"Not to grow up, though to grow through creativity"
*Inspired by Pablo Picasso
ARTIST STATEMENT
Principles and elements of painting, drawing, printmaking and sculpture all come together into one application. Mostly on paper or on plywood panel, a wide-range of content goes through a vigorous and rigorous process. Applying material mainly of oil paint with plaster, charcoal and collage, Alan develops richly dynamic surfaces using additive and deductive "marks", as "textural field" painting. His formal content also ranges with layered portraits/figures, dresses, fingerprints, Americana icons, walls, stencil and text. Overall, Alan's style falls inside Traditional and a Contemporary Art. With figurative academia and unconventionality of the avant-garde experimentation, Alan brings forth boldness, sensitivity and playfulness with a dark spin.
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Alan's 2004 "walls, fire and memory" series": When the rampant news reports of the Southern California wild fires hit in October of '03, he launched this reactionary series of abstract-like pieces on paper. As he has had a history of fires throughout his personal life, notions of loss resurfaced. Oil paint, charcoal and plaster have concealed integrated collage imagery -- or removed by his sanding of the surface. For him, it's ok; change and loss is inevitable. Another underlying metaphor behind Alan's motivation: media facts and information often get filtered, covered and/or lost. Nothing is too serious as ballpoint pen marks up playful circles. Subsequently, "untitled (firewall i)" beckons the viewer into a child-like investigation of the surface's details. It's a reminder to play and enjoy no matter what life gives -- or takes away.
In Alan's current and ongoing "space" series (2004-), bold vibrant colors transmit through dark, mysterious and somber figures and form atop wall-like surfaces -- "wall" concept influenced by Spanish painter, Antoni Tapies. Amongst the delicate though rugged surfaces, there are a lot of unanticipated details that often calls the viewer into a child-like investigation to see and understand the complexity. Alan intends that the viewers to not be disappointed by the technical aesthetics while transported into their own triggered imagination.
In Alan's representational content, Alan appropriates, paints and draws female portrait/figurative images from Internet social sites -- myspace.com and facebook.com. Moved by his subjects' inspiring beauty, he asserts their emotive mood in a serious, longing and somber context, connoting "the gaze". Dyer(1982). "There's beauty in seeming contemplative sadness; and I feel for women", he says; "so many women have it hard; especially here in sub-cultural LA. While I can never really 'know', I empathize with many women's challenges, complaints and yearning for richer and expansive personal experience". While Alan's work dominantly depicts females, his concept is most about the inherent and conditional life of 'beings having a human experience'. Chardin (1881 -1955).
What is making art for you? Here, Alan responds: "Making art my default function -- and goes with responsibility. As beauty and chaos constantly beckons me, creativity is a favorable outlet to vent, invent and contribute from my own challenges and awarenesses. I think of my art like our human psyche, as these art works also have many layers. A lot of past built-up material calls for attention whether: apparent, nebulous, latent, welcomed, avoided, unbeknownst, realized or covered up. I have a profound inclination to connect with these layers, take them on and break them down. It's about getting real withTruth, back to the basics and enhancing to the best of my ability. The process is sometimes difficult, confusing and frustrating, though the work's not all a struggle -- moreover not so much "work", as its just expression; and to explore surface and achieve dynamic textures is a very pleasing ride. In part, it's not necessarily important that my viewers always get my meaning; I best leave that up to them. If my art can get them to feel and think powerfully, then I have accomplished something best worthwhile."
