Zen Houses Opening Soon-Painting Giveaway!

2 More Sleeps!

Yippee Skippy!   

I couldn't be more excited to announce my newest online workshop, Zen Houses,  is ready to launch and will be opening on September 6th!   This class merges two of my most favorite styles/themes of painting: My Funky Little Houses and Zen Painting into a fun filled (and robust workshop--over 6 hours of content!), 

You'll learn everything from shading, pen and pencil work, sketching,  using a specialty surface along with extremely fluid paint,  to create a water color'ish, sketcherly, work of art.  (I make up a few words here and there...heehee).    

I jammed packed this  course with several projects, warm ups, and many discussions where I share insights, tips,  and tricks of the trade.  

Here's a few more pics to  inspire you,  so you can get a general idea of what you'll be doing during Zen Houses :

From the Cottage House Chapter

From the Challenge House Chapter

From the Beach House ChapterPLUS MORE!!!!!

One of the many exciting parts of this whole process is watching my students go from a sketch to a fully illustrated painting.  I mean, can you imagine going from this:

To This??? 

 Well you can with my assistance!  I promise I will lead you from start to finish and then some!  My goal is for you not just to recreate my projects, but to grow and flourish as an artist beyond the class room!!!

The sale price for this fun filled workshop ends on the launch date (September 6th), but of course you can jump in at anytime as this is a self paced course.

BONUS--I will do 2 live chats & painting exercises during the first 8 weeks of the course PLUS offer a bonus video midstream of our first few weeks together.

In addition to our intensive warm ups, you will complete 2 mini paintings and 3full size paintings, and if you so chose, I give one final assignment for the truly ambitious.   That's a ton of content for this low  price, honestly you will get your money's worth out of this course!!!

I hope you will join me and over 100 students from around the world for Zen Houses!

For more info and or to register, check out my class page by clicking HERE.

Even if you can't join us, please help spread the word!  I am giving away, yes giving away one of my sample pieces  featured in this course titled, "Home is Where you Are", a 10x10 on gessobord.    The giveaway is open to everyone, but shipping expenses would have to be charged if one of my international friends happens to win.

How to put your name in the hat?  

Simply comment on this post and tell me where your home is and why do you consider it your sanctuary...after all, we are all searching for peace and a sense of calm, hopefully our homes are where we find that first and foremost.

If you are so inclined to share this post so that more people can hear about my class, please link to it and come back and comment again for a second entry!!

Drawing will be held on September 6th, 2017  PS...please leave your email in the comments so I can reach you if you win.

Good luck, and thank you so much for all your support and encouragement!!

xoxo

Jodi Ohl

PS....one more  announcement: some of my creative and friends and I are having an auction this weekend online to raise money for Hurricane Harvey victims.  10 of us are all donating a piece of art for the auction and would love for you to support the cause by placing a bid.  The auction starts 7pm on Saturday, the 9th through 11 pm.  Highest bidder at the end of the auction wins. EZ peezy.  You do need to join the event to participate which you can do so by clicking HERE.

This is the piece I am contributing, "Beach Road", which is a 10x10 original painting that I used for a sample during this workshop.

Thank you so much for your support! We need to pull together as a country now more than ever!

Friends Helping Friends Event

Coming Soon!! Zen Houses

I hope you will join me for my upcoming workshop, Zen Houses which begins September 6th!

More details coming!   Over 6 hours of content, PLUS  a few surprises!

Check out the registration page by clicking HERE. 

Friday Favs- Random Paint and Tools Edition

What....is it Friday, Saturday already???  I can't believe how fast this week has blown by!  I'm in the middle of teaching at our ReMe Retreats-The Sandhills  so I apologize for the late post. We've been crazy busy in the best possible way working with a fabulous group of women during this retreat!   

Today's post is going to highlight some random favs that I'm loving this week that I think you will too.  Without further adieu, let's see what's been on my art table lately!!

Well....can you see that big ole paint bottle on my table?  It is the bomb and should be a part of every artists tool box--drum Roll....Quinicridone Nickel Azo Gold by Golden.  You can use as a glaze,  wonderful for shading, aging, and it can mimic a patina, especially if you use it over Teal by Golden.




Over to the left and on my wall you can see my Zen Paintings which are created on Gessobord by Ampersand.  Love love love this material. It's great for inks, Golden High Flows, pencil, water color, even acrylic although I mostly use it for water media myself. 

Not sure if you can see this tool or not in my picture but one of my favorite mixed media painting tools that I use all the time is the Catalyst Wedge.  It can be used to apply paint, scrape paint back, draw lines, create scruffy industrial or weather look with paint and so much more.  The wedges come in a variety of different sizes but this style seems to be the one I grab for the most.  


Also made by Princeton are the heartiest brushes I have found to stand up to scrubbing paint on a canvas.   They seem like the bristles are unusually hard but once you saturate with water and paint, they are really very pliable and  retain their shape once you are finished painting.  




Hopefully you are inspired to start creating this weekend if you haven't started already!   Enjoy this beautiful fall day doing what you love.

Heading back to the Retreat, see you next week!

Big Day! Our Winners Revealed!!

Today is the big day!  I got up fairly early to draw a couple names as soon as I could so you all wouldn't have to wait any longer and I'm soooooo excited for these two ladies who will be joining me and tons of other Zen Painting Peeps in just a couple of weeks.....

Two winners are::::Drum Roll please!!! 


One random winner was chosen and that winner is---




Li Li Wee said...

Zen to me is not just about being calm and at peace. It's about embracing chaos . It's about embracing the yin and yang energy.. IT'S ABOUT BEING PRESENT AND EMBRACING 'WHAT IS' AT THE CURRENT MOMENT!!

What I will benefit from the workshop?
I am hoping to overcome myself doubt and fear of creating through your style of art.

