Alcohol ink artist
1/31/2024
Pouring three drops of yellow, teal and magenta ink on thick paper might not resemble much of an art piece. Yet, for Keri Jo Storjohann, once she begins manipulating the ink with a drop of alcohol, splotches of paint suddenly turn into flowers, the sun or a dreamy white tunnel.
Storjohann is an alcohol ink artist with Keri Jo Fine Art. She applies the colored ink and drips alcohol on the paper. Instead of applying with a paintbrush, she uses an airbrush, a hair dryer or blows through a straw. These techniques create shapes where the colors bleed together, forming unique, muted colors.
“It’s a very intuitive process,” she says. “If I don’t like the color, I add more alcohol. You never know what it will turn out like once it dries.”
After examining the piece, she might add dots with other paint, crackle or modeling paste. Each painting is unique.
“People see different things, such as a face. One person who bought a painting called me to say, ‘Did you see the dog in there?’ It’s neat when people see something different.”
One vision she found recurring in her work is an image of a tunnel of white light. The image is significant, as she suffered a near-death experience that changed her life.
Storjohann was 17 years old when she was in a car accident. She suffered severe injuries, and her heart stopped twice.
“The first time I saw myself in intensive care, and I looked down at the doctors putting paddles on my chest,” she recalls.
The second time in surgery, she went through a white tunnel.
“I was given a choice whether I wanted to come back. At first I said no,” she recalls. “Then I had a conversation with the angel or spirit.”
She says the images of the white tunnel convey peace in her paintings.
“You feel it — the near death experience — the rest of your life,” she reflects. “It shows up in how you view life.”
Storjohann has sketched and painted most of her life. After graduating with a degree in technical illustration, she aspired to illustrate for Disney. Instead, she did catalog drawings for John Deere in the Quad Cities. She also worked in advertising and currently owns her own marketing company.
As an empty-nester, she ramped up her artwork after her kids moved away from home. She applied for juried art shows, feeling surprised and ecstatic when they accepted her work. While art shows are challenging, it allows her to make friends and talk with attendees.
Storjohann scoffs when others suggest she rent a studio outside of her home.
“I’d lose my momentum if I had to go somewhere to paint. It’s meditative, and I lose hours while painting,” she reflects. “It’s very energizing and fuels my soul.”
She creates various commissioned pieces. After the person explains their desired colors and theme, Storjohann paints three unique artworks to choose from. Whenever the painting is completed, she wishes for one sentiment from the art buyers.
“I want people to feel happy and a joyful feeling sense of peace whenever they see my artwork,” she says. ♦
