Artist Statement

A STATEMENT REGARDING MY WORK, METHODS, PHILOSOPHY, ETC.

I, Michaell Allen am an artist of various methods and mediums, specializing in abstract-expressionist-surrealism (being my brand of reality, so far). I am a Symbolist.

-Abstract: To draw away the attention of.

-Abstract Expressionism: Art that expresses the artist’s attitudes and emotions through abstract forms.

-Surrealism: Characterized by fantastic or incongruous imagery or effects produced by unnatural juxtaposition and combinations. Or, as André Breton said, “Pure psychic automatism, by which it is intended to express, verbally, in writing, or by other means, the real process of thought. Thoughts dictation, in the absence of all aesthetic or moral preoccupation.”

-Symbolist: Represents intangible things by means of symbols.

As a child I saw, felt and knew lovely, wonderful, pulsating textures in the moments between wake and sleep. I wanted to recreate and touch them in physical time. I am still striving to reach that goal. An overview of my work shows a preponderance of expression through eyes, hands, body forms and movement; and water and sky images. I have worked predominately in shades of blue.

I am trying for a different sort of experience, often incorporating hair, feathers, scraps of used paint (recycled palette garbage) and other interesting found bits of odds and ends.

I look for different depths by working in experimental ways with the applications of textures, transparent gels and iridescences, trying for a more ethereal, luminous and expanded reality.

A large portion of my work was conceived in conjunction with prose and poetry.

In my early works I was dealing with the concept of Woman lost and/or abandoned and seeking shelter, a sane future for her Self and Children. In my more recent works I am finding solace in Woman as an expression of her own, holding and inspiring a very real Hope and expression for our future.

I believe the True Artist absorbs the problems and struggles of this world and must try to release them into symbol form in an effort to relate to distortions of physical understanding. It is having a different sort of perception which makes one an Artist. Art bridges between these parallel worlds, pursuing other realms and dimensions. Real creativity is not simple invention or realistic representation, but wandering to stumble into always existing truths, progressing in and touching new lights, colors, and textures. How else may an explorer of the Universe stay bodily tied? There is always farther on, something more, a new way to go, to reform focus and expand all meanings.

Otto Rank said, “Viewing everything from the creative angle, that is the activity which transcends our human life, the artist enlarges the boundaries or our whole life.”

I have worked with a diversity of symbols drawn from many sources; dreams, and studies of alchemy, theology, myth, psychology, etc., tending toward those with the most universal significance. I see art as a hieroglyphic form of communication, dependent on gut feeling, response and reaction; emotion. My favorites are those which erupt from the psyche first and then are followed by the manifestations of their meaning in my life.