ChelseaRudieMade

My recent creative journey with alcohol inks began with my mother. Always the artist, my mother spent the recent years refining her painting skills, and delving into the world of alcohol inks. She created beautiful things, and was beginning to experience success in local art fairs and a local gallery space.

Unfortunately, she fell ill and passed away before we all felt her time was due. In my grief, I turned to her art for comfort. I helped manage her gallery space for the final month of the contract, and found homes for many of her art pieces with friends and family. When that was done, I turned to her home studio.

The inks and other materials sitting there unused felt wrong and sad. Art should be made, shared, and loved with these things, I thought. So, I took some materials to my home, and gave it a whirl. I loved how the inks appeared alive and moved on the ceramic tiles. The vibrant colors made me smile, and watching them spread of their own will was mesmerizing. And, moreover, the process made me feel close to my mother again, even though she can not be with me.

I hope that you are able to find something in my art that makes you feel peace. If not, know that each thing I’ve created has helped me feel peace in the process.