. Always think ahead, plan for the next turn in the road and forge ahead before the rest of the crowd catches up with you.

Last week I was deep in thought about changing positions within my company and I was almost there, I had it in my hand I was moving forward--and this all happened this weekend. The turn of events made me stop and reevaluate my decision as if a lightening bolt had struck just in front of where I was about to step. Stop. Wait. Listen. Now's not the time to do this. I had to listen to the wind. I had to listen to my body. My body was aching and anxious with the turn of events of our industry of our industry. How it all would effect this decision I had made and how it would effect my future was a chance I'm just not willing to take right now with all the uncertainty.


One thing I am certain of, is that I will always create. I will never stop now. Maybe my drive and ambition is that much more fired up. Sometimes necessity spurs change, change spurs action, and action will transcend into rewards. Now stop and listen. I had to. I did. And I'm staying where I'm at, but I'm definitely keeping my eye close to the future.

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You are viewing my latest set of paintings. I didn't create them so much with a place in mind like my other paintings of late, but more so for a exploration of color and monotone work. I love this combination of yellow, white, gray and black--what are your thoughts? Does it make you smile? Do they speak to you??

Stepping out of the Zone

Is it Monday already?

Having a few days off really spoils oneself, doesn't it? I had Wednesday through Sunday off and got a whole bunch, a WHOLE BUNCH of artwork done, 7 pieces altogether would you believe?!
I also was whittling away at my article during my days off. I figured I would take the creative approach to keeping notes about my process and put them in the big BIG HUGE journal I have that I received during our Paris Swap. I totally made note keeping fun. If I only could have brought my markers and stamps to college, life would have been so much easier! I wish I had beautiful handwriting, I have a tendency to scrunch up my words together, sometimes barely even waiting to finish one word before moving on to the next.

During this time off, I day dreamed about what it would be like to throw the corporate world away and turn to my hands as well as my mind to make my living.
What was my conclusion?
I need a sugar Daddy. LOL
No seriously, I'm a modern woman here. I can take care of myself--but not yet by myself. I still need my day job, but I do believe I could make a decent living if I could focus the majority of my day on my artistic life. I might be a skinnier gal and have to take a few less trips to Starbucks--but hey, I'm about to have to make that choice anyway with the rising prices so what the heck. Well, what the heck is Insurance money. That's pretty much the only reason why I won't quit my day job truth be told.
Well until that day comes along, I'm satisfied to create on the side and have fun in my own little world. I'm hoping soon it's going to branch off into bigger things--time will tell!

In my last post, we ( meaning me) started a discussion about what you are doing to save money these days. Be sure to check back in the comments and read what others are doing--and please share yours if you missed the post!
Several of you mentioned using what you have, ENJOYING what you have whether it be the food you already do have or utilizing the (art) supplies you own before going out to the store to by more. That's a great tip. The picture above denotes pieces of scrap I use over and over again in my pieces to create texture and use as stencils. Nothing fancy and probably mostly things you have in your stash. I've been doing good at saving things that I think will work in my art. Almost too good. I've got a growing stash of 'texture' tools as well as papers that I can pull from at a moments notice. That's saving and recycling, right?
Although, I must admit, I did visit an Etsy shop recently of a new friend called Remember Yesterday and bought some cool vintage goodies to use in my collages. I received them today and the shop owner through in some goodies from her art store--Kathy's collages and assembleages are wonderfully crafted. You must visit!! Very reasonable I might mention (as we are trying to save $$)

See here--I'm working on my 'secret projects'(which are completed now), utilizing one of my used up gift cards! I've used the credit cards and gift cards before to spread on paint on my collages, but only recently started working with modeling paste and found that the cards are perfect for laying on this medium as well. Who needs an expensive palette knife??

I need to do a few touch up on these pieces before I list them, but they are pretty much completed. I had a coffee shop in town in mind when I made these, I even used their cups they use for inspiration. I doodled and journaled on the background using a brown charcoal pencil. That's the first time I used a brown charcoal pencil.

I love the distressed look it generates as I worked the yellows, creams, and oranges in to create the warm and funky background.

Makes me want to grab a cuppa Joe...something I drink entirely too much of. I do get a lot done every day thanks to my pal Joe.
In other good news, I prospected two more shops that I potentially can put my art in. One is going to be perfect for a couple of bigger pieces. The other, my friend Amy put in a good word for me to one of her friends that owns a shop and I am going to chat with her about potentially being a featured artist for August. It's all very exciting. I'm glad I've started to network and get to know other people and artists in my area. It's taking a big step for me because outside of work, I'm pretty much a loner....making friends and getting out in the world pretty much doesn't happen for me so it's definitely outside of my comfort zone. I'm fine once I get to know people, but generally I'm not the social butterfly that gets involved in a lot of things. Amy is helping me along with ideas on how to feature myself in galleries or shops, and I'm doing my best to encourage her to send her work off for publication, too.
I'm hoping this last 5 months of the year brings many good things to those of us who step outside of our comfort zone and just try...just try something new and brave and scary all at the same time. You never know where that road may lead. It leads no where if you don't at least attempt the journey. That's one thing for sure.

Until next time, be good--and be thinking of new ways to enjoy what we have and or save a little bread for Sunday dinner. :)