P E T E R A L A N
m i x e d m e d i a p a i n t e r
Born: Feb 3, Orange County, CA
Currently residing: Los Angeles, CA
Education
2002 CERT DEGREE, TTL, Berkeley, CA, Art/business
1998 BA, SSU, Rohnert Park, CA , FINE ART,History, Psych
1994 UNDERGRAD,CSULB, Long Beach, CA, STUDIO ART
1992 CERT DEGREE, UCI, Irvine, CA, GraphicDesign
Related Experience
2010 Painting/Installation/Post-event
'03-'05 Guest, UCLA Warner Studios, Printmaking, panel construction
’98-’99 Overseas study, Italy, Culture/History/Painting
’01-’02 Art Teacher, M. Collins, Petaluma, CA, Mixed media process
’00-'02 Tech. Assistant, SSU, Rohnert Park, CA, Tool shop monitor
Solo Exhibitions
2010 "Auction", Burkina Faso flood-victim Benefit, Culver City, CA
2010 "Evo", New Loft Space, Los Angeles, CA
2009 "Open-Studio-Warming Event", Culver City Art District, CA
2009 "Evo II", 36 collective", Evo South, Los Angeles, CA
2008 "Evo", 30 collective", Evo/South, Los Angeles, CA
2008 "Ramones", Displayed works, RedPearl, Los Angeles, CA
2007 "naughty school concubine", Live sketch, e3rd st., LA, CA
2004 “Mixed”, Be Well Chiropractic, Encino, CA
Group Exhibitions
2011 "Entartete Kunst", Los Angeles, CA 2010 "tread", e3rd, Dowtown Los Angeles, CA
2010 "Group show", Cigars, Downtown Los Angeles, CA
2010 "Dreams on Canvas, Circle of Care Foundation, LA, CA
2009 "With Nikki Russo", PA Studio, Culver City Art District, CA
2009 "August Venue", Beatniks, St. Charles, MO
2009 "Honory Life II", Spring Event, Woodland Hills, CA
2008 "Honoring life", Auction, Woodland Hills, CA
2008 "LA tonite", 2nd st Cigars Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2008 "xx/xy", Hanger 1018, Los Angeles, CA
2008 "groupies", Monte Cristo, Los Angeles, CA
2008 "live sketch performance 4", e3rd, Los Angeles, CA
2007 "Rockit", The Grind, Mar Vista, CA
2007 "walls on bricks", Weiland, Los Angeles, CA
2007 "Body & Mind", Core Clinic, San Jose, CA
2007 "art of nightclubbing", IVAR, Hollywood, CA
2007 "art. food. music.", Tangiers, Los Feliz, CA
2007 "Art Display", Miss Kitty's Parlor @ Dragonfly, Hollywood, CA
2007 "collab with Frank Ryan", e3rd st. lounge, Los Angeles, CA
2007 "process monica", Star Factory, Los Angeles, CA
2007 "neighbor affair", Studio 2921, Culver City, CA
2007 "Mayapalooza", Maya De Leone, Pasadena, CA
2007 "fantasy art", Cigars 2nd st. gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2007 "abstractions", Royal Claytons, Los Angeles, CA
2006 "my space... in process 2", IVAR, Hollywood, CA
2006 "my space.. in process", The Monte Christo, Hollywood, CA
2005 “TOO LIPS”, Boardners, Hollywood, CA
2004 “Peace of Art”, Keller Williams, Marina Del Rey, CA
2004 consigned work, SOHO gallery, Studio City, CA
2003 “Floating to the surface”, 5900 St., Emeryville, CA
2002 consigned work, Hang, 567 Sutter St., San Francisco, CA
2001 “Reconstructing Reality” City of Oakland Gallery, Oakland, CA
2000 “Collaborations”, Edward Jones, Sebastopol, CA
1999 “Cheap Art Salon”, Campus Gallery, SSU, Rohnert Park, CA
1998 “Cheap Art Salon”, Campus Gallery, SSU, Rohnert Park, CA
Auctions/Donation: 2006 2010 2011 "Night of Big Dreams", Eagle Rock Educational Foundation., Eagle Rock, CA
Review and Award:
2008 "Evo: downtown LA's new 'green' condos,
Los Angeles Times, Home and Garden, October 2, 2008 2008 5th place, "spotlight V", xhibit.org online competition 2008 2nd place, "Spotlight IV", xhibit.org online competition
2007 1st place,"Body & Mind" International Art Competition,
Selected by art consultant, A.D. Aldouby, San Jose, CA 2006 place, "spotlight II", xhibit.org online comp.
