I set out to make courageous marks and wanted to have some strong color. That led me to think about the many watercolor sketchbooks I have from previous years. I let the “old” painting suggest where to start to make ink marks and then elaborated.
I like these marks. They are at once weak and strong, tentative and courageous.
Courage lets go of what was in order to move into the present. While it doesn’t demand certainty, it does require showing up.
If I look at this through the lens of allyship, it works if the paint is an ally to the ink – offering strength and structure so that the ink can experiment and flourish. If the situation were reversed, the ink is overrunning the paint. This reflects what sometimes happens with attempted allyship, but is not the ideal!