I’m Back, But I Never Left

My last post began with “It’s been three weeks since I last typed up a blog post”. That was 9 months ago. I’m laughing at myself because I am discovering that it’s not so easy for me to keep a blog. I just may be more painter than author. I’m going to keep trying anyway, and maybe I’ll get better at this. If you see the frequency of posts amping up, then it’s probably getting easier.

Over the summer I attended some really great art events in Racine, Wisconsin. The 16^th Street Studios held another open house event which was just as fun, interesting, and inspiring as the first time my wife and I went, back in April of 2023. I saw several new studio spaces which I did not see before. I even came home with a free book. One artist was making room for fresh books on her studio shelves by telling her visitors to take one. So I selected a hardcover biography about J.R.R. Tolkien and thanked her.

Not only are there artists’ studios and shops at the 16^th Street Studios, but there is a museum. In suite 2500 is the “Spirit of Racine Entrepreneurs” exhibit, which is a museum dedicated to “the innovative spirit and business acumen of those who contributed to Racine’s economic growth and development”. I saw many interesting items, like old world carriages manufactured in Racine, steamer trunks, a vintage Golden Books collection, and many other products and items that were manufactured in Racine. There were turn of the century maps displayed, showing the neighborhoods and street names in Racine in those times. Much has changed, and much has stayed the same. I learned something about my house. It was all very interesting stuff. Another open house event will take place on April 27, 2024.

My wife and I also attended the 58^th Racine Starving Artist Fair at the DeKoven Center, near the lakefront, in Racine. It was a really fun and inspiring event. The weather cooperated with overcast skies and pleasant temperatures. The grounds there are really beautiful.

The DeKoven Center website describes the grounds best: “Set along Lake Michigan’s bluffs in Racine, Wisconsin, The DeKoven Center’s 11-acre campus is a unique and versatile setting offering nationally-recognized architectural treasures, gorgeous gardens, serene wooded areas and distinctive spaces — ideal for everything from personal reflection to community celebration”.

It was my first time attending this art fair and I could not believe the size of this event. I had no idea it was so large. There were over 120 artists displaying and selling their work, live music (I saw an acoustic performer and a cellist), the aroma of different foods, and all kinds of colorful art – paintings, woodwork, metalwork, jewelry, clothing, sculpture, glass-work… you name it. All of this in the midst of the beautiful gardens of DeKoven Center. I bought a stained glass piece from an artist, and my wife purchased a blown glass piece. The event inspired me to paint Kings Way Gardens, at St. John’s Chapel, which is on the DeKoven grounds. You can view the painting in my gallery. The Fair was impressive and has made me consider trying to rent a space there, possibly next year. The 59th Racine Starving Artist Fair is August 4, 2024.

I’ve created a lot of new art over the past several months. I completed eight paintings and have three other new paintings started as I type this. I jump around between pieces, and work on whichever one excites me at the moment.

The eight paintings that I completed are called:

• “Moon Peeking Around A Chimney”
• “Looking At You”
• “Halloween Tree”
• “Autumn Trail”
• “Morning Light”
• “At The Easel”
• “Danny”
• “October Snow”

They are all displayed in my gallery.

I painted “Danny” after a childhood friend of mine passed away unexpectedly in November 2023. He was a year older than me and we used to play music together when we were teenagers. We started out together, you could say, me getting my first electric guitar and amplifier at the same time he acquired a set of drums. His Dad allowed us to make our noise in their garage, and we started learning songs together. We lost touch with each other in the early-1990s and reconnected only two or three years ago on social media. We never managed to hook up face-to-face though. And then one day he passed away. I painted “Danny” how I remember him – young, long ago in the 1980s, in that garage. We had many great times. I think my painting reflects the fuzziness of those increasingly distant memories.

I will discuss other paintings in future blog entries.

I’m starting to print in-house, rather than outsourcing. We bought a large printer, and it prints with water resistant archival pigment inks. I’ve also been researching and testing out new archival fine art papers. I worked professionally in the printing industry for 15 years, before I began taking my artwork more seriously, and the knowledge and experience I gained from those jobs has paid off. I am not intimidated by printing in-house. I like the control that it gives me over the quality of my prints.

That is all that I can think to report, for now. I’m working on new paintings and I will share them here soon. Thank you for reading this. I will seriously try to write more often.

~ Mark Allen