Jodi Ohl | Approachable Abstracts

Artist: Jodi Ohl

Title: Approachable Abstracts

Dates: March 6-10, 2027

Days: 5

Hours: 10:00am–4:00pm

Level: All

Size: 12

Registration: $1,575*

*Includes daily lunches and beverages served in studio

What do you do when you have a great background…but don't know where to go next?

That moment is one of the biggest challenges in abstract painting. You’ve created interesting color, marks and texture, but turning that surface into a cohesive composition can feel overwhelming.

Approachable Abstracts is a five-day immersive workshop designed to make that process more understandable, approachable and fun.

Jodi Ohl will guide you through a series of hands-on lessons that break down the process of building abstract paintings—from developing the initial surface and generating ideas to making intentional decisions about composition, color, layering, texture and mark-making.

Rather than spending five days trying to complete one or two paintings, you’ll work on multiple pieces simultaneously, allowing you to experiment, make decisions, change direction and see how ideas evolve from one painting to the next.

WHAT YOU’LL EXPLORE

Composition Studies

Learn practical ways to organize shapes, lines, color and negative space so your paintings have structure, movement and visual interest. You’ll create small studies and use them to develop ideas for larger work.

From Background to Composition

Move beyond the “I love my background, but now what?” stage. Jodi will demonstrate ways to recognize possibilities within your existing layers and make purposeful decisions about what to develop, obscure, emphasize or remove.

Surface & Material Exploration

Discover how the surface you choose can influence your process. You’ll experiment with canvas, wood, paper and Yupo paper, exploring how each responds differently to paint and mixed media.

Texture & Mediums

Experiment with materials including modeling paste, crackle medium, glazing techniques and acrylic retarders to create surfaces with dimension, variation and visual depth.

Layering & Mark-Making

Explore how transparent and opaque layers, unexpected marks and contrasting visual elements can create complexity without losing the strength of your composition.

Working in a Series

Instead of approaching every painting as an isolated piece, you’ll learn how to develop related works and make decisions about how multiple paintings can work together as a collection.

WHAT YOU’LL TAKE HOME

Over the course of five days, you can expect to create a substantial body of work, including approximately:

• 3–5 larger paintings

• 5–10 smaller paintings and studies

• A collection of composition studies and storyboards

• Experimental surfaces exploring different substrates and mediums

• New approaches to layering, texture and mark-making

• Practical tools for moving from background to finished composition

• A clearer understanding of how to evaluate and develop your own abstract paintings

Most importantly, you’ll leave with a repeatable process for approaching abstract painting with greater confidence and less guesswork.

This workshop is ideal for artists who are new to abstraction, as well as experienced painters who want a stronger understanding of composition and a more intentional approach to developing their work.

You don't need to arrive with a fully formed idea or a particular “style” of abstract painting.

You simply need to be curious, willing to experiment and ready to make a lot of paintings.

Jodi’s goal is to help you understand not just what to do, but why you’re making the decisions you’re making—so you can take those tools back to your own studio and continue developing your work long after the workshop ends.

Supply List

Instructor Website

https://www.jodiohl.com/