No Regrets. A giveaway and Video Blog

It was merely a week ago today that I was wrapping up the last video I was taping with the folks at FW media, and I have to tell you friends that it was probably one of the scariest things I have done yet. I mean really, really scary to me. If you could be inside my head while I was driving from North Carolina to Ohio,  you'd have thought I was on my way to an execution one minute and then the next minute you'd hear prayers of gratitude for this opportunity to do something I have wanted to do for so long!   How can one have such conflicting emotions about doing something so dang cool?

I think it has to do a lot with stepping outside of your comfort zone and putting yourself into a vulnerable position.  I don't like doing that.  Yet, I love doing that.   It's a crazy life to lead when you have introverted ways with extroverted tendencies.  Does that make sense?

I understand how emotionally up and down this can be so I can totally relate to those of you who go through something similar. That's also why you often hear me preach the sentiment- in order for one to succeed in life and live out your dreams, you must act on your goals...even when they include doing something that is scary as can be.  The belief in yourself and your vision needs to rise above your fears.

And you know what?  Most of the time, the fear is 99% conjured in your mind and so not as scary as you believe it to be. The advice I was given over and over again was to slow down and breathe.

Just breathe.  Simple words but powerful.  Next time you are about to take a big step,  a big plunge...remember to breathe and believe you can do it.  Even if you fall down, you will get back up.



  I also have to tell you that the first time I proposed the video outlines to the powers that be, they weren't immediately accepted. So,  I tucked them away for a few months while I sat down and rethought out my ideas...and then, out of the blue.....I just brought them back out and got back down to business and sent them in again revised with the suggestions. At first they accepted 3 of the ideas, and then they said...hey, let's  do one more.

Moral of the story,   a 'no' not now, isn't a 'no', not ever....and another moral of the story is,   if you avoid that what you fear most of your life, you will also avoid that which you dream about doing.

One of my fears is living with regrets.   I know I'll have some when my time is called, but I want there to be as few regrets on my list of wanna dos and wanna be's as I can possibly have.   It's not always easy getting past the fear of being vulnerable, but when you do....doors open and amazing things can happen.

So that's my preachy preach for today :) Hope it resonates with one or two of you, if nothing else, to let you know that no matter who you are or what you do...we all are made of the same cloth and have similar fears and anxieties deep within our hearts.   You can over come them and rise above!

Oh heck...let's do one more thing...how about a give away?    I haven't done one in awhile!
Leave a comment on this post and tell me something you have overcome that was fear based for you recently. We want to hear your story!

Winner will get a $40 gift certificate to my Etsy shop valid for the rest of June. (Use it or lose it ;)

I'll pick a random winner on Monday, June 8th.
And for those of you that want to shop now....I have a thank you coupon for 10% off my shop that is valid for any time between now and June 12th.

Use code "Hellosummer"

BTW---I do NOT have the birds or many of the pieces featured in the video blog in my Etsy shop, but if you see one you like, let me know and I can put it in there for you.  Most of my new work is going to several of my shops and for a teaching event in 2 weeks.

Prices if you are interested:

small wood birds:  30.00

6x6 single peeps  48.00

8x8    canvas  60.00

11x14  birds and watercolor 174

20 x 20 feathers  on wood  400

12 x 36 ( I believe there are 3 featured in the video) 445

You can use the coupon on any of these, too.

I

Update:

Sold-Top Right  

Sold  Middle Right

Sold- Bottom left

Sold  8x8 canvas  Wear your Feathers

*if you are interested in any of these remaining pieces, please email me at jodiohl@hotmail.com, or stop by my Etsy shop and message me. I am not going to list most of these as they are going to a show/shop--but as readers and followers of my blog I'm offering you first pic! :))

Here is a little snippet of some of my new work...hope you enjoy and are inspired.  Don't forget to leave a comment to get in on the giveaway!!

One last thing--If you are in Florida or ready to take a road trip, I'll be teaching at the Art More Place in Melbourne, Florida  June 19-21.   Check out my last blog post for more details.

10 Minute Journaler -Creative Inspiration in Short Bursts of Time

Something I hear quite often is, I don't have enough time to create.  I'm too busy doing other things.  I totally get it, we all have 72 hours worth of stuff jammed into a mere 24 hours. With that said,  I think if you took an honest look at your schedule-you'd find 10 minutes here and there or you COULD find 10 minutes if you really wanted. I know I could find about and hour more in my day if I didn't meander around the world wide web of oohh look at that, or what's that about, or who's doing what, where, and when. I get sucked up into it too...all..the..time.

How do we change? You just do.  I know I'm making small changes in my schedule that are leading to big things and making more room in my life to do things that I really want to do.  Here's a little messy grungey journal page that I did in 10 minutes.  Of course it's in speed play but I really didn't speed it up too much. I took a 10 minute video and about 1/2 it.  Is it totally done? No.  But it is further along than if I just said I didn't have any time to play and just did some other time sucking thing.



Keep those creative juices flowing by just doing something! Anything!

Some of the products used in my journal page:

Liquitex Paint Markers
Sharpie Paint Markers
Dylusions Journal
Stencils
Liquitex Spray Paint
Gesso
Golden paint
Fineline applicator bottles
Neocolor Watersoluble crayon.