Thank you for the opportunity

5:35 AM 

And one winner was chosen because I was compelled by their story.......

Becky Collins said...  

Zen for me today is different than it was just one week ago. On 9/9 I had a double mastectomy and will be laid up for quite a few weeks. So as I lay here this first week I'm clearing my mind(because it's too painful to even color) clearing my mind of all negative thoughts and feelings that come with being diagnosed with cancer.the new path I'm on has been sweet thus far because it's brought my husband and I some needed together time, while he's been my care giver he's also slowed me down. And that is where ZEN is for me these days. It's in the quiet, it's in the mind. But soon it will be on paper and it's that day that keeps me going! Thank you for giving all of us the opportunity to win a seat!! I hope to come visit you at your shop when I'm well enough.

2:28 PM 

LiLi and Becky, please contact me at jodiohl@hotmail.com to claim your spot in the class! :))

Honestly,  ALLL the stories you shared were so compelling. I enjoyed reading them and most likely will go back to the post and re-read  them time and time again.  So many ideas were shared on how YOU find your place of peace and comfort, I think it just goes to show you how much we all need to find whatever you want to call it...Zen moments, peaceful moments, a state of calm or reflection.

  My hope that my class may play a small part in that quest for those that join it, or  through the art that will be born from its inspiration.

Once again, congratulations going out to both the winners...I am so happy for you!  Thank YOU all for joining in on this fun giveaway, and I sure do appreciate the Zen Love you showed me by your thoughtful comments and social media shares/accolades!  xoxo

If you'd like to join in on the workshop, there still is time to participate as it will launch on October 5th!  Click HERE to read more about it and or to register!

Join in on my newsletter so you are the first to hear about  new collections, classes , product recommendations, words of wisdom, and of course, giveaways and or specials monthly!  Thank you so much, and until next time....

Live to create, Create to Live.  

Use your gifts to make the world a better place, whatever those gifts are.

Jodi

Memory Lane, Big Reminders and Product Recommendations!

It can't possibly be almost mid September can it???  Holy smoly, where does time go??  

This has been a whirlwind week as I was in Cincinnati filming new DVD's for the Artist Network (if you didn't know, I have 4 DVDS already available that I taped last year for them, check them out here!) 

While I was there-I was surprised to see a preview of a beautiful new book I was blessed to have one of my large whimsical pieces featured in!

For those of you who may be interested, Incite 4 is coming out in just a few weeks and is a large compilation of a variety of amazingly talented mixed media and acrylic painters around the world!   Pinching myself that I'm included with this elite group of artists!! 

Here's a link to the book if you want to pre-order it!

Can I just say that this last experience filming my new DVD's was soooo fun?   I was completely nervous, sick to my stomach flipping out type of nervous before I went but then somehow, someway, I calmed down a bit during my 10 hour drive from North Carolina to Cinci.   I had a lot of time to think, rethink, analyze and prepare myself for the filming-but it's still scary. I am filled with anxiety anytime I do either something new, public speaking,  or am in front of an audience.  Even so, I try to mask my insecurity or fear enough to get started--once I'm there and in the moment I find away to rise up and face the challenge.

Do any of you have those jitters?? 

Back to being so much fun-the crew at F&W media (the same group of amazing people who bring you so many of the books and magazines  in fine art, mixed media, writing, scrapbooking, beading, and wood working  to name just a few in their catalog)  made me feel so at home and we all kept each other laughing and playfulness all throughout the week. I know these videos will be fan-friggin-tastic~ Stay tuned-they will be released at the end of January and I'll certainly share more about that when I have a for sure date and pre-order info.

For now-here's a couple of pics from last weeks filming at the studio.

 Brad actually made me feel very comfortable..he was so easy on the eyes to stare at ;)

 Amy Jones-my fantastic producer for the videos and student for 2 of the days!

 A little peak at one of the art on the set...stay tuned for a way cool video on Abstracts!

 One of my new Abstracts on Yupo!

 Awww...look at this lovely lady--The wonder girl behind Cloth Paper Scissors blog, social media maven for Artist Network and Create Mixed media-Cherie Haas.  Cherie was my amazing student for the last two days of our taping.  What fun we had!

 Another peak at the set-the studio actually has 4 or 5 sets to switch around and use in this filming area.  Last time I was in the 'house' we used the brick wall set, but I love the way my abstracts pop on the white walls of this studio set up.

Our last day...boohoooo, it went by so fast, really in a blink of the eye!  Each day I was treated to having my hair and make up done by a professional, too. Kinda felt Pretty Womanish..haha! 

I hope you enjoyed the look behind the scenes and the stroll down last weeks memories :)  

*******

While I have you, just a gentle reminder that Zen Painting: Pathways and Connections pre-sale price changes soon! Get this sale price through Wednesday, September 14th!

I  am BEYOND humbled by how many of you have already signed up! My heart is soooo full of gratitude that you entrust me to guide you in this new magical process we will be doing starting October 5th.

If you want to be a part of our group of Zen painters-be sure to register soon to get the sale price!

(You will still get a special offer up until the class opens, however, the price goes up on Thursday).

These paints are just some of the 'magic' makers we will be using during class!  

Who's in??? 

Be sure to click here for more info-see you in class hopefully!

Thank you all for taking the trip down memory lane with me and sharing in the excitement this awesome 'job' affords me. I'm truly blessed and I feel the energy and support my friends, students and followers send out in the world to me. Thank you, thank you!

Jodi

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

Some of my Favorite Products Used this week during my Filming at F&W Media:

Golden High Flow Paint

     
Quin Nickel Azo Gold-How could you not love this color!




Ampersand Surfaces-I'm a huge fan!





Tombow-My new FAVORITE pencil. It writes like Butter!