My name is Jodi Ivester, and I was raised in Iowa. I’ve been married for 27 years and am a mother of three and a grandmother of five.

I am an emotional expressionist painter whose work explores the transformative power of art as therapy. My creative journey began as a deeply personal response to trauma—an act of healing that evolved into a mission to help others reconnect with their own emotions through art.

Breaking free from traditional painting rules, I layer shades of blue to evoke the fluidity of water and emotion. My art lives in the in-between—where vulnerability meets strength, and pain is alchemized into beauty. Each brushstroke is intentional, a part of the healing process both for the artist and those who experience my work.

My pieces are more than visual statements—they are invitations. They ask viewers to slow down, feel deeply, and find meaning in the raw, unspoken parts of themselves.
My work lives at the intersection of emotion and expression—what I call Emotional Expressionism. It’s a style rooted in the belief that art is a mirror of the soul, a place where feelings take shape through color, texture, and movement. I paint to process life—its trauma, healing, and transformation—and I invite viewers into that journey.

I seek to evoke emotion rather than replicate reality. Water often appears in my work—not just as a visual theme, but as a metaphor for emotional depth, stillness, and flow. Every element in my paintings carries meaning. Nothing is accidental.

Emotional Expressionism is more than a style; it’s a way of healing. It’s how I turn trauma into beauty.

Thank you visiting my gallery. Enjoy my art.

I’m turning trauma into beauty.