I’ve fallen in love…with alcohol inks.
A friend introduced me to Ranger Ink , a paint made up of colorful inks suspended in an alcohol solution. I’ve been playing around with this unusual medium and having quite a bit of fun with it. Painting with alcohol inks can be unpredictable, as the alcohol serves as a conduit as well as a drying agent. Amazon has been making regular deliveries of inks and Yupo paper to my house.
Painting with alcohol inks has become my nightly meditation session. I have a studio set up in my basement with plastic covering my former dining room table. Night after night, different ideas come to me and they show up on paper almost as if my magic.
This foray into the art world is new to me. I was inspired by a book written by my friend, Joanne Miller: Be Your Finest ART, Awaken Your Creative Self. Joanne tapped into her creative side in midlife–after her last child flew the nest. In her book, she encourages us to play–just as we did when we were a child. If it’s been a long time since you had some creative fun, seek out some classes and learn with an open mind. I took an art class with Joanne and learned to color and draw with pastels–something I would have never even thought to try.
Last year, my daughter introduced me to painting with acrylics. I enjoyed the process of slapping paint on canvas and seeing the blended results that appeared. I didn’t consider myself talented, because I couldn’t produce a reproduction of anything that resembled real life. But…if I called it abstract art, I could get away with it. Every now and then, I would share a painting on Facebook and someone would buy it.
When I started playing with alcohol ink–that’s when passion came into play on a whole new level. Art on steroids, that’s how I describe it. I love how the inks flow, blend, play, and connect with one another. The unpredictability makes it beautiful. The vibrancy of the inks stand out on every piece.
I started sharing my pictures on Facebook and little by little, they began to sell. At first, it was hard to part with some of the paintings because each one was a creation much like a little child of mine–how could I give that away? But with each one that I let go, I began to see the joy that appeared as each person received a painting. And I take great delight in heading downstairs each night to see what blossoms from the bottles of ink.
Not all of the paintings turn out well. Some are hopeless beyond repair–muddied messes of ink that have pooled together. Art is like life–not everything is perfect nor should it be. Art is what YOU create–it is a manifestation of everything that is unique to you.
All around me, I see people in midlife picking up new skills and trying new things. That’s exactly what keeps us young–the continual exploration of new experiences. And according to Art News, one actually becomes better in art with age!
Karen Putz is known as The Passion Mentor. She is the author of Unwrapping Your Passion, Creating the Life You Truly Want. Want some color on your walls? Visit Designs of Serenity.