Sonia Allen keeps track of her progress, her technique, and her thoughts in the margins of her art. Now, those tricks of the trade have been made into an exhibit on display at the Bush Barn Art Center Studio Annex. Allen’s work, “Remarques: Recent Work by Sonia Allen,” is a showing of work completed while working as the Artist-in-Residence in the Bush Barn Art Center’s studio.
Allen works with monotypes. “I fell in love with printmaking while in high school. I have always loved it. The moment you pull the print, no matter what you have on the plate, you have no idea what is going to be there when you pull the paper back. It is a discovery, something new every time, and I love that about it,” said Allen. Her art reflects what she learned from her summer experience in the studio, the methods she used to create the piece, and the story of how, what and where she was as an artist at the time the print was made.
Allen teaches school-aged children through, and does private and group lessons as well among other teaching opportunities. Allen was thrilled with the opportunity to work in the Bush studio for the summer because it gave her the opportunity to focus on her art and step back from teaching.
“I love teaching, I really do. I get a great deal out of watching people gain confidence, taking hold of mediums that they have been exposed to, and learning new things that they never thought they could achieve. For me, it is rewarding.”
“I had a very challenging year. I went into the residency wanting to artistically explore and express finding something good coming out of what had been challenging.” Allen believes that the experience helped. “I have spent years teaching and gradually put my own studio work to the back. Much of my time was classroom work, and I love that, but I was hungry to get back into the studio,” Allen said.
“I took everyday materials that looked like nothing much, and I used them as a print making tool with the purpose of creating something beautiful of out things we don’t necessarily think of as exquisite.” Allen used weeds, leaves, and grass along with different foliage from her garden and sometimes organic things she would see on the sidewalk.
“I am really grateful for the time I was given in the studio. I focused completely on what I was doing,” Allen said. “That was rewarding. I love the pieces. I feel rejuvenated. I feel like I have new ideas for things I might want to try. I fed myself as an artist, I was ready for that. I give a lot of myself in the classroom and I love doing that, but I’ve got to play.”
“Remarques: Recent Work by Sonia Allen” Features original monotypes ranging from printmaking to water media from her collection created during her time as the summer Artist-in-Residence at the Bush Barn Art Center’s Studio. The show runs through December 3rd.
