Anita Talbott
Alcohol Ink and
Water Color Artist
Water Color Artist
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Anita Talbott: Featured Artist at the 2022 Chewelah Community Art Show
"I started loving art as a small child," said Talbott. "I would check out art books from the library, visit museums and when I found an interesting picture I would visualize myself in the painting."
"One day in the 80s, I spent a lot of time painting a large portrait of a family friend, who had passed away, by using a small picture of him as my guide. I used watercolors and was thrilled when it turned out as I hoped, and I gave it to his wife. That is when I discovered I had artistic talent and began to paint. At first, I painted with acrylics and watercolors, but then I started working using a technique called liquid medium art. I started with acrylics with 'pour painting' where colors are poured onto different surfaces and blended together by tilting the substrate in different directions. I was going through chemo when I learned to pour paint, and it became a great distraction.
"Later Bonnie Cazier showed me how to use alcohol ink for painting," she continued. "This is the type of painting I continue to use. It involves many ways to create a painting. One way is to pour rubbing alcohol on a substrate where I want the colored ink to go and then use an air gun to move it. I used to move the ink by blowing air through a straw or using a camera cleaner bulb, but now I use two air compressors and a hair dryer depending on the 'look' I want. The great thing about liquid art is that many substrates can be used - the matted side of photo paper, yupo paper, canvas, ceramic tile and anything non-porous.
"I watch a lot of YouTube videos to learn new alcohol ink techniques. I practice them on the matted side of photo paper, because yupo paper and other substrates are so expensive. When I have improved the technique, I try it on yupo paper. I started by painting flowers and suddenly got a lot of sales, especially around Christmas. I still get many commissions to do flowers," Talbott explained.
"I have grown to love abstract art. My first abstract painting sold immediately. Abstract art is more difficult. The challenge for me is how do I make it different? What different techniques and tools can I use? It amazes me to use different colors in different ways. Sometimes I try to hit people's interests by adding something to the painting, like the stencil of a skier or a tree. I can usually do an abstract painting in about four to eight hours, whereas it now takes me about 40 minutes to paint a flower. I complete the picture by spraying 6 coats of protectant spray so the picture will not fade so the buyer can choose to not use glass (UV protected). I am currently trying to use alcohol inks, acrylics, watercolor, chalk, alloys and mixitives or whatever 'moves' me, trying not to limit my use of mixed mediums."
Talbott spends a lot of time in her studio, but not all of her time spent there results in a painting to be sold.
"I can paint up to eight hours a day," she said. "I always stand while I'm painting, so I have to take breaks, like drinking a cup of coffee or taking my dog for a walk. I am also an avid reader.
"I can finish from eight to ten paintings in a week. And, sometimes that can be eight to ten paintings that go into the garbage because I'm not satisfied with them. I keep working on improving until I get what I want. However, there was one time when I made a big mistake by putting green in the wrong place on the painting. But then I added more green ink in different places, and it blended perfectly. When I posted it on Facebook, it sold in 15 minutes."
"I started loving art as a small child," said Talbott. "I would check out art books from the library, visit museums and when I found an interesting picture I would visualize myself in the painting."
"One day in the 80s, I spent a lot of time painting a large portrait of a family friend, who had passed away, by using a small picture of him as my guide. I used watercolors and was thrilled when it turned out as I hoped, and I gave it to his wife. That is when I discovered I had artistic talent and began to paint. At first, I painted with acrylics and watercolors, but then I started working using a technique called liquid medium art. I started with acrylics with 'pour painting' where colors are poured onto different surfaces and blended together by tilting the substrate in different directions. I was going through chemo when I learned to pour paint, and it became a great distraction.
"Later Bonnie Cazier showed me how to use alcohol ink for painting," she continued. "This is the type of painting I continue to use. It involves many ways to create a painting. One way is to pour rubbing alcohol on a substrate where I want the colored ink to go and then use an air gun to move it. I used to move the ink by blowing air through a straw or using a camera cleaner bulb, but now I use two air compressors and a hair dryer depending on the 'look' I want. The great thing about liquid art is that many substrates can be used - the matted side of photo paper, yupo paper, canvas, ceramic tile and anything non-porous.
"I watch a lot of YouTube videos to learn new alcohol ink techniques. I practice them on the matted side of photo paper, because yupo paper and other substrates are so expensive. When I have improved the technique, I try it on yupo paper. I started by painting flowers and suddenly got a lot of sales, especially around Christmas. I still get many commissions to do flowers," Talbott explained.
"I have grown to love abstract art. My first abstract painting sold immediately. Abstract art is more difficult. The challenge for me is how do I make it different? What different techniques and tools can I use? It amazes me to use different colors in different ways. Sometimes I try to hit people's interests by adding something to the painting, like the stencil of a skier or a tree. I can usually do an abstract painting in about four to eight hours, whereas it now takes me about 40 minutes to paint a flower. I complete the picture by spraying 6 coats of protectant spray so the picture will not fade so the buyer can choose to not use glass (UV protected). I am currently trying to use alcohol inks, acrylics, watercolor, chalk, alloys and mixitives or whatever 'moves' me, trying not to limit my use of mixed mediums."
Talbott spends a lot of time in her studio, but not all of her time spent there results in a painting to be sold.
"I can paint up to eight hours a day," she said. "I always stand while I'm painting, so I have to take breaks, like drinking a cup of coffee or taking my dog for a walk. I am also an avid reader.
"I can finish from eight to ten paintings in a week. And, sometimes that can be eight to ten paintings that go into the garbage because I'm not satisfied with them. I keep working on improving until I get what I want. However, there was one time when I made a big mistake by putting green in the wrong place on the painting. But then I added more green ink in different places, and it blended perfectly. When I posted it on Facebook, it sold in 15 minutes."