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Featured Artist December 2014: Wendy Allen
Tell us a little bit about yourself: What got you interested in art? Have you taken any art classes?
I have always loved to draw. As a little girl I would sit in front of my parent’s furniture store and sketch the town. Even though we really didn’t have art classes at Sabula High School (graduating class of 20), I decided to study art in college. I went to Drake University and got a BFA in Art Education and studied art in Florence, Italy, for a year. I taught elementary and high school art for three years before I got my Master’s in Counseling from the University of Iowa. Later as part of my practice I did art therapy for 15 years.
What is your preferred medium and why?
Right now I am really mainly interested in working with fabric and various embellishments, although I also enjoy painting. There’s something about the whole process of finding interesting designs in fabrics at thrift shops that is pleasing to me. Perhaps it is just the tactile experience of working with fabric, of cutting out paisleys, etc., and color sorting them, to collaging them and sewing them together. It reminds me of quilting with my mother at an early age. There is something in the process that resonates as a woman’s thing. Sometimes I use “notions” from my husband’s mother’s collection to create a mandala or to tell a visual story.
Where do you gather most of the inspiration for your works?
The most inspiration comes from my relationship with my Divine. Particularly in the last few years I have experienced an immense down pouring of creative inspiration, and with it, an uprising of the desire to attempt to share through my art the “Ineffable”. I find I attempt to capture what I apprehend as “The Glory”. That’s the only word that really expresses it. I want my pieces to communicate the fragrance of this “Glory”. Then it may be possible for the viewer to follow this fragrance back to Source, which is in fact our own true nature that our egoic minds try to hide from us.
Do you have any particular artist who has inspired you over the years?
The enlightened mystic and musician, Jean Klein; The painter, Miriam Shapiro; the tradition of creating Mandalas that comes from India but is also a cross-cultural tradition of attempting to visually communicate the energy of the Divine.
Do you collect anything, and if so, do you utilize it in your work?
I collect all sorts of stuff! I have bins of cut out fabric pieces to use in collages sorted by color. Sometimes I even wear a piece one day and then decide it would be better to cut it up and do so… I collect laces, even T-shirt tops that I like. I have collections buttons. And then there are the bins of paper collage images store in my home. I thrift shop frames and they are scattered all over the house much to my husband’s dismay.
Can you remember one of the first things you drew/sculpted/painted/photographed etc.? What makes it memorable?
I drew scenes of the Mississippi River as a child. This is memorable because I lived across the street from the river as I was growing up. It gifted me with a deep love of place. I still experience the Mississippi as Holy. I had a visceral experience of the river, its sights, and smells. It was my refuge when I was very hurt as a child. It was a source of adventure and wonder.
Have you ever stepped out of your comfort zone and discovered a whole new genre of art?
At one point I discovered the power of public ritual as an art form. It made sense to me, how place, costumes, myth acted out in a beautiful way had immense artistic potential and could communicate life’s mystery (we are back to the idea of “Glory”) in an experience that one’s community could participate in. There was an element of surrender to the livingness of such a ritual as they tended to become quite alive and seemed to have a mind of their own.
How did it turn out?
I did a number of them locally. The first was an Earth Day celebration in the ‘90’s held at Lincoln Memorial Garden. We made a 20 foot high puppet of Mother Earth that I had sculpted on my compost pile in paper mache. The outcome of this gathering of people who both participated and attended was that it seemed to generate the beginning of the environmental movement here in Springfield. Another one was held at Carpenter Park in reaction to an encounter between a local ornithologist and a bulldozer at a sensitive sand prairie area. This became the modern myth of the encounter between Greenman and his friends and the minions of progress and the bulldozer (a large construction that breathed smoke). Several other events and protests at Carpenter Park ensued and the threat of the land adjacent to the park being developed abated (for the time being). These are powerful acts in which the “One” participates with the community to create a sort of magic.
Do you make your living off your art? If not, would you like to?
It is hard to make your living off of art, but I am now focusing more attention to doing so. I am just now in the process of developing a web site. I recently joined The Pharmacy Group, a local artist collective and am participating in their shows and selling well so far. The Pharmacy recently moved to the old Widow of Winsor building at 5th and Cook in Springfield and will be opening part time as a gallery.
Springfield has many opportunities for art exhibits. Do you have any gallery or museum that you particularly enjoy?
