Introduction to Alcohol Ink Art is suitable for artists of all levels who are new to alcohol ink.

You’ll be introduced to a range of tools, surfaces and materials. Shirley will guide you through a series of exercises to learn key techniques and explore the different effects alcohol inks can create. In the second half of the session, you’ll apply what you’ve learned to one or two larger compositions with plenty of encouragement to experiment and add your own creative flair. Ongoing support will be available throughout the day. All materials are provided with a reference sheet included. You’ll take home all of your unique finished artwork.

Please bring with you:

• Acrylic or gel pens for drawing over the inks

• A box and something soft to wrap you artwork in to take home (the finished surface can be scratched unless varnished)

• A snack for mid-day break

Classes are offered the last Sunday of the month from 10:00am- 3:00pm, with a lunch break. Each of the 3 sessions will be an introduction to a new technique. Students are welcome to take any or all of the sessions but attending each session will make the most of your experince.

March 29, 2026

April 26, 2026

May 31, 2025

About Your Instructor:

Shirley White is a self-taught abstract artist based in Nanaimo, British Columbia. Working primarily with alcohol ink, she creates fluid compositions that explore movement, balance, and the quiet tension between control and release.

Drawn to alcohol ink for its natural flow and unpredictability, Shirley embraces the way the medium responds to subtle guidance rather than force. Layers of ink are shaped and refined with brushwork, acrylic paint, and delicate mark-making, allowing each piece to evolve through a process of observation, adjustment, and restraint. The resulting works feel both spontaneous and considered, inviting the viewer to slow down and engage with moments of visual pause within the motion.

Influenced by mentorship from international artists and ongoing experimentation, White’s practice continues to evolve. Her work reflects a deep curiosity about how small shifts in gesture, tone, and texture can change the emotional weight of a composition. Each painting stands as a record of exploration—open, intuitive, and quietly resolved.