artist introduction
life. art. process.
Shari Allen lives and works in Victoria, BC. She is an enthusiastic artist and counsellor who enjoys hiking, craft cocktails, conversations, and good food—sometimes all at the same time.
life.
By way of introduction, I am an artist, a writer, a clinical counsellor, a person intrigued by the narratives of the people I meet with and curious about how to convey their beauty and wisdom in creative ways.
In my paintings, the majesty and mayhem of life is represented abstractly, with just a few figures and forms hinting at the broader context and story. I want to invite viewers to reflect upon the art and to imagine its meaning for them. I hope my paintings and words will connect you and I to a shared human experience.
art.
Exploring the possibilities of the media is primary to my creative practice. Over time, I’ve learned that applying acrylic paint with a palette knife is a more graceful and intuitive gesture for me than making marks with a brush or pen. I’ve found that inky paper towel waste can be torn and glued together to make an interesting collage, and that mixing media can lead to unexpected and delightful results. Pouring inks was an experiment that became my favourite way to paint.
I rarely begin a painting with much more than a blank canvas or panel in front of me. Pouring different inks together creates a chemical reaction that is unpredictable and, therefore, endlessly interesting. I usually start with spontaneous pours and go along with what happens on the canvas next. The less focussed I am on what I want the painting to be, the less effort it takes to make it. I try to stop playing when I don’t know what to do next.
Because of these practices, paintings can evolve, sometimes quite dramatically, over time. An inked painting will average between twenty to thirty layers and take a few months to complete.
process.
After a long season of personal and artistic contraction, I am now more interested in working with media and techniques that will expand my creativity and capabilities. I tend to avoid more typical artistic conventions because they elicit perfectionism in me and my work. Making art has given me many freedoms and it helps me process life experiences in a more intuitive and generative way. It’s my creative therapy.
Going forward, I want to push myself to take more risks, both in life and in art. I want more surprises and discoveries, more mysteries and more meanderings in the creative landscape. Some risks have worked out well, I think. I invite you to view my artistic endeavours on the many gallery pages.
As for the other risks—the not-so-good results—well, with painting as with life, you can always begin again. Pouring ink onto a freshly repainted canvas reminds me of that.
snap, crackle, pop
how to care for your painting
Over time, cracks, blurs, and bubbles may appear and disappear in the painting. This is especially true when the painting travels to a new environment. Changes in humidity and sun exposure make a difference. Whenever possible, keep your painting out of direct sun exposure or high traffic areas where it would be handled or moved a lot. If your painting has not been treated with a spray varnish (most have not), and if it gets dusty, wipe clean with a lightly dampened, soft cloth or use a feather duster. You may use water if absolutely necessary but not any cleaning liquids.