I already mentioned the group/Gallery I participate with, the Pharmacy. I love all of the art’s groups. I have been able to show at the Springfield Art’s Center at Liturgical shows and also at the State Fair Professional Art Exhibit. I enjoy the openings of Prairie Art’s Alliance and also of the State Museum.
If you had to travel anywhere to see art, where would it be?
All over Europe. It is a mecca. My husband, Bill Crook, and I are going to travel to Thailand, Cambodia, and around and hope to see world heritage sites.
Do you have a favorite artist? If yes, what draws you to that person’s work?
Right now I am into Miriam Shapiro, a painter and collage artist. She formulated a concept called “Femmage”, which I really relate to as it reflects my style (collecting notions; feminine themes, collage).
Is there a particular author who has influenced your style?
Not really one but an entire range from early renaissance to contemporary artists.
How do you feel about the under-appreciated artist?
Art is a vehicle which can lead one home to their nature. It inspires hope. It communicates meaning and teaches us about ourselves. There is a freedom that the artist communicates, a “thinking” outside of the box, that is a tremendous resource to the whole. I hope to see a day where this deeper value is more appreciated. Of course, much of the source of “appreciation and valuing” is rooted in the capacity to love the self.
Do you have any other interesting hobbies or maybe a fun story about an experience involving your artwork?
Nothing immediately comes up…
Where can we reach you if we are interested in commissioning you for our own projects?
I can be reached at 217-341-7133; or [email protected]
And finally, I would like to give you this opportunity to share three to five images and tell us a little about each:
Featured Artist December 2014: Wendy Allen
Tell us a little bit about yourself: What got you interested in art? Have you taken any art classes?
I have always loved to draw. As a little girl I would sit in front of my parent’s furniture store and sketch the town. Even though we really didn’t have art classes at Sabula High School (graduating class of 20), I decided to study art in college. I went to Drake University and got a BFA in Art Education and studied art in Florence, Italy, for a year. I taught elementary and high school art for three years before I got my Master’s in Counseling from the University of Iowa. Later as part of my practice I did art therapy for 15 years.
What is your preferred medium and why?
Right now I am really mainly interested in working with fabric and various embellishments, although I also enjoy painting. There’s something about the whole process of finding interesting designs in fabrics at thrift shops that is pleasing to me. Perhaps it is just the tactile experience of working with fabric, of cutting out paisleys, etc., and color sorting them, to collaging them and sewing them together. It reminds me of quilting with my mother at an early age. There is something in the process that resonates as a woman’s thing. Sometimes I use “notions” from my husband’s mother’s collection to create a mandala or to tell a visual story.
Where do you gather most of the inspiration for your works?
The most inspiration comes from my relationship with my Divine. Particularly in the last few years I have experienced an immense down pouring of creative inspiration, and with it, an uprising of the desire to attempt to share through my art the “Ineffable”. I find I attempt to capture what I apprehend as “The Glory”. That’s the only word that really expresses it. I want my pieces to communicate the fragrance of this “Glory”. Then it may be possible for the viewer to follow this fragrance back to Source, which is in fact our own true nature that our egoic minds try to hide from us.
Do you have any particular artist who has inspired you over the years?
The enlightened mystic and musician, Jean Klein; The painter, Miriam Shapiro; the tradition of creating Mandalas that comes from India but is also a cross-cultural tradition of attempting to visually communicate the energy of the Divine.
Do you collect anything, and if so, do you utilize it in your work?
I collect all sorts of stuff! I have bins of cut out fabric pieces to use in collages sorted by color. Sometimes I even wear a piece one day and then decide it would be better to cut it up and do so… I collect laces, even T-shirt tops that I like. I have collections buttons. And then there are the bins of paper collage images store in my home. I thrift shop frames and they are scattered all over the house much to my husband’s dismay.
Can you remember one of the first things you drew/sculpted/painted/photographed etc.? What makes it memorable?
I drew scenes of the Mississippi River as a child. This is memorable because I lived across the street from the river as I was growing up. It gifted me with a deep love of place. I still experience the Mississippi as Holy. I had a visceral experience of the river, its sights, and smells. It was my refuge when I was very hurt as a child. It was a source of adventure and wonder.
Have you ever stepped out of your comfort zone and discovered a whole new genre of art?
At one point I discovered the power of public ritual as an art form. It made sense to me, how place, costumes, myth acted out in a beautiful way had immense artistic potential and could communicate life’s mystery (we are back to the idea of “Glory”) in an experience that one’s community could participate in. There was an element of surrender to the livingness of such a ritual as they tended to become quite alive and seemed to have a mind of their own.
