Today we’d like to introduce you to Linda Speed.
Hi Linda, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I was born and raised in New York/New Jersey, and with two parents who were self-taught artists, I always thought the gift of art skipped me. In 2017, in my late 60s, I started acrylic rock painting to share in the community. I figured I could paint a rock with a word and hide it around town! It wasn’t until 2019 that I fell in love with the art of alcohol inks, and I became an award-winning artist shortly after that. Alcohol inks are vibrant, intense fluids that I mix with isopropyl alcohol and are moved with air, such as a hand blower/puffer, an airbrush, or a hairdryer. I have also conquered the difficult task of painting these inks with a paintbrush. This work would usually be reactivated with alcohol, not water. However, all my work is sealed with an archival UV protector. I recently went full-time into the art world, focusing on providing art for Coastal Cottage of Amelia, a locally-owned home decor store. I am also an exhibiting artist at the Island Art Association in downtown Fernandina Beach. The owner of Coastal Cottage, Yvonne Fenn, was instrumental in displaying my art in wallpaper form inside her store’s Design Center. Last year, I exhibited at the Isle of Eight Flags Shrimp Festival, and one of my paintings was nominated for an award. Presently, I am preparing for this year’s Shrimp Fest and also working with a company to finish developing my website. Once my website is complete, I will be offering my art to the public and 500+ interior designers who belong to The Designers Collaborative, who are designers from around the country.
Please talk to us about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned. Looking back, has it been easy or smooth in retrospect?
My biggest challenge has been designating the time to paint. When I have the time, I may need more energy or creativity to paint something. I was running an interior design business, taking an art education program to improve how to run my art business, serving on the board of an international organization, helping them put on two conferences last year, and volunteering at the Art Gallery to fulfill my obligation as an Exhibiting Artist, and exhibiting my art in a few local festivals. I decided to drop my interior design business to focus on my art. It takes up a lot of time on the back end to run an art business, which includes photographing the artwork, logging it for inventory, and documenting the sizes, prices, and location of the art. My art is located in 2 art galleries, 1 local store, 1 local business, and 1 local hospital. Imagine losing track of where a painting is on any given day!
Thanks for sharing that. You could tell us more about your work.
I specialize in Alcohol Ink Art (as described in an earlier question). I am known for my abstract designs, which are usually colorful. The largest piece I painted was a 4-foot x 6-foot vibrant piece commissioned for a design client of Coastal Cottage of Amelia’s. I am most proud of that painting and that one of the pieces I displayed at the Shrimp Festival in May 2023 was selected by the judges for Award Consideration. Only a few people are familiar with alcohol ink art.
What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
The most important lesson I’ve learned is to experiment with the inks. Please don’t start thinking it has to be a perfect painting available to sell. Alcohol inks are so fluid that controlling them is very challenging. Practicing will help me learn how to guide the inks into the shapes I want. But I must accept that a design in mind may evolve differently than I would like. That is when I create in the moment and not so much ahead of time.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.lindaspeedartist.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/linda.speed.artist/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LindaSpeedArtist/
Image Credits
Solaris Foto
