Monday, December 7, 2009

Home National Sports Business Lifestyles Religion Arts & Culture Pulse Spice Editorial letters Opinion Foodie Sportscope Real Talks Weekend Report PDF's Classifieds Contact About Us Archive Weather

Letters | Opinion | Editorial | Weekend Report
'Birth of a Godhead' By THEA RUTHERFORD ~ Guardian National Correspondent ~ thea@nasguard.com: A week before the opening of his first solo show in eight years, artist Allan P. Wallace, whose island-wide murals have increased his popularity, revealed a glimpse of what's to come in exhibition "Birth of a Godhead." In 13 pieces, Wallace takes the viewer on a journey into an imagination where elaborate scenes of celestial beings live amongst sultry female forms and quirky characters lost in thought. A little over a month of work comes to life in ink, graphite and acrylic on paper and canvas. The show opens on Friday, November 27 at New Providence Art and Antiques on Bank Lane with an opening reception from 6 to 10 p.m. It runs until December 19. "I think the idea that Allan's work is now so public ... I think now there are people that want to own his work in a private way, they want to collect his work," said gallery proprietor Jay Koment. "There's that dichotomy of scale - the large and the small - between public and private work." For his part, Wallace feels the time is right at this point in his art career for such a show. "I believe now I'm there," said the artist in an earlier interview. "It's still a work in progress," said Wallace of his art, "I'm still learning. But before, I really didn't want to just put out anything." Since becoming a full-time artist five years ago, Wallace has done portraits, appeared as a guest artist in various shows, designed tattoos, and for a time, taught art in school. His series of murals, done under the National Art Gallery of the Bahamas' Liveable Neighborhoods project, is slated to expand next year under a new partnership. He said of his decision to pursue art full-time: "After a while you decide to put your faith in God. If you believe in God, and pretty much, the more you believe in Him, the more stupid it seems to not follow your passion. The worst thing you can do is stand in the way of something as awesome as God." A self-taught artist, Wallace said that the inspiration for his work comes from God. "My art is really me trying to get as in tune with God as possible," he said. "In the future what I hope is that my life serves as an example as to what's possible if you believe." Saturday, November 21, 2009