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From Ink to Florals: Carola’s Creative PLOTTER Journey

A neatly arranged collection of items on a wooden table includes PLOTTER Leather Binders in beige, brown, wine, and blue, a case of colorful markers, a small satchel, and decorative objects, conveying an organized and creative workspace.

PLOTTER USA recently sat down with Vancouver-based artist Carola Sallis (@fromcarola) for an episode of the Creative Refills podcast to learn how Carola uses PLOTTER in her creative workflow. Known for her distinctive abstract floral ink paintings, Carola has transformed her PLOTTER system into a vibrant creative studio where planning meets artistic expression.

Four PLOTTER Leather Binders of various colors and textures are displayed on a white surface, with art supplies and colorful markers in the background, conveying creativity and organization.

From Ink Bottles to Art

Like many fountain pen enthusiasts, Carola accumulated bottles and bottles of inks. Rather than letting them sit unused, she developed a distinctive process for creating abstract floral art that showcases the unique properties of fountain pen inks: their shimmer, sheen, chroma-shading, and the way they interact with paper in unexpected ways.

PLOTTER Leather Binder in Mini 5 Square Size open to two abstract floral drawings made with fountain pen ink.
PLOTTER Leather Binder in Mini Size open to two abstract floral drawing which were drawn with fountain pen ink.

Carola encourages everyone to experiment with their ink collections, emphasizing that you don’t need to identify as an artist to create meaningful art. The joy is in the process itself. Taking out your inks, playing with the different colors, and following the creative flow are all part of the process.

A neatly arranged collection of items on a wooden table includes PLOTTER Leather Binders in beige, brown, wine, and blue, a case of colorful markers, a small satchel, and decorative objects, conveying an organized and creative workspace.

PLOTTER as a Creative Canvas

Carola’s PLOTTER in Mini 5 Square Size serves as her dedicated creative companion, housing pen and ink tests, samples, and doodles. Her A5 Horsehair PLOTTER takes on dual duty with grid paper for planning and plain paper for creative work.

PLOTTER Leather Binder in Mini 5 Square Size open to two a page filled with stickers and a page full of calendars.

The flexibility of the PLOTTER system aligns perfectly with this mixed approach to planning and creativity. Carola can keep pages that serve her planning needs and recycle those that don’t, supporting a creative process that values exploration over perfection.

PLOTTER Leather Binder in A5 Size open to a page with an abstract floral drawing drawn with fountain pen ink.

Through her workshops and online streams, Carola helps others discover that their carefully curated ink collections can become art supplies. The PLOTTER system’s blank slate provides Carola a foundation for this creative journey, one colorfully inky page at a time.

PLOTTER Leather Binder in Mini Size opened to a page with abstract floral drawings, which were drawn with fountain pen ink.
Close-up portrait of Sri-Lanka-Canadian Artist, Carola Sallis.

Carola Sallis is a Sri Lankan-Canadian artist who brings her unique abstract style to painting, drawing, and creative journaling. Through her blog and social media, she shares her passion for stationery, planning, and artistic hobbies, inspiring others to embrace creativity in their everyday lives. Her work reflects both her love of intuitive art and her joy in encouraging others to explore their own creative process. When she’s not in her studio, Carola can often be found hiking the scenic mountains around Vancouver, Canada.

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