Monday, March 29, 2010

Antique ink bottles

Yesterday I was out with a friend and we went shopping at Goodwill and an antique barn. I was on the lookout for some items for my still life paintings. I found these small antique bottles used for holding ink. The tops are a bit rough and jagged, the bottles dirty, and I loved them. I plan to also use them as vases for single stray flowers (including dandelions - which can be quite pretty!). So here is my first study of them.
6" x 6" / oil on panel / $100

7 comments:

lc said...

Kim, those ink bottles are amazing! I remember using those when I first learned to write in ink @ school. We dipped pen nibs in the ink. It would only hold enough ink for 2 or 3 letters. After that we had refillable pens that sucked up ink out of the bottles. It was a messy process. We always had ink blotters because inevitably
the ink would leave a splotch and of course it took a while to dry. Smeary writing was the frustrating norm.

Ralph said...

Yes I remember them in school also and a large one that sat on the window ledge in the outside passage so that any class could collect it to refill the little bottles. Amazing nobody ever did anything with the ink except fill the bottles. Again beauty where you least expect it. Thank you so much for your good wishes sadly today the pain seems even more intense so another day without painting for me.

Carol Schiff Daily Painting said...

Another Kim masterpiece. Great job on the glass.

Linda Popple said...

Good find! It is so much fun to be on the look out for something to paint and then find something wonderful. Love the colors in the glass and those shadows are amazing. Looking forward to seeing more of these ink bottles in your paintings.

JRonson said...

beautiful volumetries and shades, it's not easy to work with bottles, well done ;D

Mary Sheehan Winn said...

I'm impressed with your paintings and I agree that dandelions are beautiful flowers with a bad reputation.

Kim Rempel said...

Yes Mary! If they were hard to grow, people would laud them for their gorgeous burst of colour and delicate sent. And edible leaves. But I think we're in the minority ; )