My background comes from graffiti art in the form of murals, many of which were painted on the Wildfire bakery. I have been part of many community art projects, and informal group shows, as well as some live painting at musical events. I have no formal training, other than being guided in highschool by my teacher, Bevin Bigalky at Oak Bay High.
My work is best described as a woven landscape of calligraphy strokes, fabric pattern, people, symbols, and nature. I draw on my graffiti style to give boldness and movement to my oil paintings. I also use the alchemy of abstract to form my pieces, which sometimes create themselves.
Living artists that I find interesting at the moment are Ben Van Netten, Aaron Marshall, Ian George, Andreas Tiedeman, and Adrienne Travis.
No longer living artists I find interesting right now are Modigliani, Tom Thomson, Keith Haring. I absolutely love Keith Haring. I really feel I need to start paying more attention to the names of Artists through history that I like. Often I will look at books and not remember any of the names; I just absorb the inspiration.
To me, art that has a social/political message is very powerful. It is great if it has something to say, but sometimes the simple beauty of a painting without a message can be powerful in the way that it can alter perception; just by the naked truth of itself existing.
I do art to process my life. To understand the world around me. To make something from nothing. To make people happy. I do art because it is my purpose.
Peter Allen
http://peterallen.ca/
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