“21 Secrets” is an online art class, compiling the lessons from 21 artists. One of my frustrations with these classes is that everyone has a list of supplies a yard long, and each author goes into long explanations of what they use, and why. It would be more useful if one person made a video about journals and usual supplies, then each artist simply add their favorites in a short video. I have picked a few of the classes I have already gone through and reviewed them.
“Acceptional Art,” by Kitty O, is about accepting where each of us is in our art journeys. That sounds wonderful, doesn’t it? But I never got that from the class. The class opens with a video of the artist being cute, making faces, wearing accessories, to some music about 21 Secrets. Yes, it’s cute, but not what people are paying for. I thought that I had wasted my time when I saw that. The big lesson is about ripping up pictures from things important in childhood and gluing them into the journal. I honestly was very disappointed in these lessons. Perhaps the concept should be developed further before inclusion in a paying class.
I enjoyed Danielle Daniel’s class “Unearthing,” not for the concept, which I found hard to put into effect, but for the technical instruction. She actually explains how to construct designs, which is very helpful! She has a professional tone, and I found her easy and pleasant to listen to. The concept of unearthing your dreams for inspiration was difficult for me to do, as I have crazy, jumbled dreams, and they usually involve me fleeing water, so I am not sure how I want to use them in my art! Not her fault, of course, just not a good fit for me.
The name of Jodi Ohl’s topic “Diary of a Highly Effective But Inconsisent (sp) Journaler,” bugged me for two reasons: the first was that I don’t like self-congratulation. And the second reason had the English teacher that I am twitching: do NOT spell the title wrong when you are getting paid for a workshop. I am assuming the owner of the blog, Connie Hozvicka, put the subtitles in, and of course mistakes do happen, but she misspelled the title of Ohl’s workshop. This is a paid product, not a free blog: it’s like Tolstoy’s editor spelling his masterpiece “War and Peaze.” Please, people! Can you be professional??? I tell my students all of the time, if they cannot even spell their titles correctly, no one is going to take them seriously. I paid real money for these workshops, so I would have appreciated a real editor!
OK, rant over. The workshop was actually very good. Jodi Ohl is a very talented artist, and her journals were inspiring. She is a talented teacher and she gave lots of direct instruction. Definitely one of the better workshops offered. Dreaming In Color, which sells LuminArte products including the glorious Twinkle H2O watercolors and silks Acrylic Glazes, has another workshop by Ohl, the Twinkles on Yupo. I may purchase and review that.
Look for reviews of the Twinkle H2O paints and the Silk Acrylic Glazes soon! Also, I plan to purchase and review a workshop by Dina Wakley, “Masterful Art Journaling.” It is supposed to be excellent, and as it is quite pricey at $65, I would like to see if it is worth the cost.
Be well, and create!
Nancy Lee Dunn 