Jenny Doh

The Getty

It has been such an honor to be featured on The Getty museum's site that shine's light on people's thoughts about inspiration.

From that feature, a new project has developed where They Getty will be using my art and words about inspiration for a campaign that will be placed on a metro bus in the Los Angeles area. This photo (above) is what it will look like.

I am so honored and excited. Inspiration IS all around me and I am so grateful that I get to use my time and energy to focus on making art every single day.

6 Things :: Food, Flattery, and Criticism

 6 things on my mind right now.

6 There is no "quick answer" to questions that I occasionally get like: "Hey Jenny, I have a really quick question for you. Can you tell me how to start and run an art studio? Just message me, would ya? My friends and I want to start one too." Well, the question might be quick but the answer is not. And with all due respect, the answer is based on years of blood, sweat, tears, and huge risks that I have personally taken. Though I'm sure there is no bad intent, it's insulting to be asked to just instant message answers to matters that I've invested years of myself into while I steal the time from my other projects to do this for people I hardly know. For those who really want to ask me questions on whatever the topic may be (usually it's publishing or studio-related) ... I have a path that allows for that to happen. And it has been gratifying to know that people who have used that path have found what I share to be helpful. :) 

5 Spontaneously and without warning, I've started to cook. It is the most wonderful thing that has happened to me. I wake up every morning excited about coming up with a menu. I feel it's one of the most creative processes and it has so many parallels to the process of painting. I love it and I love life more because I am cooking.

4 You may have noticed through the photos I post that I use things like butter, olive oil, chicken, beef, pork, coconut milk, and of course lots of veggies. I don't use grains, refined sugar, legumes and with little exception, lactose. As much as possible, I cook paleo. To me, coupled with regular exercise (that includes not just cardio but lifting heavy things), paleo is the key to long-term fitness.

3 It makes me happy to see The Mister and my son Andrew enjoy my food. That's actually the best part. Andrew and I had a good talk about it recently. He has a tendency to lose control with portions when something tastes good. Don't we all?! So when he was wanting more and more of something delicious that I had prepared for him, I said "Andrew, tomorrow is another day. I'm going to be making something different but also delicious so no need to consume and possess all of this right now."

2 What I said to him must have resonated because the next day, he mentioned how good food is like good art and the creative process, where we may think what we've made today is as good as it will ever get, and there will be nothing better and so we better hold on tight, and possess, and don't let it go and not think of making anything else. But of course tomorrow is a new day. A new day to let go, and create something different and wonderful.

1 Whether it's food or art, I am happy that I get to make what I want. Sometimes, when someone says they "love love love" a painting of mine, there's this notion that I ought to make more of that thing that someone "love love loves." And when someone hates a painting of mine, there's a notion that I ought not make more in that style. The privilege that is mine right now is that it matters not one Iota to me, whether my paintings garner flattery or criticism. I paint to express who I am, what I see, and what I feel. Georgia O'Keefe said it best: "I have already settled it for myself so flattery and criticism go down the same drain and I am quite free."

Opera Interrupted

My mother dreamed of singing opera.
She had the voice that could make that dream come true.
"Whatever you do, do not get married, becuase that will lead to motherhood, which will endanger your operetic destiny," cautioned her professors of music.

But love happened.
And she entered the boat of marriage with my father. And she had babies ... my brothers and I.
And opera, as her professor forshadowed, became forever interrupted.

It is both tragic and triumphant ... the intersection between women's dreams and motherhood, as destinies get modified through the choices of which boats we choose to board and which ones we forego.

The world of opera lost out on my mother's voice.
The world gained my brothers and I.
My mother's heart lost the thrills of receiving standing ovasions that her voice deserved.
My father's heart gained my mother's.

Top 10 Things We Learned in Julie Balzer's Workshop

We had a blast with Julie Fei Fan Balzer. We learned a whole lot too.

10. Opacify.
9. Let it go.
8. People who think collage is easy don't know what they're talking about.
7. Master the stencil. Don't let it master you.
6. Comparison is the thief of joy.
5. Q: Do you need to apply medium in two directions before adhering paper to paper? A: Who the hell cares? Just get it on there.
4. If you don't like wrinkles in your collage, do something about it.
3. Life is too short to clean your stencils.
2. Make what you want to make.
1. Kill the pretty.

Congratulations to Julie and all attending students for a truly magical time. Julie will be back in 2015! Same time as always ... the Saturday/Sunday after CHA. Save the date!

Texting in Korean

It's been quite wonderful getting back in touch with my Korean relatives. I've been out of touch with most of them for quite some time. After visiting with my aunt in New York recently, we exchanged cell numbers so that we could stay connected.

Last night, she started texting me in Korean and I surprised myself to find that I could understand all that she was writing in Korean. How about that? Even after all these years of being very much out of practice using the language, I find that I can read and understand it! Now writing it is a whole different matter. I mean, I probably could do it but it would take me a long time. So I just write her back in English, which she understands. It's a good set up for the both of us because I get to practice reading Korean and she gets practice reading English. Maybe one of these days I will be able to text with her completely in Korean. Now wouldn't that be something?!

For those of you who read Korean, I don't need to tell you what we were texting about. Socks! Yes, I'm excited to knit socks for her. A dark colored pair (similar to the pair shown at the very bottom) is what she would like. And so that is what she will get. :)

Farewell 2013. Welcome 2014.

 Farewell 2013.
Welcome 2014.

Art is Life

Thought I'd share some photos from last night's Art Walk Studio in Santa Ana. Right outside our studio door, I put up this question ...

... and I enjoyed watching people from all walks of life write their answers.

In the studio, it was great to see live painting going on and spontaneously getting people of all ages to collaborate with some of my paintings.

And then there were poets from Orange County School of the Arts.