How did it turn out?
I did a number of them locally. The first was an Earth Day celebration in the ‘90’s held at Lincoln Memorial Garden. We made a 20 foot high puppet of Mother Earth that I had sculpted on my compost pile in paper mache. The outcome of this gathering of people who both participated and attended was that it seemed to generate the beginning of the environmental movement here in Springfield. Another one was held at Carpenter Park in reaction to an encounter between a local ornithologist and a bulldozer at a sensitive sand prairie area. This became the modern myth of the encounter between Greenman and his friends and the minions of progress and the bulldozer (a large construction that breathed smoke). Several other events and protests at Carpenter Park ensued and the threat of the land adjacent to the park being developed abated (for the time being). These are powerful acts in which the “One” participates with the community to create a sort of magic.
Do you make your living off your art? If not, would you like to?
It is hard to make your living off of art, but I am now focusing more attention to doing so. I am just now in the process of developing a web site. I recently joined The Pharmacy Group, a local artist collective and am participating in their shows and selling well so far. The Pharmacy recently moved to the old Widow of Winsor building at 5th and Cook in Springfield and will be opening part time as a gallery.
Springfield has many opportunities for art exhibits. Do you have any gallery or museum that you particularly enjoy?
I already mentioned the group/Gallery I participate with, the Pharmacy. I love all of the art’s groups. I have been able to show at the Springfield Art’s Center at Liturgical shows and also at the State Fair Professional Art Exhibit. I enjoy the openings of Prairie Art’s Alliance and also of the State Museum.
If you had to travel anywhere to see art, where would it be?
All over Europe. It is a mecca. My husband, Bill Crook, and I are going to travel to Thailand, Cambodia, and around and hope to see world heritage sites.
Do you have a favorite artist? If yes, what draws you to that person’s work?
Right now I am into Miriam Shapiro, a painter and collage artist. She formulated a concept called “Femmage”, which I really relate to as it reflects my style (collecting notions; feminine themes, collage).
Is there a particular author who has influenced your style?
Not really one but an entire range from early renaissance to contemporary artists.
How do you feel about the under-appreciated artist?
Art is a vehicle which can lead one home to their nature. It inspires hope. It communicates meaning and teaches us about ourselves. There is a freedom that the artist communicates, a “thinking” outside of the box, that is a tremendous resource to the whole. I hope to see a day where this deeper value is more appreciated. Of course, much of the source of “appreciation and valuing” is rooted in the capacity to love the self.
Do you have any other interesting hobbies or maybe a fun story about an experience involving your artwork?
Nothing immediately comes up…
Where can we reach you if we are interested in commissioning you for our own projects?
I can be reached at 217-341-7133; or [email protected]
And finally, I would like to give you this opportunity to share three to five images and tell us a little about each:
This was an interesting piece to create. I knew it was an evolving expression of the generative feminine. There is a point when a piece becomes alive and actually looked back at me. Art works develop a life of their own. They begin to collaborate in the creative process. In this case I found myself repetitively chanting a chant to Holy Ma, Durga, a mother Goddess out of the Hindu tradition. When this happened, I knew what energy was communicating itself through the work and named it, “Holy Ma”. It was in this year’s liturgical show at the Springfield Art’s Center and I was told a man came repeatedly and just sat gazing with the piece for long periods of time. Perhaps the piece was done for him. It was clear that “She” caught his attention.
I call this piece, “Aloha”. It is done as a mandala. Mandalas are tools for establishing sacred space and are a microscopic representation of the Universe, with four directional portals to enter this sacred space. “Aloha” is a common greeting and farewell in Hawaii. However, there is a much deeper meaning of “Aloha”, as a way of life. As a path of beauty in which the word, “Aloha”, holds within itself all that one needs to know to interact rightfully in the natural world. This is a deeper teaching of “Aloha”: Aloha is being a part of all, and all being a part of me. When there is pain – it is my pain. When there is joy – it is also mine. I respect all that is as part of the Creator and part of me Curby Rule.
I am in the grasp of the Divine Muse! I think this piece called to my attention as a way of honoring the Source of the Inspiration which was being downloaded to me. This piece represents the “Three Muses”, ancient Goddesses of Inspiration for the arts. This was a technically difficult piece as there were many overlapping layers of transparency needed to communicate the shadows and skin tones. It is a large piece, approximately 4 foot tall, and is currently in the collection of Juliette Slack.