Hopkins Artist Builds a Loyal Following

Jodi Hills has a saying on a small poster in her home: “Life isn’t about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.”

If anyone has created herself, it’s Hills.

Hills owns and operates Studio J from her Hopkins home and is a multi-faceted artist who designs collections of art and “heart-felt thoughts” in the form of cards, magnets, prints, original paintings and books.

“From the time I was 5 years old, I have been writing or painting. But when I was little, I don’t recall ever thinking of it in terms of a career,” Hills recalls.

A native of Alexandria, she went to the University of Minnesota, graduated with a degree in English and art and moved into the work world.

“I went to work as an art director for a Twin Cities ad agency, but my heart was not in it,” she said. “The sameness was an issue for me.”

She started Studio J and never looked back.

Hills works with a variety of media, although acrylics are her favorite when it comes to painting.

A lot of her work has her personal touch. If she is doing a portrait, for example, she also does the matting and framing.

Cards are a sizeable portion of her portfolio and business.

“They are, however, standard greeting cards,” she said. “They are cards with sayings, which I write.”

Reads one: “At the end of the day, it’s all about who you love and letting them know.”

She also includes sayings on some prints. One showing a long road reads, “Just because someone is not waiting, doesn’t mean you have no here to go.”

Hills has built a loyal following and is continually growing her customer base. She’s done recent shows in New York and Chicago and is excited about the response her work received there. She’s also had nine books published.

She’s sole proprietor and has resisted offers to either buy her business or to merge.

“I like the way things are right now and they way they are going,” she said. “I can’t imagine doing anything to change that.”

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Visit Hills’ website for more information or to see samples of her work and download the current catalogue.