"Loved Ones" is a project I started in 2016 where I painted singers and musicians who I love, or who meant something to me at some point in my life. I didn’t have a plan to start a series, but once I had painted Nina Simone I was off and running. I continued to paint in ink in more or less the same style as I had for The 100 Day Project, but the style continued to evolve. I became somewhat better at anticipating what the ink would do in the background where I lay down water first and then let the ink do what it wanted— it all depends on amount of water and amount of ink—but the exciting part is of course never knowing for sure what will happen. I think the unpredictability of the ink’s reaction and movement with the water is the reason that I continue to paint with ink in this way — my entire body actually relaxes as I watch the ink flow. How the ink interacts with the subtly textured surface of the paper is something that doesn’t come across on a computer screen — it has to be seen in person to be fully appreciated.
I used Daler Rowney's FW acrylic ink in payne's grey, on BFK Rives 100% cotton paper; paintings are 11 X 15 inches.
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