When people ask if I went to school to become an artist, I answer them honestly. No. I didn’t start painting until later in life. I was immediately attracted to acrylics and the variety of ways it can be used (from a watercolor look to an oil look), and the fact that it was water based.
I started combing YouTube for inspiration. There weren’t a lot of “fluid artists” at that time. The first YT artist that inspired me was Gary Reef. He’s a mixed media artist from Australia that I found about 9 years ago (this guy is an artistic maniac with a bazillion ideas). There is a painting that I did based on a technique that I learned from him that, years later, became one of four art pieces chosen by a winery and displayed on their bottles in 2015. Around the same time I found Gary, I also found a video titled: “Acrylics & Alcohol don't mix, or do they?”, posted by: 48hlc48. That video really inspired me, and away I went with my acrylics and isopropyl alcohol.
I started combing YouTube for inspiration. There weren’t a lot of “fluid artists” at that time. The first YT artist that inspired me was Gary Reef. He’s a mixed media artist from Australia that I found about 9 years ago (this guy is an artistic maniac with a bazillion ideas). There is a painting that I did based on a technique that I learned from him that, years later, became one of four art pieces chosen by a winery and displayed on their bottles in 2015. Around the same time I found Gary, I also found a video titled: “Acrylics & Alcohol don't mix, or do they?”, posted by: 48hlc48. That video really inspired me, and away I went with my acrylics and isopropyl alcohol.
There were other YT artists along the way that have really inspired me… Michele Theberge, Glenn Farquhar (artfusion1), and a long list of others. I continued to paint “without a brush”, and even began to sell my art. I ravaged the internet for any and all information that I could get regarding selling art, how to price it (not any easy answer), building websites, reviewing photo editing programs, how to photograph art, etc. So, up until 2017 most all of my works are single color layered pours, with Liquitex pouring medium, and sometimes alcohol.
It wasn’t until early this year that I discovered Annemarie Ridderhof on YouTube. Her videos reignited that flame in me, in a big way. I’ve begun doing dirty pours and having a blast at it. I still manipulate the pours in the same ways that I’ve always done, but with really amazing results using Floetrol instead of (and along with) pouring medium. I feel like a kid in a candy store. Endless happy possibilities.
When I began filming my pours a couple of months ago, I really planned to do just a couple. I was excited to have a way to show my friends, family, and clients how my art “happens”. To be honest, I really didn’t think about people subscribing to my channel. Pretty early on I started to get comments from people subscribing to my channel asking for more. Seriously? Ok! So I put some effort into making my channel look better and have begun spending a lot of time filming pours (whether the pieces worked out or not), and editing and uploading video to YT. It’s really been a learning experience for me and I’m loving every minute of it.
As of the writing of this blog I have over 850 subscribers and almost 30,000 views. WOW! Who would have thunk it!!? Right now I’m just feeling very blessed and trying hard to keep up. It’s getting a tad expensive so I’ve cut back to around one video per week, until I can afford more supplies and step it up. I’ve also followed Annemarie’s lead and set up a donation button on my channel. I’m not promoting it very heavily but hoping that a few people may see it and donate a few bucks for paint, and other supplies needed in the production of the videos. Also making a list of things to add in the future, to make them better… more lighting etc. So, welcome to my adventure! It’s busy, crazy, and so rewarding.
Thank you, for any and all support.
Kim OXOX
If you would like to check out my TY channel....
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjkxqf_X47JQQFja-VaQzAg/
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