2005 9th place, "spotlight I", xhibit.org online competition
2001 "Artists make enduring response to 9/11 attack"
The Mont Clarion (CA) p. 01, Published on 12-25-01
B. ROSCOE, STAFF WRITER
Commissions and Collectors
2011 Paul and Stacie Cox, Santa Monica, CA 2011 Eagle Rock Educational Foundation, CA 2011 Denny Vinar, Minneapolis, MN
2010 Stacia Vinar, Venice, CA
2010 Camille Rosenblatt, Los Angeles, CA
2010 Jason Ha, Los Angeles, CA
2010 Danuta Rothschild, Los Angeles, CA
2010 Dramane Kone, Los Angeles, CA
2010 Bill Heiser, San Francisco, CA
2009 Mike Mosseri, Los Angeles, CA
2009 Barri Lucci, Los Angeles, CA
2009 Dave Meadows, St. Louis, MO
2009 Alain Lehmuth, St. Peters, MO
2009 Paul and Stacie Cox, Santa Monica, CA
2009 Amber Allison, Los Angeles, CA
2009 Paul Karlson, Los Angeles, CA
2009 Cat Switzer, West Hollywood, CA
2009 Nicole Drake, Los Angeles, CA
2009 Tracey McCormick, Beverly Hills, CA
2009 Sherry Kay Harryman, Scottsdale, AZ
2009 Judd Murray, Albequerque, NM
2009 Nikki Russo, Los Angeles, CA
2009 Frank Elliot, Culver City, CA
2009 Mike and Stephanie McKeever, Manhattan Beach, CA
2008 Monica Ford, Los Angeles, CA
2008 Peggy Heiser, Arlington, VA
2008 Paul Thornton, Boise, ID
2008 Honoring Life auctionee, CA
2008 Alicia Sixtos, Los Angeles, CA
2008 Fusion Restaurant, San Diego, CA
2007 Monica Ford, Los Angeles, CA
2007 Tracy McCormick, Tempe, AZ / Los Angeles,CA
2007 Jackie Orchard, Pinellao, FL
2007 Alley Douros, Salt Lake City, UT
2007 Jason Ha, Los Angeles, CA
2007 Maya De Leon, Pasadena, CA
2007 Asra Iftekaruddin, Los Angeles, CA
2006 Gina Hansen, Sherman Oaks, CA
2006 Kristina Eil, Ventura, CA
2006 Robyn Williams, Manhattan Beach, CA
2006 Shehzod and Shafina Thawer, Sherman Oaks, CA
2006 Angelique Hennessey, Los Feliz, CA
2005 Keller Williams, Marina Del Rey, CA
2005 Erin Nemeier, Brentwood, CA
2004 Brian Benkenstalk, Venice, CA
2004 Chris Tyler, Venice, CA
2004 Dan V. Design, Los Angeles, CA
2004 Julie Jacobs, Santa Cruz, CA
2003 Kristen Schreyer, Santa Barbara, CA
2003 Sara Rogers, San Francisco, CA
1997 Trader Joe’s, store mural, Santa Rosa, CA
Bodies of Work
2011 -- Commissioned work of "Paddy Brown", most notably known as FDNY hero, Vietnam Vet and Golden Glove champion.
2010 -- "tread" series: mixed media works on paper and panel transferring car tires, bike tires, toy tires, and stencil markings.
2009 -- "children series: our present for a future now. Various images of family/friends kids integrated into a mixed media painting/colage process on paper.
2008
"alicia": a portrait painting series paying homage to the hispanic community. with actress/model Alicia Sixtos as the focal point, a mix of media touches on grafitti art, LA's urban egdy grit counter-balanced with soft, femine beauty.
Cuvler City, CA
2007-'08
"process monica" a mixed media painting/drawing series of actress/model, Monica Ford and other lady friends befriended on myspace.com.
Culver City, CA
2007
"shift": mixed media (found objects) wall sculpture pieces.
Culver City, CA
2006-2007
"angelique" series: mixed media pieces on panels and paper of friend/actress/model, Angelique Hennessey. Culver City, CA
2006
"'my space in process' series: mixed media pieces of myspace.com friends and my relationship to them, Culver City, CA"
2005
“dress series : expanding content and concept spawned from ‘Asie portrait series’, Culver City, CA”
2005
“Asie : a social-narrative portrait series: appropriating and combining painting, drawing, printmaking, principles and elements, Culver City, CA”
2004
"Integration: mixed media works on paper of the wall and fire motif, Venice, CA."
2004
"Memory Series: mixed media on paper dealing with childhood experiences, Venice, CA."
2004
"Fire Series: mixed media works on paper in response to Southern Cal. wild fires, Venice, CA."
2003
"Wall Series: mixed media works on panels reacting to the human dichotomy, Oakland, CA."
2002
“Middle Ground Series: mixed media works in socio-psycho-political contexts, Oakland, CA.”
2001
“Mixed media on panel in response to news media reaction to terrorist attacks, Cotati, CA.”
2001
“Sculptural Series: high relief mixed media content pieces on panel, Cotati, CA”
2000
“Collaborations Series: works in conjunction with Sarah Rogers, and Frank Ryan, Cotati, CA.”
2000
“A New Beginning Piece: panel painting in oil / mixed media and new applications, Cotati, CA.”
1999
“Model Series: figure drawings and paintings on paper. Facilitated by Philip Bueller, Santa Rosa, CA, and hired models at home studio, Cotati, CA.”
1999
“The Relationship Series: two mixed media works on paper dealing with the personal dynamics of ending relationships, Sebastopol, CA.”
1998
Student Body: mixed media drawings on paper, SSU, Rohnert Park, CA.”
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