Can it really be ten years ago that I embarked on this creative journey with fountain pen inks? Time flies when you’re having fun – and I have to confess – it’s been quite the adventure! But, did you know that I have never actually spoken to an audience about my adventures until recently?
Shortly after my ink tutorials were published in Artists and Illustrator and The Leisure Painter, I was approached by the Odiham Art Group and the Rochester and West Kent Art Society (RWKAS) to visit with them for a ‘show and tell’ about my project: how it began; the ink investigations; swatch card techniques; new ways of painting and illustrating; delivering workshops; how it has influenced my art practice, etc etc.
The two events had very good turn outs – 50 and 40 attendees respectively. Following the slide show talks (featuring lots of colourful work examples) and the Q&As sessions – the Odiham Art Group asked me to give a live demonstration of my ink and bleach painting techniques followed by a very quick ink and bleach taster session while the RWKAS asked me to deliver a mini workshop using inks with chromatic behaviours and bleach for 26 willing students. Both events lasted for circa 2 hours.
Both visits have generated a lot of interest. So much so that I have been invited back to deliver more in-depth workshops for both groups in 2026. To best sum up the reaction to these events, here’s a lovely quote from the RWKAS:
There are art evenings that leave you quietly inspired – not just by what you see, but by what you feel. Our recent workshop with Nick Stewart was exactly that kind of evening – filled with colour, laughter, curiosity, and the joy of experimenting together.
Nick’s approach to fountain pen ink is a mix of curiosity, chemistry, and pure wonder. He reminded us that art doesn’t always come from control – sometimes it comes from trust.
“The medium always has control,” Nick shared. “I am continually learning just how far I can push it. It can be brutally unforgiving if I push my luck. ‘Less is more’ seems to be the most successful mantra to employ.”
For Nick, working with ink isn’t about chasing perfection, but about discovering beauty in the unexpected: “I’m looking for both form and feeling but I’m also hoping for a third component – the serendipity input from the medium which always elevates the art to new levels of visual wonder.”
And when asked what he would tell other artists exploring something new, his answer felt like a quiet piece of wisdom for us all: “Do not be scared. Make mistakes. Trust the medium.”
Thank you, Nick, for an evening that reminded us how freeing it is to let go of control, and how creativity often begins where curiosity meets courage.
Our members described the night as absorbing, warm, and full of light. The excitement in the room was the best compliment an artist could receive.
So, if you are a member of an art group, and your group is looking for a niche artist to come and talk about their practice and give a demo or deliver a taster workshop please get in touch nick@nickstewart.ink
AND HEY! If you’re interested to know more about how to use fountain pen inks in more creative ways – whether it’s simply to observe their chromatic behaviours, or, to recreate one of my swatch cards, or, to learn how to use them in watercolour painting, illustration and calligraphy, why not check out my online course ?
FOUNTAIN PEN INK ART 