And singers Monica and Louise.

Laughter, art, life ...

... and some painting with boxing gloves.

Friends new and old ...

And even FangGrrr and Lion showed up to look after all of us.

After we closed up and I was walking down with The Mister, there was this guy painting such a wonderful mural in the shop window downstairs. I can't wait to go back and see how it turned out.

We'll do it again the first Saturday of next month. See you then.

To art ... the thing that helps us communicate stuff that we couldn't otherwise ... the thing that gives us life.

 

Bubba's Visit

Last night I bought groceries and quickly opened the side door and kept it ajar for just a split second and then went to my car to start bringing some of the groceries in. As soon as I went into the house, I discovered that Bubba had let himself into our house through the side door.

Bubba. Sweet, sweet Bubba.

He's the dog of our neighbor, David, whose house is caddy corner to ours. Bubba is ill and David has been taking him around to start saying his goodbyes as David is prepared with pain medication as Bubba has a couple of more months to live.

Our two little silky terriers (Toby and Scout) were in their crates eating ther dinner so Bubba was able to visit with us without being bothered by them. Toby and Scout have had a long history of always barking at and bothering Bubba ... perhaps not realizing that Bubba could pounce and destroy them quite easily. If he wanted to. But he never did. But there was a time when Bubba must have wanted to teach them a lesson because when they were yap-yap-yapping and nipping at Bubba, Bubba let out a loud "Enough!" sort of bark, causing our Toby and Scout to finally shut the fuck up.

Last night, Bubba kept looking at himself in the reflection cast on our oven door. And then he went into my office and crawled under my desk to rest. It was one of the best visits we have had all year. We love him.

Why it Works

When I met Shamanie a few years ago at an art camp, I hit it off with her right away. I knew as soon as I met her that she was a listener ... which happens to be one of my love languages. I feel loved when a person listens to me. And one of the primary ways that I love is by listening to people. I'm good at it. (There are other languages that I'm not so good at, by the way.)

I've realized through my therapy sessions and other lessons that I also feel loved when listening is not accompanied by judging. To hear my story that is made up of my good and bad, of my choices as I maneuver through dangers that are present, the highs and lows ... as I observe and consider all that is out there, make decisions for my life without taking a poll about what I should or could do. To simply share my story rather than have it measured.

I'm not sure if I've always been a listener without judgement. Actually, I know for sure that I haven't always been that way ... especially during times in my life when I allowed dogma to direct my conversations and allow that dogma to dispense shoulds, coulds, oughtas, and other generalized command statements.

I recently flew to Colorado to spend the weekend with Shamanie. To get caught up with each other's stories. The highs. The lows. And every space in between. We worked out. We ate. We hung out with her kids. We laughed hard and shed a few tears.

Loving without measuring. Sharing without judging. When it works, it's a beautiful thing. When it doesn't, not so much. And why it works is kind of a mystery I think. It's as simple as a puffy white cloud in the sky. And it's as complex as how that cloud got into the sky in the first place.

It reminds me of art. When it works, it just does.

The Twelve Artsy Ornaments of Christmas :: Enrollment is Open!

I'm very excited and honored to be one of the twelve teachers who will be teaching for this year's
The Twelve Artsy Ornaments of Christmas hosted by Christy Tomlinson!

This talented teacher line-up includes:

Julie Fie-Fan Balzer • Jenny Doh • Maggie Holmes
Margie Romney-Aslett • Jeanne Oliver • Teresa Collins
Junelle Jacobson • Tamara Laporte • Alisa Burke
Chrissy Gardner • Amy Tan • Christy Tomlinson

Here are some answers to questions that you may have about this fantastic class! :)

Q: When does it begin?
A: This is an online workshop that begins Tuesday November 19th.

Q: What is it?
A: This is an online workshop that starts on a Tuesday and eneds on a Saturday. Each day, three new ornaments/holiday projects will be posted by three of the 12 teachers. There will be all sorts of fun projects including holiday decor, gifts, and ornaments.

Q: How does it work?
A: The workshop will be hosted on a private website and all instruction will be in video form and include up-close pictures of each project and supply lists and PDFs where needed. Supply lists are ONLY available in the workshop, once the workshop begins. We will have a private facebook group page for those in the workshop as well, to share photos, and to get to know each other better. We will also have Instagram and Twitter hashtags that students can use to share their work as well.

Q: Is there something super duper IMPORTANT about registration that you need me to acknowledge?
A: Yes! When you sign up, you will receive a confirmation email FROM Paypal that states you have paid for the class.  THIS WILL BE YOUR ONLY receipt of confirmation UNTIL the day workshop begins.

Q: And then what happens?
A: After that, a welcome email and an email containing your password and log-in will be sent to you around 10:00 AM (MST) on the day that the class begins: November 19th. You can use that info on November 19th to begin class.

Q: Why don't I get supply lists ahead of time? 
A: A lot of times, a project can be made with different types of materials ... usually things you have on hand. If you were to go purchase all of the things on the supply list, you may end up spending a lot of money befor the workshop but we encourage you to WATCH the videos first and then decide which supplies you want to try, and which ones can be substituted for something you already have on hand.

Q: How long do I have access to the class?
A: Great news! You will have access to all the content for this workshop for an ENTIRE year! You can access the content nighr or day, from any computer for a year. This class is NOT live, so you won't miss a thing if you can't be right there when it starts. You can watch and create at your own pace.

Q: How much does it cost?
A: To enroll in this workshop, it costs $24.95.

Q: Is there an early bird special?
A: Not this year. Last year there was one but this year, it's just $24.95.

Q: OK. I'm ready. What do I do?
A: Click below and enroll! See ya in class. :)

2013 Artsy Ornaments of Christmas Workshop
$24.95