This document discusses the artistic journey and process of RW Allen. It mentions that he was inspired by his printmaking teacher Norman Ackroyd during his fine art studies. Allen later worked in graphic design before becoming a full-time artist. His work now focuses on watercolor drawings featuring patterned interiors with clad female figures. He references historic patterns from books in his work. The drawings take around 25 hours each to complete and include transparent layers and gestural painting.

1. RWAllenartworks2015
A televisionprogrammeentitled:“WhatDoArtistsDo All Day?”and featuringthe Northof England
artist/printmakerNormanAckroyd,wasfirstbroadcastinthe UK duringMarch 2013 [available in
twoparts throughYouTube - it isoutstandingviewing].Earlyinthe piece there are two statements
made by the artist,which continue toresonate withinme:“Igowhere instincttakesme”and:“I
actuallyfeel thatthisiswhatI shouldbe doing”.
Three of my five yearsof fine art studieswere atthe Central School inLondon, between1970 and
1973. The painting,drawing andprintmakingstudiossharedthe topfloor,andalthoughInever
exploredprintmakinginanyformal capacity,Ido have a veryclearmemoryof a dedicatedteacher of
etchingwhowasin hisearlythirties.He wasalways working!Frommorningtonighthe constantly
advised,guidedandinspired notonly those studyingdirectlywithhim, butalsothose close by.It
was palpable –and hisname wasNormanAckroyd.Instinctive.Dedicated.Disciplined.
Since arrivinginAustraliawithmywife Agbackinthe springof 1982, andprior to takingupdrawing
on a full-timebasisinJanuary2010, I workedinmy owncommercial graphicdesignbusiness.Our
single-mindedstatementof service supplywassimply:“DifferentiationbyDesign”.Duringthose
yearsin the arenaof professional practice, Icame to the conclusionthatdesign,initsessence,has
100 parts.98 are made up of elementssuchascommonsense,logic,structure,mathematicsand
geometry;andthe other2%? – somethingakintovoodoo!!AsIcontinue alongmycurrent pathway,
it appearsthatthisbreakdownremainsapplicable totoday’spursuitsat the drawingboard.
My workiswhollyfocusedonthe productionof watercolourdrawingsthatfeature anexoticallyclad
female figure posedwithinanembellishedinterior.Pattern-makingisapre-occupation,andeach
piece takesapproximatelytwentyfive hourstocomplete.Iam absorbedinthe constructionof
transparentlayers of marksand patternsintandem withdegreesof gestural painting,stainingand
washes,which canat timesbe quite randominexecution.Matisse,BonnardandVuillardwere my
“firstloves”backin the mid-1960s, andcontinue toinspire ona dailybasis.
I holdregularsessionsathome withprofessionalmodelshiredthroughalocal agency.Fourmorning
hoursare usually scheduled,whichallow timeforthe preparationof bothdrawnand“sketchbook”
photographicreference fromaroundeight ‘propped’ poses. The pattern-makingaspectof mywork
isconstantlyevolving.Some hasbeen researched andadapted fromIslamart,and more recently,
froma book entitled:“Decorative Ornament”byOwenJones. Thiscomprehensive volume presents
a wealthof historicdesignsandpatterns,andwasa giftfromthe extraordinarydraftsman,painter,
teacherand mentor,DavidPaulson.Publishedin1856, overa decade before the birthsof Matisse,
Bonnardand Vuillard,itis asuperbresource to saythe least!
As mydrawingprogresses,there isanemergingdesire tofurther ‘subtracttowardsabstraction’,to
create imagesthatare enigmatic,withincreasedambiguity.I holdthe view thatoureyeshave an
inbuiltabilityto‘workthingsout’.
Duringa recentvisit tothe RedHill Gallery,throughwhichIhave representation, one of the team
commentedthatmydrawingsare difficultto lookat[or ‘read‘] on-line,eventhroughthe aide of Hi-
Resscanning.Many of the detailsmade through mark,embossedtexture,tone createdby line,and
pattern-makingare lost.Ibelieve thistobe true,andthat the workneedstobe seen:”inthe flesh”
so to speak,andat some pointfromthe distance that eachpicture has beencreated,around30cms!
. . . whoknows,one mighteven discoverthe meresthintof a kindof voodoo I do!