Johnson demonstrates use of alcohol inks
Local artist Pat Johnson met with several other artists last week to demonstrate painting with alcohol inks.
“Alcohol inks can be a fun way to use vibrant colors,” Johnson said. “You can use alcohol inks on any non-porous surface: glass, metals, tiles. And the nice thing is you only need small quantities of ink to go a long way.”
Alcohol inks are highly pigmented and fast drying. Mixing colors can create almost any effect the artist envisions and are limited only by the artist’s imagination.
“I’ve been painting for more than 30 years,” Johnson said. “I started painting when I had a back injury in 1979 and surgery in 1980. I was looking for something to take my mind off of the pain and was looking for something different to think about. So I started painting as a healing thing and in many ways that’s what these classes are all about.”
Johnson is originally from South Dakota and had a friend that lived on Pine Island.
“I just loved the art world down here,” Johnson said. “I came to visit a couple of years and then for short stays that extended to six months and finally we moved here permanently.
“I started with watercolors because the lady that got me started had everything necessary to paint watercolors,” Johnson said. “But I love to experiment and explore other types of art. I have a short attention span and always have numerous projects in various stages of development. I have a very understanding husband.”
Johnson included “additives” in this class.
“Many of these ladies have already taken the first alcohol inks class,” Johnson said. “Today we will include some ‘additives’ to the inks to give them special effects. You can add mixatives which are gold, silver and white; adding texture, and using different papers.
“This is a bit smaller class than we usually have,” Johnson said. “The season is winding down but I enjoy the smaller classes because it’s more one-on-one.”
For more about Johnson and hear art, call 863-258-7372 or email pjohnsonart@yahoo.com