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The second side is started and ready for me to add on when I have time.  My tip of the day is to not multi-task in a fashion that leaves you going in 500 different directions all at one time, but to not waste paint or supplies if you can help it.

Swipe your excess paint on another journal page.

Wipe your opposite stencil side on another page or paper handy.

Put your stuff away after a project. I'm trying to do a better job of that and it's helping me stay focused so much more. Rather than have every art supply I own on the table, I only keep out what I'm using. I used to fear that I would forget I had something unless I left it out. Irrational, I know. Recipe for creative chaos and I've had enough of that. I want to do what I love everyday but I also want to live my personal life, too, and I can't do  both if I'm not efficient.  Hi my name is, Jodi, and I'm a recovering messy artist :))

I hope this little creative inspiration helps you to realize that 10 minutes of creative time is achievable and something cool can come out of even short bursts of time.
:)

Until we meet again,

Jodi

My Favorite 2014 Journal Pages A Flip Through

Today I wanted to share some of my favorite pages from 2014 out of my journal (s) but when I started to compile my list, oh my goodness...I have a hard time editing anything so I figured why not make a short video featuring some of the pages.

It's always interesting looking back through some of your pages. You start to remember pieces of your life you might not have remembered had they not been documented.

Or you might say, what the hell was I thinking?? 

I have to admit, I am inconsistent when it comes to journaling but I'm glad I do it and will be doing much more of it in 2015, especially since I'm updating my journaling class and will be featuring a new one online.

I've found I try things I don't normally do in my regular paintings...

And it serves as a space to let go and just vent or lament every once in a while.

Take a peek at some of my fav's from the last year. If you haven't picked up your journal in a while (or ever),  today's a good day to start.  

New beginnings.  

I thought I'd write a New Year's post what my intentions are for the next 12 months but honestly, my eyes and back are tired from being at the computer for the last several days working on a project  & fixing a catastrophic computer program...so that post is going to have to wait a bit so I can focus a bit better.
I hope your first day of the New Year has been a grand one!  I'm excited for all the possibilities and can't wait to move forward.

Here's to all of us shining on our best selves in 2015.  Make every day count!

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LAST DAY---to take advantage of the special over at Icreateflix.com 

Save 25% off classes using code:  New Year 15

Less than a week left to save on the pre-registration special for my upcoming workshop, "Podtastic"

This class is chock full of exercises, ideas, techniques, tips, and of course lots of painting. I dare say you'll find it "Podtastic"!!!

From this to this...

Since returning from the Outerbanks, I've been painting like a mad woman.  See, a break does do one good.  As does having lots of deadlines to meet but we'll stick with the inspiration as the reason for my majorly productive week.

First things first this week though, I had to start with cleaning my studio.  It may not look spic an span but if you had seen it before....oh my....it was a pure t disaster area!

...and just for giggles, here's my studio when I first bought the house and had a feature in Cloth Paper Scissors, "Studios".  HA.  I am not sure I"ll ever get back to that pristine state!

See that ladder over to the right...at one time it housed all my art supplies.  See the very first picture to see where I'm at now....at least where I let you see!! :)

I do love all the shelves, it couldn't have worked out better for me in that aspect. Looking at this picture makes me long for an even tidier studio but at the same time, I'm so much more busy with projects than I was at the time I had this picture taken. It had to have been back in 2009 or 2010 before I left the bank (in October 2011).  Since that time I've gone from having 3 online classes to 10 going on all at the same time, 2 galleries and shops to about 13 or so, and many other projects like articles, special videos for partners,  workshops and retreats and so on. So ya...having a messy studio or a full studio rather isn't a bad thing. I'm grateful for having things to keep me busy and very grateful for the continued inspiration coming my way to keep me moving forward.

Speaking of inspiration...I wanted to share with you one of my latest paintings from start to finish.  Nothing fancy, just a slide show of my work in progression.  I use some of these techniques in several of my classes and will be featuring a portion of the process (and a whole lot more) in my in person class at Art Is You in Stamford, "Mermaids and Maidens"

Take a look to see how I went from this...

 To this......

It wasn't easy..and I made a lot of changes along the way..but I love how she came out.  Portraits take a lot of time.  Some artist spend months on them and others can knock them out in a day or so. I'm somewhere in between.  I love adding depth with color and texture and layers upon layers of paint.  

I used a variety of materials including Golden and Matisse acrylics,  stencils (some that I am working on for a special project for Jerry's Artarama.. hey rumor has it we may even be working on some videos for them as well.shhhhhh!!), inks by liquitex, charcoal, paste, neocolor ii crayons, and then final paint layer using Silk Acrylics and Primary Elements from my friends at Splash of Color.

So there you have it....a peak at a bit of my process, of course during my classes I really go in depth and walk you through all the stages and give you lots of tips about products, how to use them, when to use them, practice exercises and more.   I hope to see you in one of my classes, either online or in person.  Until then,  take your time, don't be afraid to make adjustments, play with color, let your imagination go and enjoy the process.   This painting was completed over the course of 3 days or so, so keep that in mind if you are doing this your self.  Patience. Patience. Patience.
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Don't forget, my Mother's Day special ends in just a couple of days! Come take advantage of my sale over at Creative Workshops!