A decade ago, having spent my professional career in the education and therapy fields, I was looking for an art form to provide me an opportunity to release my creative spirits. I needed a relaxing, expressive diversion away from the pressures of my stressful professional work. While on a business trip in Wisconsin I saw a painting done with alcohol ink in a small coffee shop. I found the vibrancy and peaceful nature of the design instantly alluring! I tracked down the artist to learn more about the technique, who she studied with, and located resources to teach myself this distinctive method of painting. I continue to paint and display my work at local galleries and shows around the Hudson Valley.

Having dabbled in art for years, creating landscapes with alcohol ink emerged as my medium of choice a decade ago. When I started using alcohol inks it was difficult to locate the inks and other supplies; since then it has become a medium shared by many artists doing a wide variety of techniques. My work tends toward impressionistic landscapes though as I branch out I am discovering some delightful alternatives. Paintings are done without brushes. I drop ink on an impervious, glossy surface (such as yupo paper or ceramic tile) and then gently, slowly move the inks by tilting, scraping and blending the ink with soft or hard tools. Alcohol ink dries rapidly; as such my paintings are generally smaller in scale. Most paintings are done with only two to three ink colors. Watching the unbelievable myriad of colors and shades emerge from the wet and dry blending of the ink is magical! After the initial work dries thoroughly, I add embellishments and textures by applying additional alcohol and selectively dropping additional ink. I then photograph my original works and craft them into giclee prints, coasters, calendars, greeting cards and scarves.

Annual participant in Art Studio Views, a self-guided tour of artist studios.

lindarlavin@gmail.com