Terroir Ink Paintings:

Ink Stones

A new way to paint stones: This project is a continuation of experimentation with artist-made Terroir* ink. These inks are created from natural materials, found objects, plucked flowers, beautiful stones and water from the ocean or collected in jars from rain and snow. See how they combine in beautiful ways-completely different from using commercial pigments. The ink itself becomes the art.

See video demonstration below to see how these paintings were created.

*Terroir-a French term used in wine-making to describe the essence of a particular place where the grapes for the wine are grown. It encompasses a combination of natural factors including the soil, the climate, the topography, the water-table, the microbiome and even the human choices -our movements, the things we take and the things we leave behind.

Works in this series available for purchase.

  • Encircled

    Ink/Acrylic on Yupo Paper, mounted on cradled wood. Coated in Resin.

    11” X 14”

  • Stone Worlds

    Ink/Acryic on Yupo Paper, mounted on cradled wood. Coated in Resin.

    24" X 18"

  • Golden Stones

    Ink/Acrylic on Yupo Paper, mounted on cradled wood. Coated in Resin

    8” X 8”

  • Morning Light

    Ink/Acrylic on Yupo Paper, mounted on cradled wood. Coated in Resin.

    10” X 10”

  • Paint Stones

    Ink/Acrylic on Yupo Paper, mounted on cradled wood. Coated in Resin.

    8” X 8”

  • Reflection

    Ink/Acrylic on Yupo Paper, mounted on cradled wood. Coated in Resin.

    8” X 8”

  • Desert Stones

    Ink/Acrylic on Yupo Paper, mounted on cradled wood. Coated in Resin.

    9” X 11”

  • Green Stones

    Ink/Acrylic on Yupo Paper, mounted on cradled wood. Coated in Resin.

    11" X 14"

  • Gemstones

    Ink/Acrylic on Yupo Paper, mounted on cradled wood. Coated in Resin.

    8” X 8”

Ink Painting Demo:

Completed work is titled, “Stone Worlds.” The art process begins with using a handmade turmeric+ alcohol based ink, made over the course of 3-4 days. It is pure sunshine gold colored and it splashes starkly against the bright white of Yupo paper. Then, surprise! A few drops of dull amber Safflower ink is dropped onto the Turmeric causing the bloodiest red to appear. In this homemade ink process, yellow + yellow do not equal yellow. Many other such surprises are experienced as this process unfolds. After the ink is laid down, blending as though it is alive, it is dried for about 24 hours and sprayed with a milk caesin fixative followed by a UV light protective varnish spray. Then, mounted on an easel, white acrylic paint is used to outline the precious parts, the parts that then appear as precious stones, like tiny worlds of their own. The final part of the process involves gluing the finished painting to a large cradled wood panel, and over the course of 2 days meticulously applying liquid resin to fully coat and seal the ink. The use of a blow torch is needed to cure and help purify the resin. After two coats are applied, sanding between each, the framed wood is sanded and stained and sealed with Tung Oil.

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Terroir Ink Paintings : Signposts of Memory

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Terroir Ink Making