The gallery is showing new work by Alan Jones through December 16. Alan's work always gets a lot of attention. For one thing, he paints large: his pieces are up to five and a half feet tall by nearly seven feet wide. (The one shown here, "Where the Meadow Meets the Woods," is 64" x 80".)Alan's paintings are also incredibly detailed. People tell us they feel as if they could step right into the scene.
Because we always get a lot of questions about Alan's work, we asked him to answer some of the ones we hear the most. Feel free to ask a question of your own and we'll post Alan's answer.
How long have you been doing these kinds of paintings?
I have been painting depictions of the forest since 1986 and began working outside in the early 1990s.
How long does it take to paint one of these large paintings?
Typically six months from start to finish and from 150 to 200 hours.
How do you work?
Painting is a solitary activity. I work alone and normally for a number of hours at a stretch. On average, around half of the work is done outside on location, which involves the use of a make-shift “easel” (more of a support really) in the woods. Once I begin working inside on finishing the piece, I typically do not take the piece back outside again. I work outside all year except for very cold or wet weather, and have painted outside in all months. Working outside has a number of challenges, including changing light, wind (a real problem with large canvases), and falling debris! At one point, I thought I was going to get charged by a deer when it ran within 3 feet of me. The locations are all close to home so I carry the canvases from my studio to the location by hand.
Is there anything on the canvas to give the painting that texture?
The texture is the outcome of a layering process (metamorphosis) but is not the goal of the process.
Your work makes some people think of Seurat. Were you influenced by his work?
Seurat is not a key influence although in a general sense I am influenced by his work.
What artists have influenced you?
Balthus, Vermeer, Turner, Rembrandt, many Italian artists.
Why do you use oil instead of acrylic?
I have always painted in oil and have never considered acrylics.
