Kasha Ritter

The Story: Yes it's true, I paint without a paintbrush.

I use a glass eye dropper to move acrylic ink across canvas.

I've found the fluidity of the ink and the way the glass eye dropper propells it, carries a different energy vs. a brush which can flatten the energy but limiting it's movement.

Chemistry? Magic? Not sure but I LOVE IT! 

Back story: 

My grandmother, Nanny, made me sit down and draw. For her, art was a way to focus my curious energy. I owe her so much. I owe her this life I get to live.

I am eternally grateful she sensed this in me.

 

My technique is acrylic ink on canvas. I use a glass eyedropper and a water color pencil. This technique came about from my cat, Lola, who pawed open jars of ink, on the canvas, creating a puddle. As I rushed to pull the ink off to put it back in the jar, I saw a flower petal appear from the pressure of the pulling.  My "Ah-ha!" moment that transformed my life. 

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I have a deep love of being able to make a massive mess and to wander in working. Watching ink overflow is a joy to witness as it come to life. It goes against what we are taught, "Don't make a mess. Watch out you don't want to spill that." I lean into the mess and encourage the spill because that's where creativity wants to play.

I want to steer into the storm.

I want to see what happens when I do. But I always clean it up afterwards. :) 

 

All of the artwork is created on Martha's Vineyard. 

 

I started painting pet portraits when my dog Zazu looked at me like no one else ever has. I owe this life to her as well. It's curious how I owe a lot of what I do to the kind souls in my past who saw something in me and cared enough to share it, to nudge me in that direction.  I will be forever grateful to them for that.

May you have souls in your life who do this for you. May you also do this for others.  💟

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