Arts Council’s artist of the month paints with alcohol ink

When Dale O’Connell of Lucas retired from life in the ministry in 2016, he spent a couple of years working around the house before deciding to try his hand at painting.

“I thought, I could live another 20 years…you can get good at something in 20 years, so what do you wanna be? I said, I want to be an artist,” said O’Connell.

He knew he had the talent, but it wasn’t until January 2019 when he put pencil to paper to see what came of it. Since then, he hasn’t stopped.

Journey to artist

Originally from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, O’Connell graduated from Tarkio College in Tarkio, Missouri, and then from theological school in Pittsburgh. His first church assignment was in Mars, Pennsylvania, with future church assignments moving him all over. O’Connell’s first attempt at painting had occurred in 1970, when he did four paintings before he realized how time consuming ministry was. The next time he’d take a brush was in 2002, when he painted five manger scenes as Christmas gifts for his children.

After his first stint in retirement during which he started a nutrition business, O’Connell and wife Linda, also a pastor, moved to Iowa when Linda was assigned to the Presbyterian Church in Lucas. O’Connell continued his nutrition business for some time until the church in Humeston needed someone to temporarily fill in as a Presbyterian pastor; O’Connell would stay there for nine years.

In his second retirement and quest to be an artist, O’Connell spent until July 2019 working in pencil before taking an art class at the museum in Chariton. The class was taught by Jorja Kemp, a “guru of alcohol ink” painting. O’Connell initially took the class because he was ready to branch out into color, and that was that.

“I was hooked and never looked back,” said O’Connell.

Alcohol ink

The type of alcohol used for painting is the kind you’d find in a medicine cabinet, 91% or higher concentration. The alcohol ink comes in dropper bottles, and the color is first dropped onto the page followed by the alcohol; alternatively, the alcohol can be applied to the canvas first with drops added on top. A straw or a brush can be used to manipulate the drop, and then another drop is added to the page and repeated until the product is complete. Unlike other mediums, you cannot layer the colors on top of one another - they will leave a white spot in the middle.

For O’Connell, he paints his drawing first on a piece of tile to see if the colors will work. Once he’s satisfied, he’s ready to move to paper or canvas, using acrylic if needed to make a color pop. If something doesn’t turn out quite the way he wanted, he stands the dry picture up and squirts alcohol on it to see what is revealed underneath, advice he gives those who take his workshops.

“My personal strategy for beginning-type projects: put it on paper, make a mess, let it dry, then look and ask what can I do to fix it,” O’Connell said.

Today, O’Connell’s has created over 600 pieces of art, and dabbles in acrylics with the occasional pencil. He has a gallery in Humeston, and has received several accolades for his work. He is a member of Iowa Artists and was invited to present at the Des Moines Women’s Art Show. He also hosts alcohol ink workshops, and that is how he came into contact with the Clarke Area Arts Council (CAAC).

CAAC members Mary Ellen Kimball and Deb Jurshak took one of O’Connell’s classes and couldn’t get enough of it.

“It’s magic,” said Kimball.

The pair agreed it would be great to have O’Connell to be a guest artist, and he agreed.

“I was so flattered, I was so honored,” said O’Connell.

Artist reception and workshop

An artist reception is planned for Sunday, June 11 from noon to 2 p.m. at the Lakeside Hotel and Casino Events Center entrance. O’Connell will be on hand to talk with and answer questions, and a drawing for a piece of original work will be given away at the end of the event. His first pencil drawing, “Iris,” is also on display. All of the artwork at the casino is for sale.

An artist’s workshop for adults is planned for Wednesday, June 28 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the Osceola SWCC center . RSVP’s are required. Interested people can contact Kimball at 641-342-4272 or O’Connell at 641-203-1195. O’Connell said one doesn’t have to be an artist to attend, and oftentimes those who come in without any notion of what they want have an easier time.

“My most satisfied students are people who say they have no talent. The ink does a lot of the work. If you have no talent, then you’re not expecting it to look like something, and you’re appreciating what it’s becoming,” said O’Connell.

His artwork will be on display through the end of July.