DRAWINGS
These drawings are Fantasy design descriptions that supply a map to the path of a future sculptural object. The drawings illustrate an intention from a design perspective. Sometimes the idea already exists, and these drawings are explorations of the idea. Other times, the drawings come first, and lead to an idea. Often, drawings are exploring multiple simultaneous options, drawin from varied sources
SUPER STRIPES
A continuation of the Stripe Series, the Super Stripes bring an emphasis to the under painting. Each piece has a sanded abstract background blended into curved harsh lines in the mid-ground and finished with soft air-brushed stripes in the foreground. The layering of these contrasting ideas and the dialog between them, ultimately creates cohesive compositions. Thereby achieving the Maximalist vision of richness and complexity.
CONSTRUCTED WORKS
Large-scale works constructed of wood, steel, and other materials. These are often commissioned temporary public art pieces, sometimes made from re-cycled or re-purposed materials. Most of these works feature horizontal stripes of interesting colors and matarials laid over a central superstructure.
RESIN TOWERS
In the ongoing series of Towers, sculptures are created from blocks of epoxy resin. Unlike Gem Boxes, this series focuses on the more rigid "man-made" or urban aspects of beauty. The focus is on precise form and the relationship between structures as paintings in space. While alternately capturing or reflecting light and creating dense areas of color and focus, these monumental forms bring awareness to our society's continual drive for art and design in our visual landscape. The towers are similar to my Stripe paintings, but put vertically and manifested in 3D.
QUEST SERIES
The Quest series of towers and sculptures began in 2005, when I started working with blocks of epoxy cut with a bandsaw to reveal a rich amount of paint "events" and textures. The process of cutting and assembling chunks into towers & sculptures reminds me of the "building blocks" of life, representing civilization, creativity and progress. There is a sense of minimalism in the structure and color of the whole piece, while extremely rich and involved within each cut chunk.
CARNIVAL SERIES
The Carnival series brings a new energy and whimsical flare to the Gem Box family. Alan's newest series is playful and experimental for the artist, bringing in looser paint strokes and a stronger sense of fluidity. Bright, flat shapes against painterly cosmic circular forms contrast with linear patterns that seemingly weave their way in and out of the compositions. Each piece is named for a carnival or an carnival characteristic from around the world. This series is currently exclusive for sales in the Netherlands.
2008 GEM BOX SERIES
In this most recent series of Gem Boxes, fresh edge, depth, richness of color and passion are contained in layers of unique surfaces. Colorful kinesthetic passages move through layers of clear space with sensibility and elegance, coming together to form a synergy of life and passion on panels.